Test Development Engineers

Working at Infineon in the Industrial Power Control division, I feel part of a modern company that is a main player in one of the most important challenges of our time, namely making the world greener through innovative and competitive products that enable energy to be used efficiently.

The people I work with at Infineon are very special. I am happy to work with colleagues who are friendly, competent and willing to help. Together we form a cohesive and collaborative team, which makes workdays very pleasant and fun, as well as challenging. For me, this is a stimulating environment where I can enhance my skills. Infineon also promotes work/life balance and flexitime, which is very helpful!

I mainly work on gate drivers and intelligent power switches, the key elements in increasing power efficiency. Before reaching the market, each device is tested both at wafer and package level.

I am in charge of developing the test solutions that are implemented at production sites on automated test equipment. The aim of this testing is to verify that each device is fully functional and meets the datasheet specifications in order to deliver high-quality products and maintain the customer’s trust.

I look after all stages of test development, from defining the test concept and specifications, through designing test hardware, writing test code, debugging, and verification to the transfer to production sites. It is always very gratifying when the production of a new device starts.

Through my work, I contribute to the development of fully functional gate drivers which are used by large customers in both industrial and home appliance sectors (air conditioners, washing machines, and air dryers, for example) to reduce power consumption, save energy, and move towards a more sustainable world.

It is not a monotonous job at all, because each step of the project requires different tasks – moving from desk work to lab activity, combining hardware and software skills, interfacing with multiple colleagues including concept, design, layout, verification, and product engineers, as well as marketing, project, and quality managers.

I get to deal with colleagues from all over the world (Europe, Asia, the Americas), getting to experience many different realities and cultures. I frequently have the opportunity to travel to meet them and visit their home towns or cities in person, which I enjoy a lot.

I think one of the main challenges is keeping the quality of my work high even when working under pressure and tight turnarounds. I’m the last step of the product development cycle and it is my responsibility to stay on schedule to meet the time-to-market deadlines. It can be tough at times, so proper prioritization and good organization of my daily activities are crucial. When the workflow is completed, it is very rewarding.

In addition, each test solution presents particular challenges, as each device is different from the last. The most demanding cases are when I have to devise an approach from scratch to test new features or increment the test coverage. It is stimulating because I have to go deeper into understanding how the device works and there is room for creativity.

Naturally, the first failures are the ones that leave the most lasting impression – but at the same time, they are the ones from which you can learn the most. For example, the test boards that I design are sometimes very complex, depending on the product, and I sometimes overlook something during the design/layout phase. I learned that the important thing is not to try and do everything alone, but be able to do everything the right way. For this reason, a second set of eyes is essential – reviewing what I have done together with a colleague (who may be even more expert) can help identify errors and correct them before it is too late. In general, being humble and admitting that even I can make mistakes helps me to cooperate with others and improve myself!

Working with people from all over the world and – in the process – gaining an understanding of how complex and time-consuming the development of new semiconductor products can be.

As a Test Engineer, you are developing high-performance software which validates every single chip delivered by Infineon. I am responsible for development of the test hardware and software for our products, as well as for test data processing afterwards. I am involved in the whole lifecycle of the product in order to ensure the final value of the product. If I make a mistake, it can quickly become very expensive for Infineon, since I am the last check point before our products are delivered to our customers. Ultimately, I am the last quality gate for our products.

The result of my work is a chip that is ready for shipment to our customers. As a Test Development Engineer, you are responsible for the development of high-performance, fully functional hardware and software. On the picture you can see one of these chips, along with the test systems used and some details for this final quality check. 

One highlight is the first run of my software because software is mainly developed offline. So you don't really know if the code works until you try it for the first time in high-volume production. Only then do you know how stable the hardware and software are.

Sometimes, you just get the information from production that something is not working but without a detailed description. So you need to be a very good detective with strong analytical skills in order to find the root cause and finally solve it. You have to assume if a problem occurs once, it will happen again. The only question is when. 

Ultimately, you need both. The work packages during a project usually come in a cycle with more or less frequent surprises in between. So you need good time management and planning skills – especially as the really tough nuts to crack are often unexpected. If you're already at the limit, it doesn't get any easier. 

Lots of innovative and the latest technologies, plus a friendly working environment.

We focus on developing and optimizing test solutions that ensure the quality of every product before we deliver it to customers. In my job, we are helping to provide connectivity and power delivery solutions on different devices.

Part of an effort that made Infineon first in the industry to support the latest USB Power Delivery (USB PD) 3.0 specification.

Collaborating with different experts around the world to bring the best solutions to every problem.

As part of the last line of defense in the quality check effort, we must ensure that no defective devices go out to customers.

An environment where I can grow as a professional and individual, and the opportunity to build good relationships with the team.

Infineon is a big company, but in spite of this, your team feels like a family. Infineon takes care of their employees, and their health comes first.

Test engineers develop hardware and software to check Infineon chips in order to guarantee that they are fulfilling datasheet parameters. This has to be done at the highest possible performance levels – meaning low yield loss – and with the best test time.

We provide hardware and software packages to test and analyze chip performance.

Find out more here.

Reacting quickly and being in sync with our enthusiastic team.

With my background in biomedical engineering, I work closely with colleague that are experts in electronic materials – I can learn a lot from them.

Stay curious and keep looking for new adventures.