Test Design Engineer

About the Company:

Translarity is a growing leader in the semiconductor test industry, delivering innovative wafer test solutions that power the technology shaping our digital world. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, with operations in California, Texas, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam, we serve leading semiconductor manufacturers and their global supply chain partners.

Our mission is to revolutionize semiconductor wafer testing through innovation and excellence. With over 100 patents and a focus on full-wafer testing, we provide solutions that combine low cost, high performance, and fast cycle times using cutting-edge MEMS probe technology. Join our dynamic and growing team as we continue to address the evolving needs of the semiconductor industry.

What is a Probe Card?

A probe card is a critical component in semiconductor testing, acting as the interface between automated test equipment and the semiconductor wafer. These assemblies often include complex multi-layer PCBs with tens of thousands of routed traces and thousands of discrete components, supporting mixed-signal, high-speed, RF, and power-delivery paths. Precision and electrical integrity are essential for accurate wafer-level testing.

Position Purpose:

We are seeking a Test Design Engineer to play a key role in electrical problem solving, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement for advanced probe card technologies at our Hutto facility. This is a hands-on, production-facing engineering role focused on resolving complex electrical issues, improving yield and reliability, and feeding lessons learned back into design, manufacturing, and test processes.

This role is suited for an engineer who is comfortable working directly with production, test, and rework teams, taking ownership of difficult electrical issues, and driving systematic improvements rather than only supporting individual failures.

Responsibilities:

• Lead design of test hardware, including PCB design, circuit design and FPGA programming
• Lead electrical troubleshooting of probe cards and subassemblies, including mixed-signal, high-speed, RF, and power delivery paths.
• Write test vectors and design test programs for different platforms
• Own complex, cross-functional debug efforts involving dense, multi-layer PCBs with thousands of components and extremely tight tolerances.
• Analyze failing electrical test data to identify root causes such as opens, shorts, leakage, impedance drift, signal integrity issues, crosstalk, grounding problems, or component failures.
• Perform and interpret measurements using oscilloscopes, VNAs, TDR, LCR meters, curve tracers, and automated test equipment.
• Drive structured root-cause analysis (RCA) and corrective actions, ensuring issues are fully understood and addressed, not just worked around.
• Support and guide technicians during debug, rework, and retest activities, setting best practices and ensuring consistent execution.
• Participate in RMA evaluations, customer-return analysis, and field failure investigations, identifying systemic trends and improvement actions.
• Develop and maintain failure summaries, yield analyses, corrective action recommendations, and production/test documentation.
• Lead or contribute to continuous improvement initiatives focused on electrical margins, test robustness, production yield, and overall product quality.
• Serve as a technical escalation point for electrical issues encountered in production and test.

Skills and Qualifications:

• Strong foundation in electrical engineering design, including analog, digital, mixed-signal, and power circuits. Must be able to both design test circuits and understand their behavior.
• Hands-on knowledge of Labview.
• Solid understanding of PCB design and stack-ups, routing behavior, parasitics, and how electrical characteristics evolve in dense, high-complexity assemblies.
• Demonstrated ability to trace signals, interpret schematics, and reason through complex component interactions on large multi-layer boards.
• Hands-on expertise with electrical lab equipment such as oscilloscopes, VNAs, TDRs, LCR meters, and automated test systems.
• Working knowledge of high-speed and RF concepts including impedance control, insertion loss, reflections, return loss, and crosstalk.
• Proven, methodical approach to troubleshooting and root-cause analysis in a production environment.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to translate technical findings into actionable guidance for technicians, manufacturing, and design teams.
• High attention to detail with disciplined documentation and follow-through.
• Working knowledge of MS Office; experience with ERP/MES systems is a plus.

Education and Experience:

• Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a closely related field required.
• Demonstrated circuit design experience
• Demonstrated hands-on experience in electrical troubleshooting, production support, test engineering, or related roles involving complex PCB assemblies.
• Experience in semiconductor ATE design, probe card, or advanced electronics manufacturing environments strongly preferred.
• Prior involvement in yield improvement, failure analysis, or process improvement initiatives is highly desirable.

Disclaimer: As part of our selection process, shortlisted candidates will be required to complete an onsite technical interview that includes both an oral assessment and a live problem-solving session using a whiteboard. Candidates should be prepared to explain their thought process and demonstrate technical proficiency in real time.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person