Director of Systems Architecture

Director of Systems Architecture

Team – R&D Engineering

Location – Cambridge, UK

Contract – Permanent (Full-time or part-time)

About CGD

Making Sustainable Power Electronics Possible

A spin-out of the Cambridge University, Cambridge GaN Devices (CGD) is a fabless semiconductor company that develops a range of energy-efficient GaN-based power devices to make greener electronics possible.

The global power semiconductor market is expected to exceed $50BN. In addition to the multi-million seed fund and Series A and now B private investments, CGD has so far successfully secured four projects funded by iUK, BEIS and EU (Penta). The technical and commercial expertise of the CGD team combined with an extensive track record in the power electronics market has been fundamental in early market traction of our proprietary technology.

Bringing Innovation into Everyday Life

The environmental need for solutions to resolve the world’s most significant challenges (energy consumption and CO2 emissions) inspires us to contribute to society by preserving nature with energy-efficient power solutions.

With a mindset on pushing the limits of semiconductor (GaN) properties and an outstanding team of worldwide experts leveraging knowledge, IP, and decades of research, we demonstrate technological advancement by developing green solutions for everyday electronics, respecting our planet’s natural resources, and creating a more sustainable future for the generations to come.

Why Work for CGD

We Champion Commitment, Celebrate Empowerment, and Reward the Brave.

We are interested in change-makers with a passion for power semiconductors who are willing to explore unconventional ways to meet the company’s green agenda.

At CGD, we pride ourselves on putting empowerment and commitment at the core of our company culture. We offer a relaxed yet productive working environment where everybody is valued and respected and becomes part of commercial success while experiencing professional growth.

If your heart beats for innovation, challenge, and growth, and if the prospect of joining a friendly and game-changing company is for you, we want to hear from you.

The Opportunity

CGD are looking for a Director of Systems Architecture to join our growing engineering team. This is a newly formed team and will provide technical leadership in development projects focussed on delivering new GaN Power Devices and ICs. Projects will be highly multi-disciplinary, and the Systems Architecture team will  work closely with multiple teams within CGD, including Project Management, R&D/Engineering (Device and ICD), Operations and Applications Engineering. You will be involved in R&D projects through their full life cycle from concept to market entry and beyond. The team will also work closely with sales and marketing on product roadmap definition and product definition.

The Director of Systems Architecture will be responsible for day-to-day line management of the team, providing both technical and personal leadership of the team members.

In this role, you will be able to develop and use your knowledge of a variety of aspects of semiconductor device development at the forefront of GaN device R&D, from device physics to applications.

The ultimate outcome of your work will be the successful adoption of CGDs GaN products into customer applications.

This role is based at the company’s office and lab in Cambridge, UK, although it is expected that some travel will be required from time to time for this role.

Main Responsibilities 

• Lead the System Architecture team in line management and technical management
• Manage product requirements definition and specification for new product developments in collaboration with marketing, business development and rest of engineering
• Own the product requirements specification process
• Provide end to end technical leadership for specific product developments
• Work with  Project Management and other technical teams to develop new products, meeting the time, cost and performance targets
• Conduct technical feasibility studies for new applications, usage ideas, features and technology ideas
• Understand applications for power electronics with focus on GaN devices to ensure CGD products help customers achieve their system goals
• Analyse competitors’ products and alternative solutions and propose benchmarking studies

Skills and Experience

Essential

• Master’s degree in a relevant engineering or science subject
• Experience as an Engineering Manager in the development of semiconductor devices, preferably power devices
• Power Semiconductor industry experience in system engineering, device engineering, field application engineering, application engineering or technical marketing
• Strong experience as an R&D Engineer in the development of semiconductor devices, preferably power devices, applications and systems
• Experience in managing and leading technical teams
• Strategic thinker with practical skills and experience
• Inspires confidence in colleagues, partners and customers
• Comfortable in a fast-paced start-up environment
• Willing and able to travel and work with partners and customers in Europe, the Americas and Asia
• Pro-active by nature, responsive to changing needs of the projects and business with a results-oriented approach
• Excellent communication and presentation skills. In particular, writing white papers and application notes as well as presenting technical topics to an audience. 

Desirable

• Experience with GaN based applications
• Knowledge of power semiconductor device physics, preferably GaN
• Skilled in power electronics.
• Experience with semiconductor failure analysis

• Excellent salary
• Share options scheme available (so you own a piece of the company!)
• Pension scheme (6% Company contribution)
• Life Assurance (3x Salary)
• BUPA Cash Plan (Level 3)
• Flexible working options (both location and times)
• Annual leave allowance of 33 days (including bank holidays)
• Training and development
• Cycle to work scheme
• IP bonus scheme
• Involvement in collaborative projects and grants with University of Cambridge and other partners
• Recruitment referral bonus
• Regular social events including frequent company lunches, annual summer party, Christmas party, team building and wellbeing activities

We believe in equal opportunities

It takes a diverse and inclusive community of passionate, talented and committed people to build a system to shape the future of power electronics.

We are committed to providing equal opportunities to all current and prospective employees regardless of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership.

We believe that a more inclusive workplace, where people of different backgrounds work together, ensures better outcomes for all employees. We aspire to have a diverse workforce because, in our view, diversity enables better business outcomes. From application to interview, we place inclusion at the heart of all we do.

We are well set up for collaborative hybrid working, with some members of the team working in the UK office and some from home in the UK and other cities in Europe and Asia.