Description

Microelectronics Engineer in the Microelectronics Section, Data Systems, Microelectronics and Components Technology Division, Electrical Department, Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality.

The Microelectronics Section provides functional support to ESA projects and carries out technological research and development (R&D) in the field of VLSI integrated circuits (ASICs, ASSPs, FPGAs, microprocessors and microcontrollers).

Duties

You will report to the Head of Section and, within the technical fields described above, your main tasks and responsibilities will include:

• providing expert technical support and consultancy to ESA projects, programmes and general studies in the field of microelectronics wireline and wireless interfaces, converters, FPGAs, microprocessors and IP cores, throughout all project phases;
• participating in feasibility studies, project reviews and evaluation of procurement proposals;
• identifying critical development problems and assisting in their resolution;
• contributing to the definition of technology development requirements and work plans for the Agency’s technology programmes;
• defining, initiating and managing R&D activities covering both long- and short-term needs;
• fostering new application areas for multidisciplinary activities, placing emphasis on innovative concepts, cutting-edge technologies and system architectures;
• carrying out laboratory activities as required;
• monitoring applicable scientific and technological trends and maintaining state-of-the-art expertise;
• contributing to the dissemination of the results of the activities performed and the transfer of knowledge across the Agency.

Your duties may also include supporting other activities within your field of competence.

Technical competencies

Behavioural competencies

Result Orientation
Operational Efficiency
Fostering Cooperation
Relationship Management
Continuous Improvement
Forward Thinking

Education

A master’s or higher in electronic engineering or physics is required for this post. 

Additional requirements

You should have at least five years of experience in end-to-end design, system integration and testing of FPGAs and ASICs as well as reusable IP cores. In particular, competencies in the following domains are required:

• Digital FPGA and/or ASIC design, simulation, synthesis, layout and tools
• Design methodology and tools for reusable IP cores
• Integrated circuit functional, electrical and environmental testing 

Preference will be given to candidates with expertise in two or more of the following microelectronics areas related to the position:

• RISC-V and SPARC processor instruction set architectures (ISA) and their extensions 
• Artificial intelligence, GNSS and/or image/video processor architectures
• MIL-STD-1553, CAN, SpaceWire, SpaceFibre, JESD204 and Ethernet interfaces
• Digital signal processing for communication, GNSS, image and video compression
• System level modelling with MATLAB, SystemC and/or SystemVerilog
• High-level synthesis
• Hardware-software Co-design
• Hardware description language coding rules and linting tools
• Programming in C, C++ and Python