Research Engineer in CMOS Integrated Circuit Design for Intravascular Echocardiography

Microelectronic Circuits Centre Ireland (MCCI) is an EI / IDA technology centre hosted at Tyndall National Institute.  Its mission is to carry out industry-led world-class Analog, Mixed-Signal and RF integrated circuit research and to deliver trained people and IP to industry.  MCCI is collaborating with 35 companies and many of the staff eventually transfer into the thriving microelectronics industry in Ireland.  MCCI targets real-life applications with its research and currently has projects in diverse topics such as Cryo-CMOS, med-tech, bio-sensing, wireless communication, ultra-low power circuits and power-management. Please visit www.mcci.ie for more information.

The project

In Intravascular Echocardiography, a fine catheter is threaded through an artery into the heart, in order to produce detailed images that can help surgeons to produce accurate diagnoses of heart diseases. The tip of such catheter houses a small ultrasound transducer wired to the host computer through tens to hundreds of wires, reducing the catheter flexibility and making it difficult to direct by the surgeons. A more efficient implementation would require moving the data acquisition circuits to the tip of the catheter and encode the information so that it can travel through just a few data lines. In this project we envision to develop a custom CMOS Integrated Circuit (IC) that leverages advance Mixed-Signal circuit design techniques, where the Analog-Front-End (AEF), Analogue-to-Digital Converter (ADC), Digital Signal Processor (DSP), and Data Transmission circuits are optimised to produce high resolution and frame rate at reduced power consumption, silicon area and data transmission lines. This project is funded under the Ireland Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF). The consortium includes Tyndall National Institute (MCCI), VistaMed (https://www.vistamed.net/en/), and OneProjects (https://www.one-projects.com/). This collaboration with the industry partners will ensure that the custom CMOS IC developed at MCCI will not only be a state-of-the art solution, but it will also support the development of future healthcare using intravascular echocardiography.

The Role

The successful candidate will be based at MCCI in the Tyndall National Institute, Cork.  They will model, architect, design and test AFEs, ADCs, CMOS Transmitters, High voltage level shifters (50V), bandgap references, LDOs, etc.

What we offer

You will have the opportunity to work in a multi-disciplinary team consisting of clinicians, medical systems architects, mechanical engineers, data analytics, and integrated circuit designers as well as:

• Work as a highly valuable research team member in a world-class technology centre that has a very young, dynamic, vibrant and self-driven work environment that focuses on high impact research results which are strongly aligned to industry partners.
• Great career development and advancement that is highly visible to the semiconductor industry through direct contact or IEEE publications.
• Collaborate with industry working on the successful treatment of patients in a new era of data driven solutions.
• Opportunity to attend and publish work at leading conferences such as IEEE Solid-State Circuits and Systems Conferences (CAS), etc.
• Attend training courses and workshops, use the latest industry CAD design tools.
• Excellent working conditions including 27 days of annual leave.

Key Responsibilities

• Engage with the multi-disciplinary team to understand the system-level specifications.
• Propose innovative analogue mixed signal solutions to meet the system requirements.
• With guidance from MCCI Senior Researchers, implement the solution on an integrated circuit. This involves system level simulation, algorithm development, schematic design, and layout.
• Validate the manufactured silicon in a lab environment as well as in a more realistic environment as it is in a phantom model of the human body.
• Participate in Education and Public Engagement activities, as required.
• Ensure all activities are compliant with the Tyndall Quality Management system and required Health & Safety standards.
• Carry out any additional duties as may reasonably be required within the general scope and level of the post.

Essential Criteria

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree (honours) in Electronics Engineering or related discipline with typically 4 years’ experience in Analog, Mixed-Signal or RF integrated circuit design.

OR –

• Master’s Degree in Electronics Engineering with typically 2 years’ experience in Analog, Mixed-Signal or RF integrated circuit design.
• The successful candidate will be highly analytical with good interpersonal and organisational skills.
• Evidence of successful design of Analog, Mixed-Signal or RF circuits at block level through to tapeout.
• Experience using integrated circuit design tools such as Cadence/Mentor.
• Experience working as part of a multi-disciplinary team and managing multiple stakeholders.

Desirable Criteria

• PhD in Electronic and Electrical Engineering.
• Experience with lab testing of integrated circuits.
• Good mathematical ability and knowledge of statistics.
• Previous use of mathematical modelling tools such as MATLAB or Python.
• Knowledge and previous experience working on layout/Physical design

Any queries relating to this position can be forwarded to Dr. Gerardo Salgado at gerardo.salgado@tyndall.ie

Appointment will be made on the Admin V Grade scale B € 46,935- € 57,694 per annum. Salary placement on appointment will be in accordance with public sector pay policy.

Closing date for applications is 29th May