Senior Technical Staff Engineer - Hardware (Clock Algorithm)

Are you looking for a unique opportunity to be a part of something great? Want to join a 17,000-member team that works on the technology that powers the world around us? Looking for an atmosphere of trust, empowerment, respect, diversity, and communication? How about an opportunity to own a piece of a multi-billion dollar (with a B!) global organization? We offer all that and more at Microchip Technology Inc.

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Job Description:

Microchip Technology Inc. is a leading provider of embedded control applications. Our product portfolio comprises general purpose and specialized 8-bit, 16-bit, and 32-bit microcontrollers, 32-bit microprocessors, field-programmable gate array (FPGA) products, a broad spectrum of high-performance linear, mixed-signal, power management, thermal management, radio frequency (RF), timing, safety, security, wired connectivity and wireless connectivity devices, as well as serial Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM), Serial Flash memories, Parallel Flash memories, and serial Static Random Access Memory (SRAM). We also license Flash-IP solutions that are incorporated in a broad range of products.

Microchip Technology Inc. has a Senior Technical Staff Engineer-Hardware, who is experienced in algorithm clock engineering, opening based in San Jose, CA for the Frequency and Time Systems group. The FTS team produces network timing equipment such as PTP Grandmasters and NTP servers. The successful candidate will contribute to the development of advanced clock and synchronization algorithms used in precision timing products. This role involves participation in all aspects of the development cycle, including collaboration with hardware, software, marketing, test, and manufacturing teams; initial planning; high-level specification; detailed design and documentation; modeling and simulation; implementation support; hardware bring-up and testing; and product sustaining. The successful candidate need to preserve and extend existing clock-algorithm expertise while also applying AI/ML methods to generate future timing algorithms that are explainable, testable, and maintainable by engineering teams. Additional responsibilities can be found below.

Responsibilities

• Work with members of cross-functional teams to define new product features and timing performance requirements. 
• Design and develop algorithms for precise time and frequency synchronization. 
• Develop and maintain clock steering, holdover, drift compensation, reference selection, filtering, and anomaly detection algorithms. 
• Create models and simulations to analyze timing system behavior and performance. 
• Translate product and system requirements into implementable algorithm designs. 
• Write detailed technical documentation for algorithms, interfaces, and verification activities. 
• Create tools and methods for testing, analysis, and performance evaluation. 
• Support software engineers in development and debugging of timing-related embedded functionality. 
• Work with hardware engineers to bring up new boards and support system characterization and validation. 
• Contribute to system architecture, design reviews, and technical decision-making across product teams. 
• Investigate field and product issues, perform root-cause analysis, and improve algorithm robustness. 
• Provide technical leadership and mentoring to junior engineers.

Requirements/Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Systems Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Physics, or similar. 
• 15+ years of engineering experience
• 8+ years of experience in algorithm development, control systems, signal processing, timing systems, or related engineering fields. 
• Strong background in one or more of the following: precise time and frequency technology, control system design and analysis, statistical classification algorithms. 
• Experience with synchronization, estimation, filtering, servo control, or oscillator management algorithms. 
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills. 
• Excellent communication, written, verbal, and documentation skills. 
• Attention to detail and ability to drive tasks to completion independently in a timely manner.

Preferred Qualifications 

• Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Systems Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Physics, or similar. 
• Experience with IEEE 1588 PTP and NTP protocols. 
• Experience with GPS / GNSS receivers and timing systems. 
• Experience with clock/frequency synthesis and measurement. 
• Experience with precise time and frequency technology. 
• Experience with RF communications. 
• Experience with C, Python, MATLAB. 
• Ability to efficiently operate in a Linux/Unix environment. 
• Experience with precision measurement technologies, including time intervals, frequency stability, spectrum analysis, impedance, isolation, and gain. 
• Experience successfully executing projects with formal documentation and review deliverables.

Technical Skills of Interest

• Clock synchronization and servo algorithms 
• Oscillator control, compensation, and holdover 
• Control system design and stability analysis 
• Statistical estimation and filtering 
• Timing error analysis and performance characterization 
• Embedded algorithm implementation 
• Data analysis, scripting, and test automation 
• System modeling, verification, and documentation

U.S. Export Controls Requirements: This job requires access to technology, materials, software or hardware that is controlled by the export laws of the United States. Candidates are required to provide proof of either US citizenship, Permanent US residency or classification as a protected individual as defined in 8 USC 1324b (a) (3).

Travel Time:

0% - 25%

Physical Attributes:

Feeling, Hearing, Other, Seeing, Talking, Works Alone, Works Around Others

Physical Requirements:

10% standing, 10% walking, 80% sitting; 100% in doors; Usual business hours

Pay Range:

We offer a total compensation package that ranks among the best in the industry. It consists of competitive base pay, restricted stock units, and quarterly bonus payments. In addition to these components, our package includes health benefits that begin day one, retirement savings plans, and an industry leading ESPP program with a 2 year look back feature. Find more information about all our benefits at the link below:

Benefits of working at Microchip

The annual base salary range for this position, which could be performed in the US, is $91,000 - $232,000.*

Microchip Technology Inc is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.
For more information on applicable equal employment regulations, please refer to the Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal Poster.

To all recruitment agencies: Microchip Technology Inc. does not accept unsolicited agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to our recruiting team or other Microchip employees. Microchip is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.