We are seeking an experienced contract Design Verification Engineer to own pre-silicon functional verification for a high-speed interface test chip — from DV planning and testbench development through coverage closure and tape-out sign-off. This is a time-bound, high-impact engagement — not a staff augmentation role.
The target vehicle is a 36 I/O full-duplex die-to-die interconnect PHY test chip with integrated characterization functions including internal eye monitoring, internal error counting (PRBS-based), and I2C-based control and management.
The PHY is largely custom-designed — providing a technically interesting and varied verification scope that goes well beyond standard digital block verification. You will work in close collaboration with the digital Chip Lead, world-class analog designers, and a Senior Lab Engineer, united around the goal of carrying this test chip to tape-out within the contract window.
About the Test Chip
The design target is a 36 I/O full-duplex PHY intended for die-to-die interconnect characterization. The PHY circuits are largely custom — developed in-house by Micron’s Interface Pathfinding team to validate novel signaling architectures. The verification scope is correspondingly rich: the DV engineer will build and execute environments covering custom analog control logic, multi-lane characterization functions, and a full I2C-based management interface.
Key blocks within the verification scope include:
Internal Eye Monitor — control state machine, per-lane sampling logic, and readback/reporting datapath
Internal Error Counter — PRBS-based bit error rate measurement logic, threshold control, and alarm behavior
I2C Management Interface — full CSR register file correctness, protocol compliance, and reset/initialization behavior
Top-Level Integration — block interconnect, clocking and reset sequencing, and full-chip sign-off coverage
This is a characterization test chip, not a production device — simulation environments, coverage models, and debug waveforms will be directly leveraged during post-silicon lab bring-up and characterization.
What You’ll Own
DV Planning: Develop and maintain the full-chip DV plan covering all soft IP blocks and top-level integration; define coverage targets, test priorities, and sign-off criteria in alignment with the Chip Lead.
Testbench Development: Build and maintain UVM/SystemVerilog verification environments for all key design blocks including:
PRBS-based Error Counting logic and threshold/alarm control
Eye Monitor control state machine and readout interface
PHY configuration and control register file (CSR / I2C management bus)
Top-level chip integration and block interconnect
Assertion-Based Verification: Implement SystemVerilog Assertions (SVA) for critical control sequences, protocol compliance, and reset/initialization behavior in coordination with the Chip Lead.
Formal Verification: Apply formal property checking (JasperGold or VC Formal) where applicable — CSR correctness, CDC properties, reset verification.
Regression Management: Build and maintain regression infrastructure; triage failures, root-cause issues to RTL or testbench, and track bug closure through the design team.
Post-Silicon Support: Provide debug waveforms, expected behavior documentation, and test vectors to support lab bring-up in coordination with the Senior Lab Engineer. Pre-silicon coverage closure and tape-out sign-off is the primary deliverable of this contract.
DV Documentation: Maintain verification plan, coverage closure reports, and test methodology documentation to support program continuity and knowledge transfer at contract close.
The Ownership Mindset
Because this role carries broad DV ownership on a lean team, we want to be explicit about what success looks like beyond the technical checklist:
You identify coverage gaps before they become tape-out risks — reviewing coverage incrementally throughout the design cycle rather than discovering holes at sign-off.
You find creative solutions — when a standard UVM approach doesn’t apply cleanly to a custom analog control boundary, you have the instinct and experience to adapt your methodology and the judgment to know when to bring the team in.
You document your decisions — the verification plan, coverage closures, and debug waveforms you produce are institutional knowledge that must be captured and handed off at contract close, not carried in one person’s head.
What You Bring Required
BS, MS, or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field
6–12 years of functional verification experience in a UVM/SystemVerilog environment with at least one complete tape-out in a primary or lead DV role
Demonstrated experience building UVM testbench environments from scratch — not just maintaining or extending existing infrastructure
Experience verifying serial management interface blocks — I2C, SPI, APB, AHB, or equivalent
Solid debugging skills across simulation waveforms and RTL — ability to distinguish RTL bugs from testbench issues quickly and efficiently
Ability to hit the ground running — this engagement has a fixed end date tied to tape-out; ramp time is minimal by design
Comfortable working on a small team with a high degree of individual ownership and accountability
Preferred
Experience with formal property verification (JasperGold, VC Formal, or equivalent) for block-level sign-off
Familiarity with PHY functional modeling or behavioral simulation — including use of vendor-supplied behavioral models or BFMs in a mixed-signal simulation context
Experience with real-number modeling (RNM) or Verilog-AMS behavioral models for analog block abstraction in digital simulation environments
Familiarity with PRBS pattern generation and error detection verification — understanding the algorithmic behavior being verified, not just the bus protocol
Post-silicon validation experience — candidates who have carried verification knowledge into the lab and supported bring-up and debug on real silicon are strongly preferred
Experience developing ATE test vectors or correlating simulation results to production test programs
Prior contract or startup experience — comfort operating where role boundaries are defined by program need rather than org chart
Why This Engagement
Full ownership of the DV function from day one — you will write the plan, build the infrastructure, close coverage, and own sign-off. There is no DV manager between you and the tape-out decision.
You will work on a program with genuinely interesting analog/digital boundary conditions — the Eye Monitor, error counting, and I2C control functions require verification thinking that goes well beyond standard block-level UVM work.
You will work alongside world-class analog designers and a Senior Lab Engineer whose post-silicon test environment expertise is exceptional — the pre-silicon to post-silicon knowledge transfer on this team is a real and meaningful engagement.
The lean team structure means your contributions are visible, your judgment is trusted, and your verification decisions directly shape the program’s sign-off criteria.
The defined timeline and clear deliverables make this an ideal engagement for experienced contractors who thrive in focused, high-accountability environments.
Applicant Notices & Disclaimers
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At SPECTRAFORCE, we are committed to maintaining a workplace that ensures fair compensation and wage transparency in adherence with all applicable state and local laws. This position’s starting pay is: $ 60.00/hr.
