Principal PCB Designer

FormFactor is seeking a highly skilled Principal PCB Designer to provide advanced technical expertise in the design, layout, and development of complex printed circuit boards (PCBs) and package substrates supporting leading-edge semiconductor test and measurement solutions. This role serves as a senior technical contributor, leveraging extensive experience in high-speed, RF, analog, mixed-signal, and multilayer PCB technologies to drive innovative design solutions, improve manufacturability, and accelerate product development. The Principal PCB Designer works collaboratively across engineering disciplines and global teams while helping establish design standards, methodologies, and best practices.

Key Responsibilities:

PCB and Package Design

• Perform complex PCB and package substrate layout and routing studies to achieve cost reduction, design optimization, improved manufacturability, and reduced time-to-market.

• Design and route highly complex, high-speed, multilayer PCBs and package substrates, including trace length matching, impedance-controlled routing, grounding and shielding strategies, and design verification.

• Develop PCB and package substrate layouts that align with industry best practices, company standards, and product performance requirements.

• Interpret and incorporate mechanical requirements, including keep-in/keep-out zones, mounting and tooling holes, component height restrictions, and packaging constraints.

• Apply advanced electrical design concepts including high-speed signal design, RF routing, transmission line theory, signal integrity, and power distribution network optimization.

Technical Leadership and Process Improvement

• Collaborate with PCB and package applications engineers to establish design constraints, optimize BGA mapping, and ensure layout compliance with electrical and mechanical requirements.

• Define, develop, and maintain PCB design standards, libraries, and layout guidelines to support consistency and efficiency across projects.

• Develop process documentation, including design workflows, procedures, checklists, standards, and training materials.

• Identify and implement design process improvements that reduce development cycle time, minimize defects, and improve product performance and quality.

• Define requirements for design automation tools and participate in tool evaluation, testing, and validation activities.

• Provide feedback to software and tool development teams to support continuous improvement of internal design tools and methodologies.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with Electrical, Mechanical, Manufacturing, Applications, and Product Engineering teams throughout the product development lifecycle.

• Work directly with PCB and package substrate fabrication suppliers to improve manufacturability, resolve technical issues, and optimize design solutions.

• Coordinate with globally distributed engineering teams across multiple time zones to meet project milestones and delivery objectives.

• Participate in design reviews and technical discussions, providing recommendations for design improvements and risk mitigation.

Project Leadership

• Lead complex PCB design efforts from concept through release, ensuring quality, schedule, and performance objectives are achieved.

• Serve as a technical resource and mentor for less experienced designers and engineers.

• Manage multiple priorities and independently resolve highly complex technical challenges.

• Contribute to the development and implementation of department standards, best practices, and strategic initiatives.

• Extensive experience designing complex multilayer PCBs and package substrates in a product development environment.

• Proven experience leading large or technically complex PCB design projects.

• Expert proficiency with Cadence PCB Design tools, Cadence Allegro Package Design, Allegro PCB Designer, and Constraint Manager.

• Strong understanding of transmission line theory, controlled impedance routing, skew control, crosstalk mitigation, signal integrity, and power integrity principles.

• Advanced knowledge of PCB and package substrate manufacturing processes and design for manufacturability (DFM) principles.

• Experience working with fabrication houses and external suppliers to improve product manufacturability and production yield.

• Strong understanding of netlisting, schematic interpretation, routing rule development, design constraints, and verification methodologies.

• Proficiency with AutoCAD and other engineering documentation tools.

• Strong leadership capabilities with the ability to perform effectively as both an individual contributor and technical project lead.

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities with a disciplined approach to troubleshooting complex design challenges.

• Strong verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.

• Exceptional attention to detail with a demonstrated ability to consistently meet project commitments and deadlines.

• Ability to influence outcomes and collaborate effectively across global, cross-functional teams.

• Demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement, technical excellence, and knowledge sharing.