Senior Engineer, Supplier Quality & Reliability

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Engineer with a strong background in semiconductor testing and Automated Test Equipment (ATE) to join a cross-functional Supplier Quality Management (SQM) function within an advanced semiconductor solutions business.

This role is particularly suited to a semiconductor test engineer who wants to expand into supplier quality, audits and technical supplier management without moving completely away from testing . You will use your hands-on test-engineering knowledge to assess supplier processes, identify technical risks, review test-program implementation and drive improvements across external semiconductor test partners.

The successful candidate will work closely with internal R&D, technology, operations, quality and external supplier teams supporting wafer sort, final test, burn-in and semiconductor reliability activities.

Key Responsibilities

1. Semiconductor Test Engineering & Supplier Quality

• Act as the technical quality interface between the organisation and external semiconductor test suppliers.
• Apply hands-on semiconductor test-engineering knowledge to assess supplier capabilities, processes and technical risks.
• Review and assess supplier test methodologies, test-program implementation an production test controls.
• Evaluate supplier performance across yield, quality, reliability, test escapes and production stability.
• Establish and monitor relevant supplier quality indicators, including test yield, PPM,test escapes, reliability failures and burn-in fallout.
• Conduct regular technical and quality reviews with key suppliers.
• Drive supplier improvement activities and support the development of robust, repeatable test processes.

1. ATE & Test-Program Review

• Work with semiconductor test suppliers using Automated Test Equipment, particularly Advantest V93K or B93K platforms.
• Review and assess the use of ATE test programmes in wafer sort and final test environments.
• Understand how test programmes are structured, implemented, modified and used in production. Support or review test-program changes where required; direct test-program development experience is not essential.
• Evaluate whether suppliers have sufficient technical understanding of the test programme rather than simply following customer instructions.
• Review test data, test conditions, failure patterns and production results to identify potential process or test-related risks.
• Work with internal engineering teams and suppliers to resolve test-program or test- process issues.
• Essential technical requirement: Candidates must have practical ATE tester experience, ideally with Advantest V93K or B93K. Candidates do not need to be expert test-program developers, but must understand how to work with, review and make changes to an existing test programme.

1. Supplier Audits & Compliance

• Plan and conduct technical and process audits at external semiconductor test suppliers.
• Assess supplier compliance with applicable quality-management and automotive requirements.
• Support audits involving IATF 16949, VDA 6.3, APQP, PPAP, FMEA, MSA and SPC.
• Review supplier process controls, test methodology, documentation, traceability and change-management practices.
• Identify gaps, agree corrective actions and monitor closure of audit findings.
• Develop SQM and formal audit knowledge as required; strong existing semiconductor test knowledge is the critical foundation for success.

1. Problem Solving & Technical Issue Resolution

• Lead or support investigations into semiconductor test-related issues, including yield deterioration, test failures, test escapes, reliability failures and burn-in fallout.
• Apply structured problem-solving techniques such as Root Cause Analysis, 8D, DOE and DMAIC.
• Review supplier failure-analysis reports and validate the technical adequacy of proposed root causes.
• Ensure effective containment and permanent corrective actions are implemented.
• Work with suppliers and internal engineering teams to prevent recurrence.

1. Burn-In & Reliability Engineering

• Support the technical review of supplier burn-in and semiconductor reliability processes.
• Review the use and readiness of burn-in boxes, boards, sockets and related hardware.
• Assess burn-in conditions, stress requirements, monitoring methods and failure criteria.
• Review burn-in data, fallout trends and failure investigations.
• Support reliability qualification and related supplier improvement activities.
• Burn-in experience is advantageous but not mandatory. Candidates with strong semiconductor ATE and test-engineering experience may be considered if they demonstrate sound technical fundamentals and the ability to learn burn-in-related activities.

1. New Product & Test-Process Introduction

• Work with R&D, technology and operations teams to assess supplier readiness for new products and semiconductor components.
• Review test specifications, test-program readiness, correlation studies, test hardware/software, control plans and reliability requirements.
• Assess supplier readiness for wafer sort, final test and related production activities.
• Support qualification and validation of new test processes, equipment and test setups.
• Identify potential test and supplier-quality risks during NPI and process introduction.

1. DFT & Test-Coverage Review

• Review the effectiveness of production test coverage in collaboration with internal engineering teams and external suppliers.
• Review, where applicable, test coverage involving Scan, ATPG, Memory BIST, Logic BIST and Boundary Scan/JTAG.
• Assess the potential impact of test-coverage gaps on test escapes, reliability and production quality.
• Support initiatives to improve test robustness and minimise customer or field- return risks.

1. Supplier Change Management

• Review supplier changes involving test programmes, equipment, processes, hardware, software and production locations.
• Support assessment and approval of relevant PCN/ECN activities.
• Ensure appropriate technical evaluation, validation, correlation and qualification are completed before changes are implemented.
• Assess the potential impact of changes on yield, reliability, test coverage and product quality.

1. Continuous Improvement

• Drive supplier improvement initiatives focused on quality, reliability, yield and test- process capability.
• Support a zero-defect mindset across the supplier base.
• Identify opportunities to improve test yield, test coverage, process capability, automation, reliability performance and test-program robustness.
• Benchmark supplier practices and share technical best practices across the organisation.

1. Reporting & Documentation

• Maintain supplier quality records, audit findings and corrective-action documentation.
• Review and maintain supplier test, reliability and failure-analysis data.
• Support supplier quality dashboards and management reports.
• Provide updates on supplier performance, technical risks, open issues and improvement activities.

Requirements

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Semiconductor Engineering, Semiconductor Physics or a related technical discipline.
• Additional certification in Six Sigma, supplier quality, IATF 16949 or VDA auditing would be advantageous.

Essential Experience

• Minimum 7 years of relevant experience in semiconductor test engineering, ATE engineering, product engineering, test development or semiconductor supplier quality.
• Strong practical experience with ATE semiconductor testers.
• Experience with Advantest V93K or B93K is highly preferred and will be a key consideration.
• Ability to understand, review and work with existing test programmes, including making or supporting test-program changes.
• Strong understanding of semiconductor test flows, production testing and test- related failure analysis.
• Experience working with wafer sort, final test or external semiconductor test suppliers.
• Strong technical problem-solving skills and the ability to investigate test-related quality issues.

Advantageous Experience

• Experience in an automotive semiconductor environment.
• Burn-in experience, including exposure to burn-in boxes, boards, sockets, stress conditions and failure analysis.
• Experience with semiconductor reliability qualification.
• Familiarity with OSATs and external test subcontractors.
• Exposure to DFT, scan, ATPG, Memory BIST, Logic BIST or Boundary Scan/JTAG.
• Knowledge of IATF 16949, VDA 6.3, APQP, PPAP and AEC-Q100.
• Experience conducting supplier audits or managing supplier corrective actions.
• Experience with test correlation, test coverage and production test optimisation.

Key Competencies

• Strong semiconductor test-engineering foundation.
• Able to assess whether a supplier genuinely understands its test process and test programme.
• Analytical and structured approach to technical problem-solving.
• Comfortable engaging with suppliers, engineering teams and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Able to influence suppliers and drive corrective actions through to completion.
• Strong communication and stakeholder-management skills.
• Able to learn supplier-quality systems, audit methods and automotive quality requirements.
• Able to work independently in a global and cross-functional environment.

Travel Requirement

• Approximately 30% international travel is expected.
• Travel will be required to visit and assess supplier sites globally, including supplies audits, technical reviews, issue resolution, NPI activities and quality-improvement initiatives.
• Candidates should be comfortable with regular international business travel