Senior Technical Staff Engineer - Hardware (Clock Algorithm)

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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

Travel Time:

Physical Attributes:

Physical Requirements:

Pay Range:

Benefits of working at Microchip

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.

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