Device and Technology Optimization Researcher

Organisation/Company IMEC Research Field Technology Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Recognised Researcher (R2) Established Researcher (R3) Leading Researcher (R4) Other Profession Positions Master Positions Final date to receive applications 23 Feb 2026 - 10:28 (Europe/Brussels) Country Belgium Type of Contract Permanent Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

As a design-technology co-optimization (DTCO) researcher, you will explore and define the technology for advanced devices at the cell level through process- and layout-aware modeling and benchmarking.

What you will do

Advancedsemiconductortechnologies are pushing the limits of both design and technology capabilities, resulting in complex device architectures to achieve ever better power,performance and area (PPA) trade-offs. Pathfinding research on these advanced technologies requires precisemodelingat different abstraction levels.

Optimizingofadvanced technologies and devices requires a deep understanding of bothdesign and technology aspects.
In this position, you will be part of the imec department,leading pathfinding of next generations semiconductor technologies, modeling and innovating with the most advanced CMOS devices and systems,in logic andmemory technologies.
As Design Technology  Co-Optimization (DTCO) Researcher, you will be part of the Technology Research, Assessment, and Co-optimization Exploration(TRACE) team. This team takes a device-technologycentric approach to pathfinding for future technologies in logic and memory.
In this role, you willhelp the modeling oflogic standard cells,memory bit cells, and power components.

Based on the layouts and integration schemes, 3D structures are simulated in TCAD then used to produce electrical compact models for both the device and the RCparasiticsdue to the metal interconnects. These models are then used in circuit simulations to drive the optimization of future technologies through device-level Power-Performance-Area benchmarking.
In this role, you will thus interact closely withdevice physicsexperts, integration engineers,technology and design experts. In addition, you will work closely with colleagues doing block level to full place-and-route evaluations of these technologies, working together to find multidisciplinary opportunities for improvements across design and technology.

• You have a PhD or Master’sin Electronics or Electrical Engineering, or relevant field.
• You have a strong multidisciplinary interest, spanning from design todevice physics and integration technology.
• You are detail-oriented but are also comfortableincritical thinking and taking decisions to navigate the changing R&D demands
• Youhave a basic understanding of advanced
  
  CMOS technologies,semiconductor fabricationprocessesand devices, as well as digital and/or memory design
• Experience with code development in Python is a major benefit.
• Experience with TCADsimulation tools and electronic circuit simulationsisfavorable.
• You deeply care about customer satisfaction andqualityof the delivered results.
• You area strong team player and a good communicator. Sharing the progress of tasks, seeking feedback from your colleagues, and acting as a soundboard, is important to you.

What we do for you

We offer you the opportunity to join one of the world’s premier research centers in nanotechnology at its headquarters in Leuven, Belgium. With your talent, passion and expertise, you’ll become part of a team that makes the impossible possible. Together, we shape the technology that will determine the society of tomorrow.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and proud of our open, multicultural, and informal working environment with ample possibilities to take initiative and show responsibility. We commit to supporting and guiding you in this process; not only with words but also with tangible actions. Through imec.academy, 'our corporate university', we actively invest in your development to further your technical and personal growth.

We are aware that your valuable contribution makes imec a top player in its field. Your energy and commitment are therefore appreciated by means of a market appropriate salary with many fringe benefits.