Senior Circuit Characterization Engineer
NVIDIA is hiring a Senior Circuit Characterization Engineer in Shanghai, China. Level rates it ; you can apply on NVIDIA.
Level's read on this job
- On Level's scale, this role is Little AI ●○○○: aI is not part of the work.
- Tools and skills the posting cites include Python, C and silicon characterization.
- Level classifies it as a senior role.
- Level lists 2,600+ other open roles at NVIDIA.
AI in this role
Define and drive post-silicon circuit setting and performance across NVIDIA's GPU and SoC product families from first silicon to production.
NVIDIA has transformed computer graphics, PC gaming, and accelerated computing for more than 25 years. Today, our GPUs power advances in AI, Datacenter, Gaming, Robotics, Automotive, and scientific discovery.
NVIDIA’s Silicon Co-Design Group (SCG) takes GPU, SoC, and CPU programs from first power-on to high-volume production. We sit at the crossroads of architecture, design, marketing, operations, and productization across Datacenter, Gaming, Robotics, Automotive, and Embedded markets.
We are hiring a Senior Circuit Characterization Engineer to define and drive post-silicon circuit setting and performance across NVIDIA’s GPU and SoC product families. You will own the characterization of analog, digital, and mixed-signal circuits from first silicon through production — translating lab measurements into design improvements, guardband recommendations, and product-shipping decisions. This is not a test-and-report role — you will own analysis from hypothesis through root cause, simulation correlation, and confirmed design impact. Great work turns complex silicon behavior into faster, more power-efficient, and more predictable products.
What you’ll be doing:
- Own Silicon Circuit bringup from first power on through production to optimize performance, power, yield, and quality for the world’s fastest products across process, voltage, and temperature corners.
- Drive circuit characterization for critical on-die circuits including SRAM, PLL/DLL, clock distribution, voltage regulators, I/O interfaces, and on-die sensors — correlating measured silicon behavior with pre-silicon simulations to close the design loop.
- Design experiments, execute test plans, and build models that isolate circuit-level bottlenecks。
- Lead multi-functional root-cause closure across architecture, design, validation, software/firmware, power and thermal, reliability, ATE, product management, manufacturing, and operations, own fixes through confirmation.
- Analyze production-silicon data across PVT corners and binning populations to quantify guardbands, yield trade-offs, and circuit optimization opportunities that feed directly into product definition and future architecture decisions.
- Establish reusable automation, data analysis pipelines, and visualization tools that improve characterization coverage, execution efficiency, and debug velocity across simultaneous product.
What we need to see:
- BS or MS degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or equivalent experience.
- 8+ years of hands-on experience in post-silicon circuit characterization, silicon bring-up, or circuit validation on complex SoC or GPU products.
- Deep understanding of analog, digital, and mixed-signal circuit behavior — including SRAM, PLL, clock networks, voltage regulators, I/O circuits, and on-die sensors.
- Hands-on lab proficiency with oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, DAQ systems, source meters, high-speed probing, and tester-to-system correlation workflows.
- Strong background in power supply and substrate noise analysis — chip- and board-level dI/dt characterization, PDN impedance, droop measurement, and mitigation techniques.
- Proficiency in Python and scripting for automation, data analysis, and tool development; familiarity with C/C++ is a plus.
- Excellent problem-solving skills and a collaborative mindset — demonstrated ability to drive alignment across multi-site, cross-functional teams including offshore engineering organizations.
Ways to stand out from the crowd:
- Experience characterizing circuits at advanced process nodes on large-scale GPU or datacenter SoC products.
- Background in on-die noise measurement methodology — NMEAS, worst-case noise test development, noise watermarking, or Bayesian/ML-driven characterization optimization.
- Familiar with product binning methods, frequency-voltage optimization, guardband analysis, and statistical techniques for characterization data at scale.
- Experience with pre-silicon circuit simulation tools (SPICE, timing analysis) and silicon-to-simulation correlation workflows that close the loop between design and characterization.
- Explore creative ways to integrate AI insights into continuous improvement analysis, debug, workflow, utilize AI-driven method for silicon circuit optimization.
NVIDIA is the world leader in accelerated computing, powering AI, gaming, robotics, autonomous systems, and scientific discovery. We invest in our people with competitive benefits, continuous learning, and a team where everyone can do their best work.
NVIDIA is committed to fostering a diverse work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.
How we rate this
Senior Circuit Characterization Engineer at NVIDIA rates 20 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Little AI (AI Level 1 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.
Little AI. AI is not part of the work.
- ●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
- ●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
- ●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
- ●○○○ Little AI0 to 39
Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Read the description and count the AI tools, models and workflows it names.
Prepare for this job
Built from this posting and from similar jobs on Level.
Skills and AI tools this role asks for
Questions you could be asked
- Tell me about a project where silicon characterization was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where circuit design was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where hardware testing was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where data analysis was part of your work. What did you do?
- Tell me about a project where simulation correlation was part of your work. What did you do?
Adapt your resume
- List these exact terms on your resume: Silicon Characterization, Circuit Design, Hardware Testing, Data Analysis, and Simulation Correlation. An applicant tracking system matches the wording, not the idea.
- Attach one line of real, concrete experience to at least one of them. A tool named with nothing behind it rarely survives a human read.
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