Principal Analog Design Engineer - DC DC Architect

NXP Semiconductors; Chandler (AZ); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

NXP Semiconductors in Chandler, AZ seeks an experienced Analog Design Architect to lead architecture, design, and validation of next-generation PMICs and DC-DC converters for automotive/industrial applications.

You will drive architecture exploration, block-level design, and verification, collaborating with system, digital, verification, layout, and test teams to ensure performance, reliability, and functional safety goals are met.

Qualifications

• MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• Minimum 12 years of experience in analog or mixed-signal IC design, with at least 5 years in a technical leadership, system architecture, or principal design role.
• Strong expertise in DC-DC converter architectures and control techniques, including current-mode, voltage-mode, hysteretic, constant-on-time, and digital-assisted control methods.
• Proven experience designing automotive or industrial PMICs, voltage regulators, or power conversion products.
• Strong transistor-level design and simulation expertise using industry-standard EDA tools from Cadence, Synopsys, and Siemens EDA.
• Experience with silicon bring-up, characterization, root-cause analysis, and production support.
• Familiarity with functional safety, reliability, EMC/EMI considerations, and automotive quality requirements is highly desirable.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to develop innovative solutions for complex technical challenges.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills in English.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive technical execution in a fast-paced product development environment.

Responsibilities

• Define and drive system and circuit architectures for high-performance DC-DC converters and PMICs, ensuring alignment with product, performance, quality, reliability, cost, and functional safety requirements.
• Translate product and system requirements into robust analog and mixed-signal architectures, specifications, design strategies, and implementation plans for automotive and industrial applications.
• Lead architecture exploration, topology selection, and design tradeoff analysis for buck, boost, buck-boost, multiphase, and integrated power management solutions.
• Drive the design and development of critical analog and mixed-signal building blocks including error amplifiers, voltage and current references, compensation networks, current sensing circuits, gate drivers, protection circuits, oscillators, comparators, ADCs, and digital-assisted analog control functions.
• Develop control architectures and power management schemes that optimize efficiency, transient response, EMI performance, accuracy, thermal behavior, and overall system robustness.
• Collaborate closely with system, applications, digital, verification, validation, layout, and test teams to deliver optimized mixed-signal solutions that meet power, performance, area, and reliability targets.
• Lead design reviews, architecture reviews, and technical decision-making throughout the product development cycle.
• Guide transistor-level design, simulation, verification, silicon bring-up, characterization, debugging, and production ramp activities.
• Ensure compliance with automotive and industrial requirements, including reliability, diagnostics, functional safety, and robustness objectives.
• Work closely with customers, product definers, and system architects to establish product requirements, technical roadmaps, and development priorities.
• Mentor engineers and contribute to continuous improvement of design methodologies, automation flows, and engineering best practices.

Skills

DC-DC converters

Analog/mixed-signal IC design

System architecture

Technical leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

EMC/EMI considerations

Gate drivers and references

EDA tools (Cadence)

EDA tools (Synopsys)

EDA tools (Siemens EDA)

Silicon bring-up

Functional safety concepts

Education

MS in Electrical Engineering

PhD in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Cadence

Synopsys

Siemens EDA

Job description

Job Summary Working in the Advanced Power Systems group within the Power and Energy Business Line, the candidate will be part of a highly experienced team developing Power Management ICs (PMICs) for automotive and industrial applications. The successful candidate will lead the architecture, design, development, and validation of next-generation DC-DC converters and power management solutions, driving innovation from concept through silicon validation and production release.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and drive system and circuit architectures for high-performance DC-DC converters and PMICs, ensuring alignment with product, performance, quality, reliability, cost, and functional safety requirements.
• Translate product and system requirements into robust analog and mixed-signal architectures, specifications, design strategies, and implementation plans for automotive and industrial applications.
• Lead architecture exploration, topology selection, and design tradeoff analysis for buck, boost, buck-boost, multiphase, and integrated power management solutions.
• Drive the design and development of critical analog and mixed-signal building blocks including error amplifiers, voltage and current references, compensation networks, current sensing circuits, gate drivers, protection circuits, oscillators, comparators, ADCs, and digital-assisted analog control functions.
• Develop control architectures and power management schemes that optimize efficiency, transient response, EMI performance, accuracy, thermal behavior, and overall system robustness.
• Collaborate closely with system, applications, digital, verification, validation, layout, and test teams to deliver optimized mixed-signal solutions that meet power, performance, area, and reliability targets.
• Lead design reviews, architecture reviews, and technical decision-making throughout the product development cycle.
• Guide transistor-level design, simulation, verification, silicon bring-up, characterization, debugging, and production ramp activities.
• Ensure compliance with automotive and industrial requirements, including reliability, diagnostics, functional safety, and robustness objectives.
• Work closely with customers, product definers, and system architects to establish product requirements, technical roadmaps, and development priorities.
• Mentor engineers and contribute to continuous improvement of design methodologies, automation flows, and engineering best practices.

Qualifications

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering or related field required.
• Minimum 12 years of experience in analog or mixed-signal IC design, with at least 5 years in a technical leadership, system architecture, or principal design role.
• Strong expertise in DC-DC converter architectures and control techniques, including current-mode, voltage-mode, hysteretic, constant-on-time, and digital-assisted control methods.
• Deep understanding of analog and mixed-signal circuit design fundamentals, including feedback systems, loop stability, compensation, noise, precision references, power device behavior, and protection circuits.
• Proven experience designing automotive or industrial PMICs, voltage regulators, battery management, or power conversion products.
• Strong transistor-level design and simulation expertise using industry-standard EDA tools from Cadence, Synopsys, and Siemens EDA.
• Experience with silicon bring-up, characterization, root-cause analysis, and production support.
• Familiarity with functional safety, reliability, EMC/EMI considerations, and automotive quality requirements is highly desirable.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to develop innovative solutions for complex technical challenges.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills in English.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive technical execution in a fast-paced product development environment.

Business Line Description

Join a world-class team developing state-of-the-art power management solutions for leading automotive and industrial customers. The Advanced Power Systems organization, part of NXP’s highly successful Power and Energy Business Line, is seeking an experienced Analog Design Architect to drive the development of next-generation DC-DC converters and PMIC products. The Power Delivery Development Team is a small, highly skilled R&D organization focused on creating innovative power delivery solutions that address the evolving needs of automotive and industrial systems. Team members work closely with some of the most influential and successful companies in the industry, delivering cutting-edge technology from concept to production.

Location

Location: Chandler, Arizona, USA.

Equal Opportunity

NXP is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer regardless of age, color, national origin, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital status, status as a disabled veteran and/or veteran of the Vietnam Era or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. In addition, NXP will provide reasonable accommodations for otherwise qualified disabled individuals.

Bright Minds. Bright Futures. We believe that a key component to growing our business is to develop our people. To enable you to grow your career at NXP, we offer online and offline learning opportunities to help you develop some of your core and professional skills. Commitment At NXP. We recognize NXP is a powerful change agent as we continue to deliver innovative solutions that advance a more sustainable future. We remain steadfast in our commitment to sustainability and making measurable year-on-year progress. Also, we aim to create an inclusive work environment and we will not tolerate racism, discrimination or harassment of any kind. We have programs in place focused on diversity, inclusion and equality. Thank you for considering a career at NXP.