Postdoctoral Appointee, Advanced CMOS Product and Design - Onsite

Sandia National Laboratories; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Sandia National Laboratories seeks a Postdoctoral Appointee in Albuquerque, NM to advance radiation-hardened analog/mixed-signal IC design using Intel 18A-class nodes and other advanced platforms.

You will lead end-to-end circuit development, from architecture and transistor-level design to layout, verification, and characterization, collaborating with experts in radiation effects, modeling, and packaging for national security missions.

Qualifications

• PhD in Electrical Engineering; conferred within the last 5 years.
• Demonstrated expertise in analog or mixed-signal IC design (coursework and/or tapeout).
• Experience with circuit simulation and analysis, and familiarity with IC physical design fundamentals.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q level security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Develop RHBD analog/mixed-signal circuits in advanced CMOS technologies.
• Perform transistor-level design, simulation, and optimization using industry-standard EDA tools.
• Implement layouts and oversee physical design activities with DRC/LVS and PAR considerations.
• Apply RHBD techniques against TID/SEE and process/voltage/temperature corners.
• Collaborate with radiation-effects experts to define test structures and data interpretation.
• Work with multi-disciplinary teams on PDK enablement, model validation, and design kits.
• Support prototype bring-up, debug, and characterization with test engineers.
• Communicate results through technical reports, publications, and reviews.
• Collaborate in a multi-disciplinary environment.

Skills

Analog/mixed-signal IC design

Circuit simulation & analysis

DOE Q security clearance

Education

PhD in Electrical Engineering

Tools

SPICE-class simulation

Layout/signoff flows (DRC/LVS)

Job description

Job ID

698945

Location

Albuquerque, NM

Full/Part Time

Full-Time

Regular/Temporary

Temporary

About Sandia

Sandia National Laboratories is the nation's premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:

• Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
• Extraordinary co-workers
• Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world
• Career advancement and enrichment opportunities
• Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten-hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part-time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)
• Generous vacation, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*

World-changing technologies. Life-changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at: http://www.sandia.gov

*These benefits vary by job classification.

What Your Job Will Be Like

The Advanced CMOS Product and Design group is seeking a Postdoctoral Appointee to advance radiation-hardened analog and mixed-signal integrated circuit (IC) design in state-of-the-art foundry process technologies, with an emphasis on Intel 18A/18A-P class (Intel 18AP) nodes and other advanced platforms. The successful candidate will contribute to the end-to-end development of RHBD circuits from architecture and transistor-level design through physical implementation and verification while collaborating closely with experts in radiation effects, device physics, modeling, packaging, test, and system applications.

This role focuses on enabling next-generation, radiation-tolerant microelectronics for national security missions by developing circuit techniques and design methodologies that maintain performance in the presence of TID, SEE (SET/SEU/SEL), and variability, and by maturing these designs toward silicon demonstration. In this position, you will have opportunities to lead technical contributions, publish results, and engage with external partners as appropriate.

• Develop radiation-hardened-by-design analog/mixed-signal circuits (e.g., front ends, references/biasing, regulators, clocks/PLLs, data converters, sensor interfaces, or other mission-relevant macros) in advanced CMOS technologies.
• Perform transistor-level design, simulation, and optimization using industry-standard EDA tools (SPICE-class simulation, mixed-signal verification, and signoff-quality flows).
• Implement layouts and/or oversee physical design activities, including layout-aware design, DRC/LVS, parasitic extraction, EM/IR, and reliability signoff consistent with advanced-node constraints.
• Apply and evaluate RHBD techniques against TID and SEE susceptibility, including upset mitigation strategies, SET-tolerant analog design practices, and robustness to process/voltage/temperature corners.
• Work with radiation-effects subject matter experts to define test structures, radiation characterization plans, and interpretation of radiation test data to improve circuit designs and design rules.
• Collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams on PDK enablement, model validation, design kits, and methodology development to support RHBD design in Intel 18AP-class nodes.
• Support prototype bring-up, debug, and characterization, including bench measurements and correlation to simulation (directly or through close partnership with test engineers).
• Communicate results through technical reports, publications, program reviews, and conference presentations, and contribute to proposal and roadmap activities as needed.
• Collaborate in a multi-disciplinary environment.

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite.

Qualifications We Require

• PhD in Electrical Engineering. PhD needs to be conferred within the last 5 years.
• Demonstrated expertise in analog or mixed-signal IC design (coursework and/or tapeout experience).
• Experience with circuit simulation and analysis, and familiarity with IC physical design fundamentals.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q level security clearance.

Qualifications We Desire

• Prior work in radiation effects, RHBD, reliability‑aware design, or resilient microelectronics.
• Tapeout experience in advanced nodes (FinFET/GAA helpful) and familiarity with signoff flows.
• Experience with high‑speed interfaces, precision analog, low‑noise design, data converters, or clocking.
• Experience planning/using silicon measurements to close the loop on models and design methodology.

About Our Team

The Mixed-Signal ASIC/SoC Products Department specializes in developing analog and digital integrated circuits (IC) for a variety of applications that require high reliability, high performance or specialized integrated circuits. The department develops a wide range of Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) for a variety of government applications. Circuit designs include read‑out electronics, data acquisition, information processing, encryption/decryption, radiation‑hardened electronics, trusted computing, and control circuit applications. Customers include DOE weapons systems, satellite systems, the intelligence community, Army, Air Force, and commercial industry. Mission success is assured by employing disciplined design methodologies and state‑of‑the‑art computer aided engineering (CAE) tools.

Posting Duration

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of three (3) calendar days, including the 'posting date'. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

Security Clearance

Sandia is required by DOE to conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants for employment need to be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.

Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.

EEO

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.

NNSA Requirements for MedPEDs

If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug‑releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.

If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on‑site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.