Senior Hardware Characterization Engineer

Staff Engineer - Characterization

Company Description

Renesas is one of the top global semiconductor companies in the world. We strive to develop a safer, healthier, greener, and smarter world, and our goal is to make every endpoint intelligent by offering product solutions in the automotive, industrial, infrastructure and IoT markets. Our robust product portfolio includes world leading MCUs, SoCs, Analog and power products, plus Winning Combination solutions that curate these complementary products. We are a key supplier to the world’s leading manufacturers of electronics you rely on every day; you may not see our products, but they are all around you.

Renesas employs roughly 21,000 people in more than 30 countries worldwide. As a global team, our employees actively embody the Renesas Culture, our guiding principles based on five key elements: Transparent, Agile, Global, Innovative, and Entrepreneurial. Renesas believes in, and has a commitment to, diversity and inclusion, with initiatives and a leadership team dedicated to its resources and values. At Renesas, we want to build a sustainable future where technology helps make our lives easier. Join us and build your future by being part of what’s next in electronics and the world.

Job Description

We are seeking a hands-on and detail-oriented Board Evaluation and Characterization Engineer to support bring-up, testing, and electrical characterization of evaluation boards and silicon devices. This role involves working closely with design, validation, and test teams to ensure system-level functionality, electrical compliance, and performance verification of silicon in real-world hardware environments.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead evaluation and bring-up of custom evaluation boards, reference designs, and test platforms for SoCs, MCUs, or ASICs.
• Perform electrical characterization of interfaces (e.g., USB, SPI, I²C, ADC, DDR, Ethernet).
• Validate power, clock, reset, and peripheral functionality across operating conditions (voltage, temperature).
• Measure signal integrity, power sequencing, voltage drops, and current consumption using lab equipment.
• Collaborate with design and layout teams to review schematics, board stack-ups, and layout constraints.
• Work with test teams to correlate bench and ATE data.
• Analyze and debug hardware issues related to signal quality, thermal behavior, and functional margins.
• Support silicon validation through the development of scripts, test content, and automated test setups.
• Document test procedures, test reports, and bring-up guidelines.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Engineering,  Electrical/Electronics Engineering, or
• B.E./B.Tech or M.E./M.Tech in Electronics, Electrical, or related engineering fields.
• 7+ years of experience in hardware/system bring-up or board-level validation.
• Strong knowledge of high-speed interface characterization and PCB-level debugging.
• Experience using lab tools: oscilloscope, logic analyzer, source meters, spectrum analyzers, multimeters, and thermal cameras.
• Understanding of schematics, BOMs, and board layout using tools like Allegro, Altium, or OrCAD.
• Proficiency in scripting (Python, Perl, or shell) for data logging and automation.
• Familiarity with embedded systems, firmware flashing, and basic debug using UART, JTAG, or SWD.

Additional Information

Renesas is an embedded semiconductor solution provider driven by its Purpose ‘To Make Our Lives Easier.’ As the industry’s leading expert in embedded processing with unmatched quality and system-level know-how, we have evolved to provide scalable and comprehensive semiconductor solutions for automotive, industrial, infrastructure, and IoT industries based on the broadest product portfolio, including High Performance Computing, Embedded Processing, Analog & Connectivity, and Power.

With a diverse team of over 21,000 professionals in more than 30 countries, we continue to expand our boundaries to offer enhanced user experiences through digitalization and usher into a new era of innovation. We design and develop sustainable, power-efficient solutions today that help people and communities thrive tomorrow, ‘To Make Our Lives Easier.’     

At Renesas, you can: 

• Launch and advance your career in technical and business roles across four Product Groups and various corporate functions. You will have the opportunities to explore our hardware and software capabilities and try new things.  

• Make a real impact by developing innovative products and solutions to meet our global customers' evolving needs and help make people’s lives easier, safe and secure. 

• Maximize your performance and wellbeing in our flexible and inclusive work environment. Our people-first culture and global support system, including the remote work option and Employee Resource Groups, will help you excel from the first day.    

Are you ready to own your success and make your mark?  

Join Renesas. Let’s Shape the Future together.  

Renesas Electronics is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, committed to supporting diversity and fostering a work environment free of discrimination on the basis of sex, race, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, military status, veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. For more information, please read our Diversity & Inclusion Statement.

Experience Level

Senior Level