PDK Engineer | GaN / Compound Semiconductors

PDK Engineer | GaN / Compound Semiconductors 

North East England | On-site  | Competitive + Bonus + Relocation

This is a new position for a PDK Engineer to take ownership and strengthen the link between fabrication, device physics, and MMIC design. You’d be joining a leading compound semiconductor company expanding its GaN technology platforms.

It’s a hands-on role in a manufacturing-led environment, where process maturity is still evolving, and PDKs are tightly coupled to yield, reliability, and RF performance, not just compliance.

Role overview:

• Develop, release, and maintain PDKs for GaN and compound semiconductor MMIC processes.
• Own and evolve:-Design rules-DRC and LVS decks-Parameterised cells (PCells).
• Translate process and device constraints (thermal, breakdown, trapping, reliability) into practical design rules.
• Work closely with Process and Device Engineering to reflect real wafer behaviour in PDK releases.
• Support designers with layout and model related issues impacting RF and power performance.
• Maintain documentation, version control, and formal release flows.
• Support new process introductions and technology qualification activity.
• Track process changes and ensure downstream design flows remain valid.
• Automate checks, flows, and validation using scripting where appropriate.

Key knowledge and experience

• Degree in Electronics, Physics, Materials, or similar.
• Experience working with EDA layout environments and verification flows.
• Scripting skills (Python, SKILL, Tcl, or similar).
• Understanding of semiconductor fabrication and design-for-manufacture principles.
• Comfortable working with evolving processes and imperfect datasets.
• Exposure to RF, MMIC, GaN, or other III–V technologies is strongly beneficial.
• Experience with silicon PDKs is relevant, but candidates must be open to more process-driven design rules.

What’s on offer:

• Competitive salary with relocation support.
• Long-term investment strategy in GaN and RF technology platforms.
• High levels of technical ownership and impact.
• Good progression with-in a scaling company.

Location: Newcastle upon Tyne Salary: £60,000 -£65,000 + bonus

Please contact us for further details.