IC DESIGN
The electronics industry has played a pivotal role in Singapore's economic development, with the
semiconductor sector being a key pillar to the industry's progress.
TRANSFORMATION OF THE SINGAPORE’S SEMICONDUCTOR SECTOR
From wearable technology capable of measuring heartbeats, to smartphones and tablets being able to
double up as communication portals and digital concierges – the use of electronic devices has helped
improve our lives thanks to quantum leaps in semiconductor technology. Propelled by this explosive growth
of digital technology through the Internet of Things (IoT), Singapore's electronics industry is entering an
exhilarating phase of growth, which promises to drive demand for new classes of electronic devices in both
the consumer and industrial space over the next decade.
More companies are beginning to shift their manufacturing and research focus into Asia. This shift in focus,
coupled with Singapore's firm foundations in semiconductors, has primed international semiconductor
companies to develop new technologies, products and applications for a technology-driven worldwide
audience in Singapore.
FOUR
12-INCH WAFER
FABRICATION PLANTS
20 SEMICONDUCTOR ASSEMBLY
AND TEST OPERATIONS INCLUDING
FOUR OF THE WORLD’S TOP SEVEN
SEMICONDUCTOR ASSEMBLY AND
TEST COMPANIES
NINE OUT OF THE WORLD’S TOP 15
FABLESS SEMICONDUCTOR
COMPANIES
Head Office
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Email : singapore@contactsingapore.sg
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investing and living in Singapore,
please visit www.contactsingapore.sg
STRONG BASE OF LEADING GLOBAL COMPANIES
Leading global power and communication semiconductor companies such as Infineon, Intel, Lantiq, Linear,
Maxim Integrated, MediaTek, Qualcomm, Realtek and Silicon Labs already have significant operations in
Singapore:
• Linear Technology, a global leader for high performance analog ICs, will be expanding its Singapore
operations to increase its total production floor space by about 50%, and will be testing Linear’s most
advanced and complex analog products such as its battery management modules. This investment will
cement Singapore as Linear Technology’s Global Test Hub, accounting for 90% of its global test requirements.
• MediaTek, Asia’s largest fabless semiconductor company, will invest S$250 million over the next few years in
Singapore, creating an additional 100 R&D jobs. This will make MediaTek Singapore’s largest IC design centre
with over 300 R&D engineers. The team here will be Singapore’s first ARM-based application processor
development team and will design products that will be used in the latest smartphones, tablets and many
other IoT devices.
• Qualcomm will be establishing an IC Design and Engineering R&D centre in Singapore to undertake
advanced mobile chipset design and development. Similarly, Maxim established an Asia Pacific team in
Singapore to design power management ICs for mobile applications.
• Realtek, one of Asia’s largest fabless semiconductor companies, will invest S$180 million over the next five
years to establish its 75-man regional headquarters and IC design centre in Singapore. The team here will
develop advanced network processors used in networking equipment such as WiFi routers and solutions for
IoT applications such as smart home and smart wearable devices.
• Silicon Labs set up its international HQ for the Asia-Pacific and Europe regions in Singapore, performing a wide
range of manufacturing and business-critical functions including R&D in IC design, global supply chain
management and international sales and support. With more than 150 employees, it is the largest Silicon Labs
site outside of the company’s corporate HQ in Austin, USA.
These top IC design companies value Singapore's expertise in IC design, and many work closely with the
wafer foundries to support innovation and shorten the lead time for new product tape-outs.
In addition, to support Singapore’s focus in expanding the talent pool in IC design, the Singapore Economic
Development Board and the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) launched VIRTUS, a S$50 million
jointly-funded IC Design Centre of Excellence (CoE). VIRTUS aims to become a world-class IC design CoE,
developing key technologies required to design integrated circuits and systems for various applications such
as medical technology, clean technology and consumer electronics of the future.
BUILDING CAPABILITIES FOR THE FUTURE: IC DESIGNERS IN DEMAND
Singapore is positioning itself to capture market demand for specialty ICs such as those used in power,
communications and sensor technologies, which will find their way into automotive, mobile and IoT
applications. Hence, the semiconductor industry expects to have an increase in the number of positions in IC
Design/IC Design Product & Test Engineering in Singapore’s base of semiconductor companies.
ANALOG/RF/MIXED-SIGNAL IC DESIGN ENGINEER
• Applications in Industrial and Automotive/Communications
• Design state-of-art analog/RF IC building blocks in (a) advanced CMOS process technologies,
JOB
FUNCTION
preferably in high power amplifier and switches or (b) wireless SoC solutions
• Develop advanced wireless system and high-performance RF transceiver circuits
• Perform correlation and silicon evaluation
• Perform full cycle of IP development responsibilities, from circuit simulation, chip verification to
prototype evaluation
EDUCATIONAL
REQUIREMENT
PhD/Masters/Bachelors in Electronics/Electrical Engineering
Analog, Mixed-Signal:
• Experience in IC design in one of the following areas: PA, LNA, Mixer, Gm-C filter, ADC,
DAC and mixed-signal design
• Experience in Cadence design tools such as Analog Artist, SpectreRF, Goldengate is
required
SKILLS/
EXPERIENCE
• Knowledge of communication standards such as GSM, EDGE, UMTS, LTE and
mixed-signal components
RF:
• Experience in IC design in LNA, Mixer, Modulator, RF PGA, Power Amplifier, Frequency
synthesiser -Integer-N or Fractional-N PLL, PFD/CP, VCO, Crystal Oscillator, frequency/
phase calibration algorithm
PRODUCT ENGINEER
Product engineering support from concept, prototyping, to full production
Development Phase:
• Responsible for cost reduction, yield improvement and yield optimisation through yield data analysis
JOB
FUNCTION
• Provide qualification, ramp-up and logistic support
Production Phase:
• Lead & Drive activities such as yield/test development improvement to resolve production issues
• Main interface for production support and resolution of customer rejects
EDUCATIONAL
REQUIREMENT
Masters/Bachelor Degree in Electrical/Electronics Engineering
• Knowledge of semiconductor manufacturing process
• Minimum 5 years of experience in Product Engineering for high-end digital, analog, mixed-signal,
power management and RF ICs
SKILLS/
EXPERIENCE
• Knowledge and hands-on experience with statistical analysis software package and techniques
• Possesses leadership and project management skills
• Team player, and have strong verbal and written communication skills
TEST ENGINEER
• Develop ATE Test programmes for digital and mixed-signal SoCs
• Cooperate with circuit designers, product engineers, and technology engineers for test evaluation,
JOB
FUNCTION
analysis and debugging of first silicon and redesigns, optimisation and production transfer
• Create characterisation programmes and analyse performance data
• Define and realise test cost ratios and transfer of test package to other test platforms
• Maintain test package during ramp-up and volume production
EDUCATIONAL
REQUIREMENT
Masters/Bachelor Degree in Electrical/Electronics Engineering
• 5 to 8 years of working experience in the related field
• Knowledge of semiconductor manufacturing process/SoC testing
• Experience with Automated Test Equipment (ATE)
• Knowledge of DFT/DfM/DfA methods (including scan test, iddq, memory BIST)
SKILLS/
EXPERIENCE
• IC design experience/VHDL and/or Verilog
• Knowledge of Linux and/or UNIX
• Software skills for writing and debugging test codes.
• Competency in programming with Perl and C/C++
If you are interested in being part of the vibrant electronics landscape right here in Singapore,
visit www.contactsingapore.sg/jobs-electronics to explore the available positions.
© May 2015 Contact Singapore. All rights reserved.
Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of all information in this publication at time of production.