Principal Foundry Engineer

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Job Description:

About the Role

Lattice Semiconductor is seeking a Staff/Principal Foundry Engineer to lead and manage the transfer and qualification of our products on Samsung 28FDS FD-SOI process technology. This role requires strong semiconductor process knowledge, device physics understanding, and the ability to drive cross-functional programs across Lattice internal teams. The ideal candidate operates with a high degree of autonomy, will serve as the primary interface between Lattice's distributed foundry engineering teams (US and Taiwan) and Samsung's Austin fab, ensuring process quality, yield, and reliability standards are met.

Key Responsibilities

Foundry Engagement & Program Management

• Lead technical engagement with Samsung Austin (primary) and Samsung Korea teams; coordinate with Lattice foundry engineers across US and Taiwan sites
• Drive foundry suppliers to meet company yield, quality, and reliability goals
• Define and maintain program plans, milestone trackers, and risk registers across transfer and sustaining phases
• Provide clear, concise status reporting to leadership and cross-functional stakeholders
• Travel regularly to Samsung Austin fab

Process Transfer & Product Qualification

• Own end-to-end process transfer and qualification, including baseline qualification, process corner validation, and PVT characterization
• Lead product qualification activities in collaboration with the Reliability team
• Drive lot starts, wafer splits, and process window experiments; perform WAT analysis to validate process baselines
• Evaluate and qualify Samsung-initiated process changes, material substitutions, or equipment updates for product impact
• Support new product ramp-up activities to volume production

Yield Engineering & Sustaining

• Own post-transfer sustaining activities including yield improvement, process window optimization, and SPC monitoring on production silicon
• Analyze WAT, inline, and final test data to identify process drift, yield loss mechanisms, and reliability risks; drive root cause and corrective action with Samsung process owners
• Perform product process corner and design window studies to optimize process targets
• Collaborate with Design, Product Test, and Failure Analysis teams to debug and root cause systematic yield issues

Failure Analysis & Quality

• Coordinate failure analysis efforts across internal teams and Samsung FA resources
• Perform product failure diagnosis for yield debug and failure localization, including bitmap analysis
• Support customer-facing quality escalations including 8D and CAR responses

Data Analysis & Reporting

• Apply advanced analytics and statistical methodologies to maximize yields, lower costs, and prevent quality excursions
• Interface with cross-functional teams including R&D, Quality and Reliability, Manufacturing Test, Product Engineering, and Operations to deliver high-quality products and meet key metrics

Required Qualifications

• M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, or related discipline or above
• 10+ years of semiconductor process or foundry engineering experience, prior experience in a fabless semiconductor company managing an external foundry relationship a plus
• Hands-on experience with advanced CMOS or FD-SOI process technologies at 28nm node or below, including strong understanding of device physics, fabrication processes, and their interactions with circuit behavior
• Strong knowledge of FD-SOI device physics including back-bias tuning, body effects, leakage, and variability
• Experience with product qualification and reliability testing (HTOL, TDDB, EM); familiarity with AEC-Q100 for automotive applications
• Demonstrated experience with WAT parametric analysis, yield engineering, SPC, and failure diagnosis and analysis coordination; familiarity with technology design rules, DFM, and layout-based yield analysis tools
• Understanding of semiconductor product test flow and ability to engage effectively with manufacturing test and product engineering teams
• Experience leading multi-year foundry transfer or qualification programs with cross-functional ownership; ability to manage multiple concurrent programs and priorities
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to convey technical concepts clearly to both technical and business audiences

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience with Samsung 28FDS FD-SOI process technology
• Experience working with Samsung Foundry engineering or process teams
• Prior Failure Analysis experience
• Proficiency in JMP, Python, or equivalent tools for large-scale data analysis
• Familiarity with Lattice FPGA architecture or programmable logic products

In addition to base pay, this role may be eligible for variable/ incentive compensation and/ or equity.  In addition, this role is eligible for a comprehensive, competitive benefits package which may include healthcare and retirement plans, paid time off, and more! 

Additional Information:

This position requires a successful background and reference checks and satisfactory proof of your right to work in:

Lattice recognizes that employees are its greatest asset and the driving force behind success in a highly competitive, global industry.  Lattice continually strives to provide a comprehensive compensation and benefits program to attract, retain, motivate, reward and celebrate the highest caliber employees in the industry. 

Lattice is an international, service-driven developer of innovative low cost, low power programmable design solutions.  Our global workforce, some 1,000 strong, shares a total commitment to customer success and an unbending will to win.  For more information about how our FPGA, CPLD and programmable power management  devices help our customers unlock their innovation, visit www.latticesemi.com.  You can also follow us via Twitter, Facebook, or RSS. At Lattice, we value the diversity of individuals, ideas, perspectives, insights and values, and what they bring to the workplace.  Applications are welcome from all qualified candidates.

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