What Does a Validation Engineer Do?

IC verification engineers work to design and implement a verification environment based on the specifications and characteristics of the chip; according to the specifications of the chip or module, use the implemented verification environment for verification and regression.

IC verification engineers work to design and implement a verification environment based on the specifications and characteristics of the chip; according to the specifications of the chip or module, use the implemented verification environment for verification and regression.

Chinese name

IC Verification Engineer

Work content

Coding verification IC module, verification design code

Career path

IC verification is increasingly important

IC Verification Engineer Career Overview

The work of the IC verification engineer is mainly to design and implement a verification environment according to the specifications and characteristics of the chip; according to the specifications of the chip or module, use the implemented verification environment for verification and regression. There are many types of verification engineers, such as verification engineers for functional simulation and back-end timing verification engineers. Verification content such as fingerprint IC verification. ^[1]

IC verification engineer duties

1. Proficiently analyze the test target and extract the verification vector;

2. Responsible for developing digital circuit module-level and system-level verification solutions, verification environment and verification script tools, writing verification reports, and maintaining verification processes;

3. Work closely with design engineers to understand module and chip design specifications, cooperate with chip design engineers to find and repair design defects, and be able to lead other engineers to complete project verification work;

4. Test platform development, direct test case and randomized test case design and function coverage generation based on high-level hardware languages such as SystemVerilog;

5. Able to collaborate with the design and firmware engineers to verify and debug the FPGA platform, and apply advanced verification methods to project verification.

6. Work with the hardware engineer to establish a hardware implementation plan and provide hardware design recommendations.

7. Assist the test engineer to complete the chip test.

IC verification engineer career requirements

Education and training:

Bachelor degree or above in microelectronics or electronics. Professional knowledge required to engage in the integrated circuit industry: basic mathematics, engineering mathematics, circuit principles, in-depth professional principles such as electronics, communications, computers, semiconductor physics, devices, materials and other knowledge, familiar with software programming languages such as C language And software-based design methods and data structures.

work experience:

1. Familiar with VMM verification methodology and practical experience;

2. Familiar with the development environment under Linux and the application of scripts;

3. Proficient in the application of word, excel and vivo;

4. Familiar with digital circuit verification method and basic design and verification process, familiar with the basic knowledge of digital circuit and IC design;

5. Familiar with C ++, Verilog or System Verilog language;

6. Have programming experience, have solid professional basic knowledge and technical innovation ability;

7, rigorous style, correct attitude, careful and careful, strong sense of responsibility, good psychological quality.

8 Have teamwork and good communication skills.

IC verification engineer career development path

With the rapid development of semiconductor technology, the scale of current IC design is increasing, and the structure is becoming more and more complicated. ^[2] Shanghai and the Yangtze River Delta region are the focus of the development of China's IC industry. In the context of large-scale industrial development, the supply of IC verification engineers has always failed to keep up with demand. In addition, the true success of IC projects depends to a large extent on the quality of verification. IC verification needs to start from the system, not from RTL code, so IC verification is becoming more and more important.