Senior/Principal TCAD Engineer

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Job Details:

Texas Institute for Electronics (TIE) is a transformative, well-funded semiconductor foundry venture combining the agility of a startup with the scale of a national initiative.

A key part of our mission is to advance the state of the art in 3D heterogeneous integration (3DHI), chiplet-based architectures, and multi-component microsystems- catalyzing breakthroughs across microelectronics, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, high-performance computing, and next-generation healthcare devices.

Backed by $1.4 billion in combined funding from DARPA, Texas state initiatives, and strategic partners, we are building foundational capabilities in advanced packaging and integrated design infrastructure to restore U.S. leadership in microelectronics manufacturing.

TIE's 3DHI and chiplet integration platforms integrate novel thermal management and advanced interconnect solutions to deliver unprecedented performance and energy efficiency. Operating at the intersection of defense electronics and commercial markets, TIE offers a rare opportunity to reimagine an industry from the ground up and build transformative products with global impact.

UT Austin, recognized by Forbes as one of America's Best Large Employers, provides outstanding employee benefits and total rewards packages that include:

• Competitive health benefits (employee premiums covered at 100%, family premiums at 50%)
• Voluntary Vision, Dental, Life, and Disability insurance options
• Generous paid vacation, sick time, and holidays
• Teachers Retirement System of Texas, a defined benefit retirement plan, with 8.25% employer matching funds
• Additional Voluntary Retirement Programs: Tax Sheltered Annuity 403(b) and a Deferred Compensation program 457(b)
• Flexible spending account options for medical and childcare expenses
• Robust free training access through LinkedIn Learning plus professional conference opportunities
• Tuition assistance
• Expansive employee discount program including athletic tickets
• Free access to UT Austin's libraries and museums with staff ID card
• Free rides on all UT Shuttle and Austin CapMetro buses with staff ID card
• For more details, please see Benefits | Human Resources and UT Austin Employee Experience | Human Resources and UT Austin Employee Experience | Human Resources

Develop and validate multi-physics, silicon-calibrated TCAD models for 3DHI devices and interfaces to predict performance and reliability. Partners across teams and external vendors co-optimize designs, set modeling best practices, deliver reusable reference flows, and mentor engineers.

• Develop and own TCAD modeling frameworks for advanced devices and interfaces relevant to 3DHI, including hybrid bonding contacts, TSVs, BEOL interconnects, and emerging device structures.
• Perform multi-physics simulations (electrical, thermal, mechanical, and reliability) to predict performance, variability, and failure mechanisms across stacked, heterogeneous die systems.
• Co-optimize devices, interconnect, and packaging designs by working closely with process integration, packaging, and circuit teams to close the loop between fabrication, measurement, and simulation.
• Calibrate and validate TCAD models using silicon data from wafer-level test vehicles and process monitors; drive model-to-hardware correlation across corners and stress conditions.
• Define simulation methodologies and best practices for 3D device and interface modeling (e.g., contact resistance, current crowding, electromigration, thermo-mechanical stress).
• Engage with foundry, EDA, and materials partners to influence next-generation TCAD tool features and process design enablement for 3D-stacked systems.
• Author technical documentation, modeling guidelines, and reference flows to support ecosystem adoption of TIE's device and interface platforms.
• Mentor junior engineers and technical staff, setting standards for modeling rigor and engineering judgment across the organization.

• Ph.D. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Applied Physics, or a closely related field with strong emphasis on device physics and numerical simulation.
• 8+ years (Senior) or 12+ years (Principal) of hands-on experience with TCAD for semiconductor devices or interconnects.
• Deep understanding of semiconductor device physics (MOSFETs, diodes, contacts) and transport mechanisms relevant to nanoscale and 3D structures.
• Proficiency with commercial TCAD tools such as Synopsys Sentaurus, Silvaco Atlas/Victory, or equivalent multi-physics simulation environments.
• Experience correlating TCAD models with silicon data and extracting physical parameters from measurements.
• Strong background in process integration effects (doping, defects, interfaces, stress, and materials).
• Ability to work cross-functionally with process, packaging, EDA, and system teams in a fast-moving R&D environment.

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

• Experience modeling 3D integration features such as hybrid bonding interfaces, TSVs, or wafer-to-wafer/die-to-wafer stacks.
• Familiarity with reliability physics (electromigration, TDDB, stress migration, thermal cycling) in advanced interconnects or contacts.
• Exposure to advanced materials systems (Cu-Cu bonding, barrier/liner stacks, low-k dielectrics, compound semiconductors).
• Knowledge of compact model extraction and linkage between TCAD and SPICE-level models.
• Publication or patent record in semiconductor device modeling, interconnect physics, or advanced packaging.
• Strong technical writing and presentation skills for industry and defense-sector collaborations.

TIE pays industry-competitive salaries

• May work around standard office conditions
• Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation
• Use of manual dexterity (ex: using a mouse)
• Location: Austin, Texas is preferred for close collaboration with our engineering teams and partners. Hybrid work arrangements may be possible, with travel up to 30-50% as needed. (Any flexible arrangement would be subject to university policies and approval regarding employment laws and regulations.)

Monday - Friday

• Resume/CV
• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor

Importantfor applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers:You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure thatALLRequired Materials have been uploaded. Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for Current university employees and contingent workers:As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled in to your application. The application is one page and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questionspresented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.

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Employment Eligibility:

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Retirement Plan Eligibility:

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Background Checks:

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

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Equal Opportunity Employer:

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer,complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

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Pay Transparency:

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information.

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Employment Eligibility Verification:

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form. You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States. Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment. Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

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E-Verify:

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university's company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following:

• E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

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Compliance:

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031.

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.