Senior Engineer – Reliability

Senior Engineer – Reliability & Component Analysis
Contract: Full Time/ Fixed Term

Reporting to the Head of Group, this role encompasses a dual focus: supporting both research-driven and industry-specific physical analysis needs. As Senior Engineer, you will lead the management of physical analysis processes for high-reliability Integrated Circuit (IC), Photonics, and Sensor components. Additionally, you will oversee the commissioning of new equipment and develop innovative processes for the miniaturization and integration of advanced semiconductor devices, tailored to meet both research and industry standards.

This position demands an independent approach, leveraging your own expertise while fostering a collaborative learning environment for researchers, engineers, and technical staff. You will support and mentor less experienced team members and contribute to the ongoing development of more experienced personnel. For the industry-focused aspect of the role, you will address the specific needs of customers in high-reliability sectors, such as aerospace, telecommunications, medical, and automotive industries.

The position calls for a high level of motivation, combining technical proficiency with leadership responsibilities, and a proven track record of managing complex projects both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team. In addition, the laboratory operates under the umbrella of the ISO17025 quality accreditation, which requires those working in this area to be detail oriented.

Key Responsibilities

1. Manage Client and Research Projects: Oversee projects related to the physical analysis, miniaturization, and integration of advanced electronic, photonic, and sensor components, including all aspects of project planning, costing, execution, and review. Ensure both research groups and industry clients receive comprehensive support tailored to their specific needs.
2. Lead Client and Research Reviews: Conduct regular project and progress reviews with clients and research collaborators. This involves preparing detailed technical documentation, creating presentation materials, and delivering clear, effective communication. Proactively identify technical challenges and propose practical solutions to address them.
3. Develop Client Relationships and Identify New Business: Cultivate strong relationships with new and existing clients to uncover potential business opportunities. Lead the development of new project proposals by translating customer and research partner needs into technical requirements, ensuring each proposal is risk-assessed, costed, and resource-aligned.
4. Project Management in a Team Environment: Manage project tasks in collaboration with a diverse team, ensuring that both customer and research group expectations are met according to contractual, regulatory, and quality standards.
5. Innovate Laboratory Processes: Drive the development of new laboratory processes in physical analysis, miniaturization, and integration. Lead the commissioning and validation of new equipment, planning and optimizing experimental techniques, conducting risk assessments, developing SOPs, and training staff to enhance the lab’s research and industry-focused capabilities.
6. Coordinate Equipment Procurement and Commissioning: Oversee new equipment acquisitions by developing technical specifications that align with both Tyndall’s research objectives and client needs, performing state-of-the-art reviews, and consulting with external experts as required.
7. Commit to Professional Development and Mentorship: Pursue continuous professional development and support the growth of laboratory staff, researchers, and students through training in equipment use, process operations, analytical techniques, and results interpretation.
8. Collaborate with Business Development and Outreach: Partner with Tyndall’s Business Development and Outreach teams to promote Tyndall’s research capabilities, participating in public engagement activities, and presenting Tyndall’s expertise to potential customers and collaborators at internal and external events, workshops, and conferences.
9. Laboratory Management: Oversee laboratory operations, ensuring safe equipment use, organizing equipment repairs, and scheduling calibrations. Manage procurement and commissioning of new equipment when necessary to meet both research and industry standards.
10. Additional Duties: Ensure compliance with Tyndall’s Quality Management System, Health and Safety standards, and other regulations. Perform other tasks as needed within the scope and responsibilities of the role to support both Tyndall’s research mission and industry-focused objectives.

Essential Criteria

1. Educational Background: Bachelor's degree in Electrical or Electronic Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science, or a related field.
2. Extensive Experience: Typically, 10 years of experience in the analysis of advanced electronic or photonic components, with a focus on both industry and research applications.
3. Project Leadership: Demonstrated success in leading complex projects independently and collaboratively, ensuring alignment with both industry requirements, research objectives and a broad range of stakeholders.
4. Technical Translation Proficiency: Proven ability to bridge customer needs and practical analytical solutions, excelling in technical translation to meet diverse, high-reliability demands.
5. Strong Communication Skills: Excellent written and oral communication abilities for effective collaboration with clients, research groups, and internal teams.
6. Expertise in Advanced Semiconductor and Photonics Technology: In-depth technical knowledge of materials, manufacturing processes, specifications, performance, and quality requirements essential for advanced semiconductor and photonic devices and an understanding of the problems that may arise during each process.
7. Process and Documentation Proficiency: Demonstrated experience in developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), conducting Risk Assessments, and creating detailed process documentation.

Desirable Criteria

1. Evidence of entrepreneurial experience and creative skills/creativity
2. Functional Testing Experience: Background in functional electrical testing for electronic components, enhancing the ability to support both research-driven and customer-focused analysis needs.
3. Project Management Training: Formal project management training to support the organization and execution of complex, high-stakes projects in both industry and research settings.
4. Knowledge of Quality Accreditation: A working knowledge of ISO9001:2015 and ISO17025 would be an advantage.

Tyndall National institute has a proactive entrepreneurial culture and we welcome applications from candidates who possess entrepreneurial and creative skills/experience, including the creation of technology start-ups.

Appointment may be made on the Admin Grade 6A Scale B (new entrants) salary scale €69,932 – €88,854 per annum. Salary placement on appointment will be in accordance with public sector pay policy.

Informal enquiries can be made in confidenceFinbarr Waldron.
Closing date for applications for this position is 28th February, 2025.

Application Instructions
Please make sure to attach an up to date CV/Resume AND a brief motivation letter outlining how you meet the ‘Essential Criteria’ for this role.

A full candidate information pack is available to download by clickinghere.

Please note that Garda vetting and/or an international police clearance check may form part of the selection process. Please note that an appointment to posts advertised will be dependent on University approval, together with the terms of the employment control framework for the higher education sector. At this time, Tyndall National Institute does not require the assistance of recruitment agencies. Tyndall National Institute at University College, Cork is an Equal Opportunities Employer.
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