Senior/Staff Hardware Engineer – Test Hardware & Probe Solutions at Nexperia in Bangalore

Job description

Position Summary Responsible for the design, development, qualification, deployment, and lifecycle support of semiconductor test hardware solutions for wafer sort, final test and debug applications. The role focuses on design and development of probe cards, load boards, debug boards, engineering boards and tester interface solutions, including supplier management for die probe, socket, contactor and mechanical stiffener procurements, ensuring robust hardware readiness for product qualification, high volume production, and manufacturing expansion initiatives. This role combines deep semiconductor test hardware expertise with the ability to lead hardware projects independently, collaborate across global teams, manage suppliers, solve complex technical issues, and drive hardware solutions from concept to production release. The individual demonstrates strong ownership, excellent communication skills, and a continuous improvement mindset while balancing technical excellence with business and manufacturing needs. Key Responsibilities Test Hardware Development Use Altium Designer tool to design and develop probe cards, load boards, debug boards, engineering boards and tester interface solutions for semiconductor testing, in accordance with budget, project schedule, vendor engagement, DFM/DFA, manufacturing capability, qualification, buyoff and production release. Conduct design reviews for schematics, layouts, technical specifications, and generate manufacturing documentation. Support hardware optimization for multi-site and high-parallelism test solutions. Probe Card Development Drive Fixed Probe Card(FPC) projects from concept through design, vendor engagement, manufacturing, qualification, buyoff, and production release. Create, maintain, review, and release Probe Card Specification File (PCSF) to die probe suppliers. Define technical requirements and coordinate hardware modifications, rewiring activities, and engineering improvements. Resolve probe and interconnect related issues affecting yield, leakage, continuity and qualification performance. Vendor and Supplier Management Work closely with external suppliers and engineering partners on hardware design, PCB fabrication/Assembly, die probe solutions, socket solutions, mechanical solutions, repair, and qualification activities. Manage RFQs, procurement process, engineering queries, technical reviews, supplier discussions, and delivery follow-up. Evaluate supplier solutions and ensure compliance with project requirements. Hardware Qualification and Buyoff Execute hardware verification and qualification activities. Support engineering buyoff reviews and release readiness assessments. Investigate qualification failures and implement corrective actions. Ensure hardware meets product and manufacturing requirements before deployment. Cross-Functional Collaboration Collaborate with Product Engineering, Test Engineering, Manufacturing, NPI, Operations, and external vendors. Provide technical guidance during project planning, qualification, and production support activities. Support multiple concurrent product and platform development projects. Technical Problem Solving Troubleshoot complex hardware related issues. Perform root cause analysis on hardware failures and qualification issues. Recommend and implement design improvements to enhance test robustness and reliability. Manufacturing Expansion Support Support new manufacturing site readiness programs through hardware development and deployment activities. Coordinate hardware requirements for production transfers and capacity expansion initiatives. Ensure timely delivery and qualification of test hardware required for manufacturing ramps. Key Deliverables Wafer test -Fixed Probe Card (FPC) designed, fabricated, qualified and deployed for production on schedule. PCSF documentation created, verified and released. Final test load boards, debug boards, and hardware interfaces completed & deployed on schedule. Qualified hardware deploye