PDK Engineer | GaN / Compound Semiconductors | SC-Eligible
North East England | On-site - 1-2 days home working | Competitive + Bonus + Relocation
This is a new position for a PDK Engineer to take ownership and strengthen the link between fabrication, device physics, and MMIC design. You'd be joining a leading compound semiconductor company expanding its GaN technology platforms.
It's a hands-on role in a manufacturing-led environment, where process maturity is still evolving and PDKs are tightly coupled to yield, reliability, and RF performance, not just compliance.
The role
* Develop, release, and maintain PDKs for GaN and compound semiconductor MMIC processes
* Own and evolve:
-Design rules
-DRC and LVS decks
-Parameterised cells (PCells)
* Translate process and device constraints (thermal, breakdown, trapping, reliability) into practical design rules
* Work closely with Process and Device Engineering to reflect real wafer behaviour in PDK releases
* Support designers with layout and model related issues impacting RF and power performance
* Maintain documentation, version control, and formal release flows
* Support new process introductions and technology qualification activity
* Track process changes and ensure downstream design flows remain valid
* Automate checks, flows, and validation using scripting where appropriate
Key knowledge and experience
* Degree in Electronics, Physics, Materials, or similar
* Experience working with EDA layout environments and verification flows
* Scripting skills (Python, SKILL, Tcl, or similar)
* Understanding of semiconductor fabrication and design-for-manufacture principles
* Comfortable working with evolving processes and imperfect datasets
* Exposure to RF, MMIC, GaN, or other III–V technologies is strongly beneficial
* Experience with silicon PDKs is relevant, but candidates must be open to more process-driven design rules
What’s on offer
* Competitive salary with relocation support
* Long-term investment strategy in GaN and RF technology platforms
* High levels of technical ownership and impact
* Good progression with-in a scaling company