Mixed-Signal IC Design Engineer

Join the CERN Experimental Physics Department to develop next-generation detector technologies for High Energy Physics experiments. Contribute to radiation-tolerant optical communication systems by designing and validating advanced communication ASICs and high-speed CMOS circuits for particle physics detectors.

Responsibilities

• Study and define architectures for analogue and mixed-signal circuits that enable high-speed communication systems using silicon photonics.
• Design and verify CMOS circuit blocks such as clock and data recovery (CDR) circuits, high speed clock distribution networks and high-speed analogue-to-digital converters (ADCs).
• Perform laboratory testing, characterisation, and validation of circuits.
• Carry out radiation qualification (single-event effects and total ionising dose) of manufactured devices.

Requirements

• You are a national of a CERN Member State or Associate Member State (excluding Pakistani and Lithuanian nationals for 2026 start date).
• By the application deadline, you have a master’s degree with 2 to 6 years of professional experience since graduation or a PhD with a maximum of 3 years of professional experience since graduation.
• You are not eligible with only a bachelor’s degree.
• You have never had a CERN fellow or graduate contract before.
• Strong background in digital and analogue electronics, ideally in an IC design environment.
• Familiarity with clock generation and distribution, including fundamentals of DLL, PLL, and CDR circuits.
• Ability to solve engineering problems using a variety of analysis and simulation methods.
• Hands-on experience in the design, testing and debugging of electronic circuits.
• Your studies focused on Electronics Engineering.
• Design, simulation and layout of CMOS integrated circuits using Cadence Virtuoso.
• Working knowledge of physical verification flows (DRC, LVS, PEX) using Siemens Calibre or Cadence PVS.
• Knowledge of at least one of the following: optical receiver circuits, high data rate drivers (wireline, laser and/or external modulators), PLL and CDR design, TIA, ADC and DAC design, control systems.
• Working knowledge of at least one programming, scripting, or data analysis language (e.g., Python, Bash, MATLAB).
• Experience with electromagnetics (EM) simulation tools (e.g., Ansys HFSS, Simulia CST) is considered a plus.
• Spoken and written English, with a commitment to learn French.

Skills

• Mixed-Signal IC Design
• Digital Electronics Design
• Analogue Electronics
• Clock Generation
• DLL Circuits
• PLL Circuits
• CDR Circuits
• Engineering Problem Solving
• Circuit Simulation
• Circuit Testing
• Circuit Debugging
• Electronics Engineering
• CMOS Integrated Circuit Design
• Cadence Virtuoso
• Physical Verification
• DRC
• LVS
• PEX
• Siemens Calibre
• Cadence PVS
• Optical Receiver Circuits
• High Data Rate Drivers
• TIA Design
• ADC Design
• DAC Design
• Control systems
• Python Programming
• Bash Scripting
• Matlab
• Electromagnetics Simulation
• Ansys HFSS
• Simulia CST

Languages

English, French