Server Structural FEA Engineer

Overview

Staff / Senior Staff Server Structural FEA Engineer focused on structural integrity and reliability of server SoCs, covering die- and package-level behavior through interaction with the server platform, for both soldered and socketed packages.

What you'll do

• Develop and apply advanced structural and thermo-mechanical FEA methodologies for server SoCs and advanced semiconductor packages, including CPI, package assembly, warpage, stress, deformation, and structural reliability.
• Evaluate both soldered and socketed packages under package assembly, SMT, socket and retention loading, cooling-system loading, temperature cycling, qualification, and operating conditions.
• Analyze package-to-platform mechanical interaction among the SoC package, PCB, socket or retention system, heatsink or cold plate, and thermal interface materials, including TIM1.5.
• Apply advanced FEA techniques including submodeling, contact analysis, material and geometric nonlinearity, viscoelasticity, creep, fatigue, fracture or damage mechanics, and coupled structural-thermal analysis as appropriate.
• Develop physics-based reliability and life-prediction models for relevant failure mechanisms, including solder and bump fatigue, die and BEOL stress, substrate and interposer cracking, delamination, and creep.
• Perform BLR and solder-joint reliability analyses to quantify damage accumulation, design margins, and expected life.
• Perform sensitivity, uncertainty, and bounding analyses to identify dominant parameters, quantify structural risk, and guide package and platform architecture decisions before hardware is available.
• Define model-validation and correlation strategies using material characterization, package/board measurements, reliability and qualification testing, manufacturing data, and system-level test results, including development of test vehicles and methods where needed.
• Partner with package engineering and computational modeling teams to align modeling assumptions, material properties, process inputs, boundary conditions, revision control, correlation methodologies, and failure criteria.
• Develop independent analyses, sensitivity studies, or targeted model cross-checks as needed to reconcile differing predictions, quantify uncertainty, and evaluate server-specific package-to-platform boundary conditions.
• Work closely with system/platform structural-analysis engineers to provide package mechanical properties, load limits, deformation behavior, and failure criteria supporting broader platform, system, and rack-level lifecycle analyses.
• Apply expertise in package architectures and substrate technologies, including FCBGA, FCLGA/HFCBGA, chiplet-based designs, HBM integration, 2.5D interposers or bridges, and 3D packaging technologies.
• Develop scalable workflows, automation, modeling standards, best-known methods (BKMs), and validation frameworks.
• Translate complex simulation results into clear design requirements and recommendations for cross-functional engineering teams, leadership, customers, and suppliers.

What you'll need

• Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Mechanics, Materials Science, Physics, or a related field.
• 10+ years of advanced FEA experience in semiconductor packaging, microelectronics assembly, CPI, structural reliability, and interconnect technologies.
• Strong foundation in structural and failure mechanics, materials science, thermo-mechanical behavior, fatigue and creep, with experience applying nonlinear FEA techniques including contact, submodeling, thermal cycling, and interconnect reliability analysis.
• Demonstrated experience modeling semiconductor-package failure mechanisms and correlating simulations with experimental, manufacturing, or qualification data.
• Proficiency in ANSYS Workbench, ANSYS APDL, ABAQUS, or equivalent nonlinear FEA tools.
• Proven ability to operate independently and lead in cross-functional environments, with strong technical documentation, communication, and presentation skills.

Nice to have

• Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Mechanics, Materials Science, Physics, or a related field.
• Deep expertise in package mechanics, CPI, package assembly simulation, warpage prediction, die and BEOL reliability, and solder or interconnect reliability.
• Demonstrated experience with both soldered and socketed high-pin-count server packages and package interaction with PCBs, sockets, retention hardware, heatsinks or cold plates, and TIM materials.
• Proven experience developing physics-based reliability models and life predictions for solder joints, bumps, die/package structures, substrates, interposers, underfill, adhesives, or related failure mechanisms.
• Proven simulation-to-test correlation using warpage measurements, strain or displacement measurements, material characterization, thermal-cycling data, mechanical loading tests, or qualification results.
• Experience developing APDL automation, reusable workflows, modeling standards, and BKMs.
• Experience with coupled structural-thermal analysis and mechanical/thermal co-optimization.
• Understanding of server and OCP platform designs and associated assembly, handling, transportation, qualification, and operating environments.

Details

• Locations: Santa Clara, California, United States of America; Bangalore, India; Cork, Ireland; Republic of China - Remote TWN, Taiwan.
• Pay range: $190,200.00 - $285,400.00, plus eligibility for an annual discretionary bonus and annual RSU grants (not for employees on sales-incentive plans).