Lead Hardware Design Engineer – Power Semiconductor Systems (GaN/SiC) in Manchester

At Nexperia, our GaN department is expanding its team with the addition of a Lead Hardware Design Engineer. This is your opportunity to make a real impact on a global semiconductor manufacturer producing over 100 billion devices every year.

What our Lead Hardware Design Engineer will do

Reporting to the GaN Lab Manager, you will join a small, highly skilled team of electronic engineers, laboratory reliability, measurement and failure analysis specialists, and project managers. The team is responsible for the qualification and characterisation of wide-bandgap semiconductor devices, primarily GaN, as well as other technologies.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver complex hardware solutions for the qualification and characterisation of wide-bandgap semiconductor devices (GaN, SiC, IGBT).
• Collaborate with Project Managers and Technical Leaders to define and develop design specifications based on stakeholder requirements.
• Evaluate and implement off-the-shelf solutions for product qualification and characterisation.
• Lead hardware, firmware, and software development activities across projects.
• Design analogue and digital circuits in accordance with defined specifications.
• Develop bench-top systems to support early-stage product performance assessment.
• Communicate project progress effectively to key stakeholders, including project management, marketing, test, and applications teams.
• Support and mentor junior engineers in their technical development and day-to-day activities.

What Our Lead Hardware Design Engineer Will Need

Essential

• Degree in Electronic Engineering or equivalent with proven experience in hardware design.
• Strong knowledge of power semiconductor devices e.g., GaN, SiC, IGBT, MOSFETs, with an understanding of performance characteristics and limitations.
• Hands-on experience in analogue and digital power electronics design.
• Experience programming microcontrollers e.g., ARM, ST, TI, PIC and a working knowledge of VHDL.
• Proficiency in simulation tools such as LTspice, Simulink, or similar platforms.
• Experience across the full hardware product lifecycle, from concept through to validation and release.
• Ability to plan, manage, and execute development activities through to testing and final delivery.
• Strong specification writing skills, particularly for outsourced development.
• Experience with CAD PCB design (schematic capture and layout).
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex concepts to less experienced colleagues.

Beneficial

• Experience working in a semiconductor laboratory environment e.g. reliability testing, measurement systems.
• Familiarity with automotive qualification standards and reliability tests e.g., HTRB, HTGB, H3TRB, IOL, HAST/UHAST.
• Experience with both text-based and graphical programming environments, such as Python and LabVIEW.

Your benefits will include

• Competitive starting salary, Bonus up to 6%, excellent contributory pension scheme of up to 9%, recognition rewards scheme, EV salary sacrifice scheme, income protection, 12 x salary life assurance policy.
• 33 days annual leave, flexible benefits scheme, enhanced parental leave, on-site medical centre, enhanced sick pay, subsidised canteen, employee assistance programme, retail & entertainment discounts, a variety of sports & social clubs.
• Possibility for funded academic support up to PhD level, employee goal setting and development plans, huge growth potential both internally and globally within the business, in both management and technical pathways.
• A global commitment to becoming carbon neutral by 2035, working with suppliers who embrace and comply with the Nexperia Supplier Code of Conduct, paid time off for every employee to support charitable work up to 4 times per year.
• Corporate members of Neurodiversity in Business and a Disability Confident Employer. Dedicated Employee Resource Groups for Neuroinclusion, the LGBTQ+ community, and Women in Nexperia, with a commitment to increase women in management positions to 30% by 2030.

D&I Statement

As an equal-opportunity employer, Nexperia values diversity not just because it is the right thing to do but because diverse teams perform better. We are dedicated to being inclusive, and a proof point of this dedication is that we were the main partner of the very first Dutch Paralympic Team NL House during the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible to all, and we consider all applicants fairly, as well as providing a safe work environment and reasonable adjustments where requested.

In addition, we offer our colleagues the possibility to join employee resource groups such as the Pride Network Group or global and local Women's groups. Nexperia is committed to increasing women in management positions to 30% by 2030.