Analogue & Mixed-Signal IC Design Engineer — PhD/Postdoctoral Development Programme

Disgrifiad o'r Cwmni

Advanced Cadence IC Design & Semiconductor Programme

Company Overview

Novomorphic is a new semiconductor design venture backed by Cadence Design Systems, Welsh Government, and CSA Catapult. We have been established to build critical semiconductor design capability in the UK.

Our focus is advanced integrated circuit and electronic system design, with particular strength in low-power intelligent hardware, edge AI, digital design, analogue and mixed-signal systems, and compound semiconductor technologies.

We are building Novomorphic from the ground up. That means every engineer who joins us will help shape the company, its technical capability, and its culture. We value technical excellence, ownership, curiosity, collaboration, and practical delivery.

The Opportunity

This is not a conventional graduate role. It is a structured industry development programme for PhD-level engineers and researchers who want to build deep expertise in analogue and mixed-signal IC design.

You will work in real semiconductor design environments using industry-standard Cadence toolchains, collaborating with experienced IC designers, researchers, digital engineers, embedded engineers, and system architects on advanced engineering challenges.

The role is suited to candidates with strong research capability who want to apply it in a commercial semiconductor environment where circuit performance, robustness, manufacturability, and practical delivery matter.

Role Overview

Novomorphic is seeking talented PhD graduates and postdoctoral researchers to join our growing Analogue and Mixed-Signal IC Design team.

You will contribute to the design, simulation, verification, optimisation, and documentation of analogue and mixed-signal integrated circuits for low-power intelligent systems. Target areas include sensing, communications, edge AI hardware, power-efficient electronics, signal processing, and future semiconductor applications.

The role combines hands-on IC design, Cadence-based engineering workflows, research-driven innovation, system-level thinking, and exposure to advanced semiconductor technologies and methodologies.

What You Will Do

Analogue and Mixed-Signal IC Design

• Design, simulate, verify, and optimise analogue and mixed-signal IC blocks under the guidance of experienced engineers.
• Use Cadence design environments for schematic capture, simulation, analysis, verification, and design refinement.
• Work on circuit blocks and subsystems optimised for power, performance, robustness, reliability, and manufacturability.
• Contribute to simulation planning, corner analysis, variation analysis, and design validation activities.
• Support layout-aware design, including close collaboration with layout engineers and awareness of parasitics, matching, noise, and physical implementation constraints.
• Contribute to system-level integration across analogue, mixed-signal, digital, embedded, and intelligent hardware domains.
• Produce clear technical documentation, design notes, simulation results, and review material.

Research and Innovation

• Develop and improve reusable analogue and mixed-signal IP.
• Investigate emerging semiconductor technologies, circuit architectures, low-power design techniques, and future computing methodologies.
• Contribute to feasibility studies, technical investigations, prototypes, and innovation projects.
• Translate research ideas into practical circuit and system-level engineering outputs.

Collaboration and Technical Growth

• Work closely with IC designers, layout engineers, digital engineers, embedded engineers, researchers, and system architects.
• Participate in design reviews, technical discussions, debug sessions, and engineering problem-solving activities.
• Build capability across Cadence workflows, analogue circuit design, mixed-signal integration, verification, and low-power semiconductor design.
• Progress towards independent technical ownership within 6–12 months.

What You Will Develop

Through the programme, you will build practical capability in:

• Advanced analogue IC design techniques
• Mixed-signal system architecture and integration
• CMOS circuit design and optimisation
• Cadence IC design environments and workflows
• Circuit simulation, verification, and validation methodologies
• Low-power and energy-constrained IC design
• Semiconductor device behaviour and modelling
• Layout-aware analogue design methodologies
• Noise, mismatch, process variation, corners, and reliability analysis
• Design robustness, manufacturability, and performance optimisation
• Reusable semiconductor IP development
• Cross-disciplinary semiconductor and system engineering collaboration

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for technically strong, research-driven candidates with a clear interest in semiconductor design, analogue electronics, mixed-signal systems, and low-power IC technologies.

Essential Requirements

• PhD or postdoctoral experience in one or more of the following areas:
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Electronic Engineering
  • Microelectronics
  • Semiconductor Engineering
  • Computer Engineering with strong IC or electronics relevance
  • Physics with strong electronics or semiconductor relevance
  • A closely related field
• Strong understanding of electronic circuits and semiconductor fundamentals.
• Evidence of hands-on analogue electronics, mixed-signal systems, CMOS circuit design, semiconductor device work, or IC-related research.
• Genuine interest in analogue and mixed-signal IC design.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work across multidisciplinary engineering domains.
• Clear communication and willingness to document technical work properly.

Desirable Experience

Experience through research, publications, prototypes, coursework, lab work, or practical development in areas such as:

• Analogue electronics
• CMOS circuit design
• Mixed-signal systems
• Low-power IC design
• Signal processing circuits or systems
• Semiconductor device modelling
• Sensor interfaces or data converter concepts
• PLLs, clocking, references, biasing, amplifiers, filters, or power management circuits
• Noise, mismatch, parasitics, corner analysis, or reliability-aware design
• FPGA or digital hardware awareness
• Embedded systems or hardware/software co-design awareness
• MATLAB, Python, or scripting for analysis and automation
• Cadence or other EDA tool environments
• AI or intelligent hardware systems awareness

Familiarity with any of the following tools or environments is useful but not essential:

• Cadence design environments
• Spectre or similar circuit simulators
• MATLAB / Simulink
• Python-based analysis workflows
• Semiconductor modelling and analysis tools
• Simulation, verification, and data analysis environments
• Version control and engineering documentation workflows

Previous industry experience is not required, but strong hands-on circuit, semiconductor, or IC-related experience is important.

We Value Engineers Who

• Take ownership and follow through.
• Enjoy solving difficult circuit and semiconductor problems.
• Are curious, practical, and willing to learn quickly.
• Can work independently without disappearing into a silo.
• Collaborate well with engineers from different disciplines.
• Communicate clearly, especially when raising risks or blockers.
• Are comfortable in a start-up environment where priorities can move quickly.
• Want to build real semiconductor capability, not just write papers.

What Success Looks Like

Early success in this role means:

• Strong engagement with onboarding and technical development.
• Good progress in Cadence-based analogue and mixed-signal IC design workflows.
• High-quality delivery on assigned design, simulation, verification, research, or documentation tasks.
• Active participation in design reviews and multidisciplinary engineering discussions.
• Growing confidence in simulation, verification, layout-aware design, and circuit optimisation methodologies.
• Meaningful contribution to reusable IP, innovation activity, and customer projects.
• Clear progression towards independent technical ownership within 6–12 months.

Why Join Novomorphic?

At Novomorphic, you will:

• Work on next-generation semiconductor and intelligent hardware technologies.
• Use industry-standard Cadence IC design tools.
• Learn directly from experienced semiconductor engineers and researchers.
• Build highly sought-after analogue and mixed-signal IC design expertise.
• Contribute to real customer projects, internal platforms, and reusable engineering IP.
• Gain exposure to advanced low-power, intelligent, digital, mixed-signal, and compound semiconductor technologies.
• Help strengthen the UK semiconductor ecosystem.
• Build a long-term career in advanced semiconductor and IC design engineering.

Benefits

Novomorphic’s benefits package includes:

• 28 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays
• Salary sacrifice pension scheme
• Annual discretionary bonus scheme
• Life assurance
• Private medical insurance
• Additional benefits tailored to employee needs

Location and Working Model

This role is based in Cardiff, Wales. Working arrangements may vary depending on project and business requirements.

Candidates must have the right to work in the UK or be eligible for sponsorship, where applicable.