Senior Principal RF PA Design Engineer for Cellphone & SATCOM Market

Finwave Semiconductor, Inc.; San Diego (CA); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base salary

Healthcare benefits

401(k)

Stock options

Job summary

Finwave Semiconductor, Inc. invites a Senior Staff RF Switch Design Engineer to lead next-gen high-power microwave and mmWave switches using GaN-on-Silicon. You will shepherd architecture, design, layout, tape-out, and reliability for applications in aerospace, defense, SATCOM, and EW.

Role requires 10+ years in RF/mmic design, experience with GaN HEMT and high-power systems, and proficiency in ADS/AWR with EM tools. Remote-friendly but on-site-savvy collaboration is essential.

Qualifications

• Master’s or PhD in Electrical Engineering, RF/Microwave Engineering, Applied Physics, or related field.
• 10+ years of RF/microwave/MMIC design experience with RF switch expertise.
• GaN HEMT, GaAs pHEMT, PIN diode, SOI or related tech experience; GaN preferred.
• Experience in MMIC design, layout, tape-out, and measured-to-simulated performance.

Responsibilities

• Architect and design high-power SPST, SPDT, and multi-throw GaN RF switches.
• Push >100 W RF power handling and operation above 18 GHz.
• Optimize insertion loss, isolation, return loss, and power handling.
• Co-optimize GaN devices with modeling teams for best tradeoffs.
• Lead circuit and EM simulation for MMIC structures and package transitions.
• Own designs from feasibility to production release and qualification.

Skills

RF switch design

GaN technology

MMIC design

Millimeter-wave design

High-power RF

Device/circuit co-optimization

Thermal reliability

RF circuit theory

On-wafer measurements

RF design tradeoffs

Education

Master’s or PhD in Electrical Engineering or related field

Tools

Keysight ADS

Cadence AWR

HFSS

Momentum

Sonnet

Job description

Senior Staff RF Switch Design Engineer
for High-Power Microwave & mmWave Applications

Location: San Diego, CA (Preferred) or Remote
Employment Type: Full-Time or Contractor
Work Authorization: US Citizen, Green Card, or Authorized to work in the USA
Industry: High-Performance RF & Microwave Semiconductors

About Finwave Semiconductor
Finwave Semiconductor is a fabless semiconductor company, headquartered in Waltham (MA, USA) that uses innovative transistor designs and breakthrough process technologies to unlock the full potential of Gallium Nitride (GaN). Founded by prominent MIT innovators and driven by industry leaders, Finwave is shaping the future of RF Communications through revolutionary advancements in energy efficiency and performance for applications in markets such as aerospace and defense, mobile infrastructure, smartphones, medical devices, and cloud computing.

Senior Staff RF Switch Design Engineer
Finwave Semiconductor is seeking a Senior Staff RF Switch Design Engineer to lead the development of next-generation high-power microwave and millimeter-wave RF switches using our proprietary GaN-on-Silicon technology.
The successful candidate will develop RF switch architectures targeting power levels greater than 100 W and frequencies above 18 GHz, while achieving industry-leading insertion loss, isolation, switching speed, power handling, and reliability.

Role Overview

As a Senior Staff RF Switch Design Engineer, you will be a technical leader for Finwave’s high-power RF switch roadmap. You will lead circuit architecture, design, simulation, layout, tape-out, characterization, and optimization of GaN RF switch ICs for aerospace and defense, RADAR, electronic warfare, SATCOM, test and measurement, and communications applications.
You will work closely with Finwave’s device technology, modeling, packaging, test, applications, and product teams to translate our GaN-on-Silicon technology into differentiated RF products.

Key Responsibilities

• RF Switch Design: Architect and design high-power SPST, SPDT, and multi-throw
  GaN RF switches for microwave and millimeter-wave applications.
• High-Power / High-Frequency Development: Develop switch solutions targeting
  greater than 100 W RF power handling and operation above 18 GHz.
• Circuit Optimization: Optimize insertion loss, isolation, return loss, power
  compression, harmonics, linearity, switching speed, bandwidth, and power handling.
• Device / Circuit Co-Optimization: Work with device and modeling teams to optimize
  GaN device structures for switching, including tradeoffs between Ron, Coff,
  breakdown voltage, parasitics, device geometry, and die area.
• High-Power Design: Analyze RF voltage and current stress, device stacking,
  nonlinear behavior, breakdown margin, thermal performance, mismatch conditions,
  and RF reliability.
• EM and Physical Design: Perform circuit and electromagnetic simulation of MMIC
  structures, transmission lines, passive structures, interconnects, and package
  transitions.
• Product Development: Own designs from feasibility and architecture through
  schematic design, layout, tape-out, characterization, qualification, and production
  release.
• Characterization: Perform on-wafer and packaged RF measurements, including
  small-signal and high-power CW and pulsed characterization.
• IP Development: Identify novel switch architectures and design techniques and
  contribute to Finwave’s intellectual property portfolio.
  Qualifications & Skills
• Master’s or PhD in Electrical Engineering, RF/Microwave Engineering, Applied
  Physics, or related field.
• 10+ years of RF, microwave, or MMIC semiconductor design experience, with
  demonstrated RF switch design expertise.
• Experience designing RF switches using GaN HEMT, GaAs pHEMT, PIN diode, SOI, or related technologies, with GaN experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated microwave or millimeter-wave design experience. Experience above 18 GHz is strongly preferred.
• Experience with high-power RF circuits and the associated challenges of breakdown,
  thermal performance, device reliability, and mismatch conditions.
• Strong understanding of RF switch device and circuit fundamentals including Ron,
  Coff, breakdown voltage, FET stacking, nonlinear behavior, and insertion loss/isolation tradeoffs.
• Experience with MMIC design, physical layout, tape-out, and measured-to-simulated
  performance correlation.
• Expert proficiency with RF design tools such as Keysight ADS or Cadence AWR and EM simulation tools such as HFSS, Momentum, or Sonnet.
• Hands-on RF laboratory experience with VNAs, spectrum analyzers, power meters, high-power RF sources/amplifiers, probe stations, and pulsed-RF measurement systems.

Preferred Experience

• Direct experience developing 100 W RF switches and/or switch products above 18 GHz.
• Experience with GaN RF switch design and device technology.
• Experience with RADAR, EW, SATCOM, phased-array, T/R module, or test-and-measurement applications.
• Experience with high-power mismatch testing, RF reliability, qualification, and failure analysis.
• Track record of successful RF/MMIC products from concept through production.
• Published technical papers and/or issued patents related to RF, microwave, GaN, or semiconductor circuit design.

What We Offer

• Opportunity to develop advanced high-power RF switch technology using Finwave’s
  differentiated GaN-on-Silicon platform.
• Direct influence on both semiconductor device technology and product architecture.
• Collaboration with an experienced team spanning device technology, RF design, modeling, packaging, and product development.
• Competitive base salary, healthcare benefits, 401(k), and stock options.