Senior/Principal TCAD Engineer Full-time

Senior/Principal TCAD Engineer

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.

Purpose

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.

Responsibilities

• 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.

Required Qualifications

• 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.

Preferred Qualifications

• 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.

Salary Range

TIE pays industry-competitive salaries

Working Conditions

• 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.)

Work Shift

Monday – Friday

Required Materials

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

Important for 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 that ALL Required 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 questions presented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.