Principal Failure Analysis (FI/FA) Engineer

Ampere Computing LLC; Santa Clara, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 155,000 - 232,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401K retirement plan

Unlimited flextime

Paid holidays

Snacks and beverages

Job summary

Ampere Computing LLC in Santa Clara, CA seeks a Principal Failure Analysis (FI/FA) Engineer to define and execute forward‑looking FI/FA strategies, lead fault isolation, and manage PFA activities across wafer sort to RMAs. You will correlate physical defects with electrical signatures and report findings to peers and leadership.

The role requires 8+ years in semiconductor FA, deep CMOS knowledge, and hands-on tools experience (SEM/FIB, TEM).

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, or a related field.
• 8+ years of direct, hands-on experience in semiconductor failure analysis.
• Deep understanding of CMOS device physics and advanced process technologies (FinFET).
• Proven hands-on expertise with a wide range of fault isolation tools.
• Proficiency in physical analysis techniques including SEM/FIB and TEM, with sample prep.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive FI/FA strategy aligned to the product roadmap.
• Establish failure triage, isolation, and physical analysis methodologies.
• Lead complex failure investigations from wafer sort to RMAs and customer returns.
• Perform EFI and guide PFA activities including sample prep and imaging.
• Correlate defects to electrical signatures and datalogs to identify root cause.
• Author clear, data-driven FA reports for peers and leadership.
• Manage external FA lab relationships and SOWs to ensure high-quality results.

Skills

Fault isolation

Semiconductor FA

CMOS physics

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

SEM/FIB

TEM analysis

Python scripting

JSL/Perl scripting

Job description

Principal Failure Analysis (FI/FA) Engineer

Ampere is a semiconductor design company for a new era, leading the future of computing with an innovative approach to CPU design focused on high-performance, energy efficient AI compute.

As a pioneer in the new frontier of energy efficient high-performance computing, Ampere is part of the Softbank Group of companies driving sustainable computing for AI, Cloud, and edge applications.

Join us at Ampere and work alongside a passionate and growing team.

About the Role:

As a Failure Analysis (FI/FA) Engineer at Ampere, you will ensure the quality and reliability of our products. This role will assist in the definition of the FI/FA strategy, building the capabilities, defining the methodologies needed to support Ampere's product portfolio across diverse and demanding markets, as well as performing hands-on fault isolation and management of the PFA activities. This employee will collaborate with a team of engineers in Design, DFT, Product, Test, and Reliability to drive root cause understanding of complex silicon issues. This expertise will directly influence the quality of current products and provide critical feedback to shape the design and manufacturability of future generations.

What You'll Achieve:

• Develop, own, and execute a comprehensive, forward‑looking FI/FA strategy to support Ampere’s product roadmap and expansion into new markets.
• Establish methodologies for failure triage, isolation, and physical analysis to maximize success rates and minimize cycle time.
• Lead complex failure analysis investigations on failures from wafer sort, final test, qualification (HTOL, HAST, etc.), and customer returns (RMAs).
• Perform hands‑on electrical fault isolation (EFI) and guide and manage physical failure analysis (PFA) activities, including sample preparation (delayering, deprocessing, cross‑sectioning) and imaging (SEM/FIB, TEM, SCM).
• Correlate physical defects to electrical signatures and ATE datalogs to determine the definitive root cause of failure.
• Author and present clear, concise, and data‑driven FA reports to technical peers, management, and executive leadership.
• Manage relationships with external FA labs, defining statements of work (SOWs), and ensuring the delivery of high‑quality results.

About You:

• Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, or a related field.
• 8+ years of direct, hands‑on experience in semiconductor failure analysis.
• Deep understanding of modern CMOS device physics and advanced process technologies (FinFET).
• Proven hands‑on expertise with a wide range of fault isolation tools.
• Proficiency in physical analysis techniques, including SEM/FIB operation, TEM analysis, and sample preparation (wet/dry etch, CMP).
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, with a demonstrated ability to logically debug complex issues from system‑level symptoms down to a transistor‑level defect.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to distill complex technical information for a broad audience.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s or Ph.D. in a relevant engineering or science discipline.
• 12+ years of experience in FI/FA, preferably on large‑scale SoCs, CPUs, or GPUs.
• Experience in a strategic or technical leadership role, with a proven track record of building FA capabilities or defining methodologies.
• In‑depth experience with failure modes on advanced technology nodes (7nm, 5nm, 3nm).
• Familiarity with ATE test platforms and interpreting datalogs
• Proficiency in a scripting language (e.g., Python, JSL, Perl) for data analysis and automation.
• Experience managing customer returns (RMA) and interacting with quality organizations.

What We'll Offer:

At Ampere we believe in taking care of our employees and providing a competitive total rewards package that includes base pay, cash long‑term incentive, and comprehensive benefits. The full base pay range for this role is between $154,500 and $231,500, except in the San Francisco Bay Area where the range is between $172,000 and $258,000.

Our benefits include health, wellness, and financial programs that support employees through every stage of life.

Benefit highlights include:

• Premium medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, as well as income protection and a 401K retirement plan, so that you can feel secure in your health and financial future.
• Unlimited Flextime and 10+ paid holidays so that you can embrace a healthy work‑life balance.
• A variety of healthy snacks, energizing espresso, and refreshing drinks to keep you fueled and focused throughout the day.

And there is much more than compensation and benefits. At Ampere, we foster an inclusive culture that empowers our employees to do more and grow more. We are excited to share more about our career opportunities with you through the interview process.

Ampere is an inclusive and equal opportunity employer and welcomes applicants from all backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, citizenship, religion, age, veteran and/or military status, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, physical or mental disability, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law.