Packaging Engineer Intern

About the role

Location: San Jose, California, United States

Employment type: Internship

Role overview

As a Semiconductor Packaging Intern, you will be part of the packaging team developing Astera Labs' portfolio of connectivity products for leading cloud service providers and server and networking OEMs. You will help enhance key areas of the package development cycle, including package design, modeling, automation flows, and documentation.

You will work cross-functionally to understand project requirements and develop solutions throughout the packaging development cycle. This is a hands-on engineering role for someone interested in the interaction between electrical performance, power delivery, thermal behavior, mechanical constraints, and manufacturability. You will contribute to package-design and modeling work, document your results, and help the team make well-supported engineering decisions.

Responsibilities

• Support package design, modeling, automation, and documentation for Astera Labs' connectivity products.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to understand project requirements and develop solutions throughout the packaging development cycle.
• Support package definition by organizing inputs such as die files, pin-out details, signal- and power-integrity requirements, thermal requirements, board and footprint constraints, supplier design rules, cost considerations, and reliability needs.
• Help maintain package Plan of Record (POR) information, including package structure, substrate stackup and materials, package SI/PI requirements, thermal requirements, development schedule, and open risks.
• Generate or review package netlists from die files and package footprints, and support package layout work with internal or external design partners.
• Import and prepare package layout data for analysis; verify nets, stackups, materials, vias, bumps, and BGA or solder-ball geometries against available design and manufacturing information.
• Support package-level signal-integrity and power-integrity analysis using tools such as ANSYS Electronics Desktop, HFSS 3D Layout, SIwave, and Keysight ADS as appropriate to the project.
• Set up ports and target nets, extract S-parameters, analyze insertion loss, return loss, crosstalk, impedance, and related channel behavior, and compare results with design requirements.
• Support power-integrity studies such as DCIR, PDN impedance, and transient or frequency-domain analysis; help interpret voltage drop, current density, resonance, and impedance results.
• Assist with thermal and mechanical analyses by organizing material and structural inputs, reviewing results, and helping identify risks related to temperature, stress, warpage, or reliability.
• Review package layouts against substrate and OSAT design rules and support design-for-manufacturing activities such as density checks, degassing considerations, and design-rule checks.
• Contribute to package tape-out and NPI readiness reviews by checking documentation and tracking open actions.
• Help prepare and maintain package documentation, including bills of materials, netlists, package outline or lid information, substrate stackup drawings, and electrical, thermal, or mechanical models when applicable.
• Support communication with substrate suppliers and OSAT partners by organizing questions, requirements, feedback, and manufacturing-readiness information.
• Document assumptions, simulation setups, results, issues, and recommendations in a clear and reusable format; present project learnings at the end of the internship.

Basic qualifications

• Working towards an M.S. or PhD in Electrical Engineering or a related field.
• Cumulative GPA of 3.3/4.0 or higher.
• Entrepreneurial, open-minded behavior and a hands-on work ethic, with the ability to prioritize a dynamic list of multiple tasks.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision and deliver solutions in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong time-management skills and strong written and verbal communication skills.

Required experience

• Coursework in RF/microwave, communication systems and signal analysis, semiconductor manufacturing, or circuit design.
• Understanding of or coursework in signal and power integrity is a plus.
• Understanding of or coursework in semiconductor packaging is a plus.
• Scripting or software-development experience in Python, Visual Basic, or equivalent programming languages.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with careful attention to detail when working with geometry, models, data, and documentation.
• Ability to communicate clearly, collaborate across disciplines, and follow through on defined tasks.

Preferred experience

• Experience with physical-design or layout tools such as AutoCAD, Cadence Allegro, Cadence APD/SiP, or comparable tools.
• Experience using 3D electromagnetic-simulation tools such as ANSYS Electronics Desktop, HFSS, HFSS 3D Layout, or SIwave.
• Knowledge of semiconductor multilayer flip-chip packages, including FCBGA or FCCSP.
• Experience with package substrate stackups, copper pillars, solder bumps, BGA balls, package-to-board transitions, or high-density interconnects.
• Familiarity with S-parameter extraction and validation, including ports, Touchstone models, passivity, causality, de-embedding, or mixed-mode analysis.
• Exposure to power-integrity concepts such as IR drop, DCIR, PDN impedance, decoupling, or current-density analysis.
• Experience with thermal modeling, mechanical analysis, coefficient-of-thermal-expansion effects, warpage, reliability, or package materials.
• Familiarity with design-for-manufacturing, supplier design rules, package assembly, reflow, underfill, or OSAT workflows.
• Experience using Python, MATLAB, Visual Basic, spreadsheets, or similar tools to automate analysis, process engineering data, or communicate results.
• Prior semiconductor, package-design, hardware, supplier, or manufacturing experience through coursework, research, projects, or an internship.

What success looks like

• You learn the packaging development flow and the team's analysis tools, then take ownership of a defined technical task with appropriate guidance.
• You produce accurate, traceable analysis or documentation; communicate assumptions and risks early; and follow open actions through to closure.
• By the end of the internship, you have contributed useful results to a package-design, SI/PI, thermal/mechanical, DFM, tape-out, or manufacturing-readiness workstream and can clearly explain your approach, findings, and impact.

Pay and benefits

This is a paid, hourly U.S. internship. The applicable hourly rate is determined as part of the offer process and specified in the offer letter, depending on education level ranges form $35/hour to $55/hour. U.S. interns currently receive a $500-per-week housing/relocation stipend for the duration of the internship. Interns participate in Early Career programming, including technical and professional-development sessions, community events, and an end-of-program project presentation.