Senior Electrical Systems Engineer

PDF Solutions (NASDAQ: PDFS) is seeking an Electrical Systems Engineer to join the team focusing on developing a cutting-edge electron beam inspection tool (eProbe®).  These tools are basically high-speed scanning electron microscopes (SEM) used at 300mm semiconductor wafer fabs to implement PDF’s Design-for-Inspection (DFI) methodology used in yield ramp and manufacturing control.

This Electrical Systems Engineer role focuses on electrical system reliability & supply chain, managing electrical system performance, uptime, and component logistics for eProbe® Tools, balancing design/component reliability with procurement, scheduling, and supplier management for critical electrical parts, ensuring high availability and efficient delivery for manufacturing/service. He/She will drive the reliability, robustness, and long-term performance for varieties of electrical subsystems across the entire eProbe® tool throughout their lifecycle—from concept and design to testing and troubleshooting to iteration with corrective actions and final deployment. The candidate also needs to manage BOMs (Bills of Materials), coordinate logistics (delivery schedules), analyze supplier performance, and ensure electrical safety/compliance for complex semiconductor inspection equipment. 

Electrical System Reliability & Performance

1. Drive Design for Reliability (DfR) for eProbe®: Implement advanced DfR methodologies to proactively mitigate potential failure modes for various electrical subsystems of eProbe®, including but not limited to AC/DC power distribution, high-voltage power supplies, e-beam column control and detection electronics, motion control electronics, high vacuum electronics, etc. Ensure compliance with standards (JEDEC, IEC, UL) and own the reliability requirements definition and tracking. Partner with design, test, and supplier engineering teams to ensure reliability targets are met throughout development cycles. Serve as the technical leader in reliability risk reviews and design validation gates.

Develop and execute/enforce stress testing: Identify appropriate stresses that our electrical subsystems must pass and create test plans, which will be used to assess the reliability of the tool. Lead and define burn-in (HTOL, HALT, HASS, thermal cycling, vibration, etc.) testing protocols to expose early-life and latent design weaknesses. Develop and execute accelerated life testing (ALT) strategies across electrical, thermal, and mechanical domains, aligned with real-world usage profiles.

1. Perform failure analysis & corrective action: Conduct Design Failure Modes, Effects, and Criticality Analysis (DFMECA) and fault tree analysis. Investigate failures in design, validation, and field environments using advanced techniques such as SEM/EDS, X-ray, and dye/pry methods. Coordinate internal and third-party failure analysis efforts and drive implementation of corrective and preventive actions.

Supply Chain & Logistics

1. Obsolescence Management: Proactively monitor the lifecycle status of parts, identify obsolescence risks, and define substitution and qualification strategies to manage supply constraints.
2. Supplier Coordination: Coordinate with vendors, suppliers, contracting manufacturers for parts and equipment procurement, managing external relationships to ensure components meet specifications and are delivered on time. Evaluate supplier performance and identify risks, working to build robust supply chains.
3. On-Time Delivery & Logistics: Collaborate with procurement and operations teams to optimize the electrical component supply chain, ensuring on-time delivery to support manufacturing schedules and minimize production delays.

1. Degree in electrical engineering, physics, or an equivalent engineering field. Bachelor’s degree with 10 years’ industry experience or master’s degree with 8 years’ industry experience or doctoral degree with 4 years’ industry experience.
2. Proven experience working with these subsystems of semiconductor tools: AC/DC power distribution, high-voltage power supplies, high speed/high-precision electronics, motion control electronics, high vacuum electronics, etc.
3. Proven experience with reliability standards and analysis methods: DFMEA, MTBF, FIT, ALT, HALT, HASS, HTOL, etc.
4. Proven experience with supply chain management, logistics, and vendor relations for electrical components, PCB, and systems.
5. Excellent problem-solving, communication, and project management skills.

1. Knowledge of reliability simulation & modeling: use LT Spice, Altium, and simulation tools to analyze and validate circuit behavior under stress. Perform reliability prediction and modeling using tools such as ANSYS Shelock.
2. Knowledge of industry standards and certifications for power electronics, including IEC, UL, JEDEC and IEEE.

8. Knowledge and experience of capital equipment tools such as ebeam inspection and ebeam lithography is highly desired.

1. Knowledge of physics of failure principles, Weibull life data analysis, and stress-based modeling techniques. Experience with PCBA-level derating analysis and reliability assessments for semiconductor tools electronics.
2. Familiarity with reliability planning for product field deployment and field return data analysis.