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MACOM (NASDAQ: MTSI) is a global leader in the design and manufacture of advanced semiconductor products across a diverse range of end markets, including Data Centers, Telecommunications, Industrial and Aerospace and Defense. We develop innovative, cutting-edge technologies and products across the spectrum of radio frequency (RF), microwave, millimeter wave, photonics and high-speed analog technologies. Our solutions support critical network infrastructure applications like artificial intelligence, high performance computing, satellite communications, radar, unmanned aerial vehicles, medical equipment, test and measurement and advanced wireless networks.
MACOM has more than 75 years of expertise in semiconductor process development, wafer fabrication, circuit design, advanced packaging, systems architecture and applications engineering. We are committed to our customers' success. We partner with customers to help solve their most challenging problems by providing semiconductor solutions that are at the forefront of the highest power, highest frequency and/or highest data rates.
Leading technologies, innovative products and driven employees. Come be a part of MACOM and help advance the next generation of connectivity infrastructure!
Senior Applications Engineer, GaN Power Amplifiers & MMIC Modules
MMIC Applications Engineering North Carolina Facility
Position Summary
MACOM is seeking a Senior Applications Engineer to support customer and product applications for GaN power amplifier products, including discrete MMICs and selected module products, within the MMIC Applications Engineering team at our North Carolina facility.
This role is well suited for an RF and microwave engineer who enjoys hands-on laboratory work, product characterization, customer problem solving, and practical technical execution. The successful candidate will support customer-specific technical requests, collect and interpret RF performance data, manage evaluation-board builds, contribute to sampling readiness, and help turn product knowledge into clear, useful guidance for customers and internal teams.
The Senior Applications Engineer will work closely with Principal Applications Engineers, design engineering, product engineering, product management, operations, quality, sales, and marketing. This is a strong growth role for an engineer who is ready to take ownership of complex technical work while continuing to develop broader customer-facing, product-support, and technical-leadership skills.
Key Responsibilities
• Support applications engineering activities for assigned GaN power amplifier MMICs and selected module products.
• Characterize products in support of customer inquiries, design-in activity, sampling requests, and internal product-support needs.
• Plan, execute, and document RF and microwave measurements, including small-signal characterization, large-signal power testing, gain compression, efficiency, linearity, pulsed and CW measurements, thermal observations, and customer-specific test conditions.
• Help interpret customer data and correlate customer observations with MACOM measurements, published specifications, evaluation-board behavior, and known product characteristics.
• Manage and support evaluation-board builds for customer sampling, including coordination of board requirements, hardware availability, assembly status, test readiness, documentation, and issue resolution.
• Debug evaluation boards, fixtures, test setups, and application circuits to support successful customer demonstrations, product sampling, and design-in activity.
• Contribute to application notes, test reports, datasheet updates, evaluation-board documentation, customer presentations, and other technical collateral.
• Work with Principal Applications Engineers and other senior technical contributors to resolve complex customer issues involving RF behavior, biasing, matching, stability, thermal operation, ruggedness, linearity, efficiency, and application integration.
• Collaborate with design engineering, product engineering, product management, assembly, operations, quality, reliability, sales, and marketing to improve product usability and customer support readiness.
• Support customer meetings and technical discussions by preparing data, reviewing measurement results, answering product questions, and helping define practical next steps.
• Maintain organized lab records, test data, characterization summaries, and customer-support documentation.
• Help improve lab methods, measurement repeatability, evaluation-board processes, documentation quality, and technical support workflows.
• Provide practical support in the lab as needed, including test setup, fixture debug, RF probing, board-level troubleshooting, and occasional hands-on assembly or rework support.
Technical Focus Areas
• GaN RF and microwave power amplifier products.
• MMIC and module-level product support.
• RF power amplifier operation, including gain, output power, efficiency, linearity, compression, biasing, thermal behavior, stability, and load sensitivity.
• Customer-specific product characterization and measurement correlation.
• Evaluation-board design support, build coordination, fixture development, hardware debug, and sampling readiness.
• Bench-level RF and microwave measurements using VNAs, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, power meters, oscilloscopes, thermal tools, probe stations, and other RF laboratory equipment.
• Product collateral quality, including datasheets, test reports, application notes, evaluation-board documentation, customer data packages, and technical presentations.
Required Qualifications
• BSEE or BSECE required. MSEE preferred.
• Typically 5+ years of relevant experience in RF, microwave, semiconductor, MMIC, power amplifier, module, product characterization, or high-frequency applications engineering.
• Strong hands-on experience with RF and microwave laboratory test equipment and measurement techniques.
• Demonstrated ability to independently plan and execute technical investigations, analyze data, and communicate practical conclusions.
• Solid understanding of RF and microwave fundamentals, including impedance matching, power gain, compression, linearity, noise, stability, biasing, and measurement uncertainty.
• Experience supporting or characterizing RF/microwave components, MMICs, modules, evaluation boards, or high-frequency application circuits.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to document measurements, explain technical findings, and support customer-facing discussions.
• Ability to work cross-functionally with design, product engineering, product management, operations, quality, reliability, sales, and marketing.
• Willingness to work in the lab and support practical hardware tasks when needed, including troubleshooting, fixture work, evaluation-board debug, and occasional soldering or assembly support.
Preferred Qualifications
• Experience supporting, characterizing, designing with, or developing GaN power amplifier MMICs or RF power modules.
• Experience with high-power RF testing, pulsed power measurements, CW power testing, thermal evaluation, modulated waveform analysis, linearity measurements, or ruggedness-related testing.
• Familiarity with GaAs, GaN, or other compound semiconductor technologies, including device operation, thermal behavior, reliability considerations, and application-level tradeoffs.
• Experience developing or validating evaluation boards, RF fixtures, customer demonstration hardware, reference circuits, or application-specific test setups.
• Experience creating customer-facing technical collateral, including application notes, evaluation-board guides, data packages, presentations, or product-support documentation.
• Familiarity with PCB design, RF layout practices, microwave packaging, fixture parasitics, calibration methods, and measurement correlation.
• Experience working directly with customers, field applications engineers, sales, product management, or design engineering to resolve technical questions and enable product adoption.
Technical Ownership and Growth Expectations
• Take ownership of assigned characterization tasks, customer data requests, evaluation-board builds, and product-support activities.
• Develop increasing independence in troubleshooting complex RF and microwave application issues.
• Use structured measurement methods, clear documentation, and sound engineering judgment to support customer and internal decisions.
• Escalate appropriately to Principal Applications Engineers, design engineering, product engineering, or other subject matter experts when deeper technical review is needed.
• Contribute to improved application workflows, lab practices, data quality, support responsiveness, and product collateral.
• Build technical breadth across GaN PA products, MMIC modules, customer use cases, and practical RF measurement methods.
• Grow into a trusted technical resource for customers and colleagues while continuing to learn from senior and principal-level engineers.
• Maintain a hands-on, team-first mindset, including willingness to help with practical lab, bench, documentation, or hardware-support tasks when that is what moves the issue forward.
Why Join MACOM?
This position offers the opportunity to work directly with advanced GaN power amplifier and MMIC module products used in demanding RF and microwave systems. The role sits at the intersection of product characterization, customer support, evaluation hardware, technical documentation, and real-world application success.
For an engineer who enjoys hands-on RF lab work, customer-focused problem solving, and the opportunity to grow into broader technical leadership, this is a strong role with meaningful visibility across applications engineering, product development, and customer engagement.
EEO:
MACOM is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to a diverse workforce. MACOM will not discriminate against any worker or job applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, military service, marital status, or any other category protected under applicable law.
Reasonable Accommodation:
MACOM is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with physical and mental disabilities. If you have a disability and are in need of a reasonable accommodation with respect to any part of the application process, please call +1-978-656-2500 or email HR_Ops@MACOM.com. Provide your name, phone number and the position title and location in which you are interested, and nature of accommodation needed, and we will get back to you. We also work with current employees who request or need reasonable accommodation in order to perform the essential functions of their jobs.
ITAR
Due to ITAR regulations, only candidates who are U.S. Persons (U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents, or individuals granted asylum or refugee status) will be considered for this position.
RSU Eligible
This position is eligible to receive restricted stock unit (RSU) awards and cash bonuses, solely at MACOM's discretion, subject to individual and company performance.
Benefits: This position offers a comprehensive benefits package including but not limited to:
• Health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Employer-sponsored 401(k) plan.
• Paid time off.
• Professional development opportunities.