Applications Engineer Test

THUAN (THOMAS) NGUYEN

408-***-**** 408-***-**** *******@*********.*** **********.**@*****.***

QUALIFICATIONS SUMMARY

An Engineering Analog/Mixed Signal, Associate Applications Engineer, Associate Test Engineer, Applications Engineer, Electrical Designer, Layout PCB Designer, with 20+ years of experience in PCB, RF, and Electro-mechanical assemblies, System level / component level testing, troubleshooting, root cause failure analysis, R&D product development projects, technical investigations, and repair / touch-up/ rework of electronic SMT and through-hole technologies.

Self-directed, highly motivated team player with strong organizational, communication, and failure analysis skills with a proven track record to resolve tough technical issues.

EDUCATION

2000-2005: SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY/ ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING: MAJOR ANALOG and MINOR DIGITAL

Senior Project: DC/AC Inverter -to- AC /DC Converter -to- DC/AC (50Hz) Inverter for a Solar Power Application (Sunlight-to-Electricity Converter), using a Powerful-MOSFET Switch, PWM method and Efficient Solar Panel, winding Transformer used as a part of Switching Mode Power Supply (SMPS). The project was successfully tested, demonstrated, and documented.

Class Projects: Switching Power Supplies, Traffic Light Controllers and Vendor Machine (Analog + Digital Circuit + Software), Casino Games & Post Office Bar Code (C++ Programming), DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter), Calculator.

TECHNICAL SKILLS / TOOLS

Cadence PCB Design Tool ALLEGRO 17.2-24.1/ OrCAD Capture CIS, PROGRAMMING C/C++, SOLIDWORK, MATLAB, LTSPICE, Window XP/NT, EXCEL, WORD, POWER POINT and MS project.

Equipment: Oscilloscope, Function Generator, Function Analyzer, Curve Tracer, DMM, Current Probe, BODE Plotter.

Self-motivated and directed.

Strong leadership and analytical and problem-solving skills.

Proven performance-review record of management skills.

Worked well independently as well as in a team.

Creativity, verbal, and written communication skills.

Presentation and interpersonal skills. Bilingual Vietnamese/English

Experience using Power Electronic Lab Test Equipment.

Soldering/ board level debugging.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

05/03/2018-Current: DMV-Licensed Driving School Operator, D.N.V. DISTINGUISHED DRIVING SCHOOL

Have been managing school’s training schedules for licensed driving instructor (s) who train Teenagers and Adults of all ages and all Nationalities how to drive Class-C vehicles.

04/19/2023 – 04/30/2025: Assistant Engineer (50%) & Power Lab Management (5%) & PCB LAYOUT Design (45%) in Design Center Department, RICHTEK USA INC.

A well-known company headquartered in TAIWAN. Design Center Business in new development of HOTSWAP 8.5V-100V (Typical Application 50V-170A 8500Watt), USB-Type C Power Delivery with I2C, Switching Mode Power Supply (SMPS) DC-DC and AC-DC converters (BUCK, BOOST, BUCK-BOOST, SEPIC, LED-DRIVER, FLYBACK). Multi-Tasks:

Internal Projects (Lab Use): Designed Schematics and LAYOUTs for Null Boxes, R-C component Boxes, Sister Boards (Probe Station), HOTSWAP Socket Boards.

Customers’ projects: Supported FAE and AEs to investigate/modify/ test a BUCK/ BOOST/ USB-type C Power Delivery, LED-DRIVER Prototype for DEMO, HOTSWAP EVB. Supported Product Engineer to TRIM/ BURN-IN New-Version HOTSWAP

Reported to FAE Director and supporting AEs, FAEs and DEs.

Collaborated with IC Designer to build a prototype and test the new IC product/ part development.

Supported FAEs, AEs and DE and Customers for customization, optimization, documentation and data.

Closely worked with definer, project manager & customers through the evaluation and performance optimization.

Designed an Evaluation Board (EVB) and schematic (OrCAD Capture CIS) & PCB LAYOUT (Allegro PCB Editor)

Created BOM, DFM, ODB, NETLIST,

Created footprints of all SMT and thru-holes components (Resistor, Capacitor, Inductor, IC, FET, Transistor, LED, PADs, Jumper, Switch…etc)

Created a GERBER file for Fabrication & Assembly Package.

Power Lab Managements: kept all equipment periodically calibrated, organized a power lab for safety and full supplies, Purchase Orders, EVB Assemblies (did Assembler’s duty by hand soldering all SMT & Thru-hole components)

03/2021- 02/2023: Severe Injury, well-treated. 100% was functional and ready to work.

03/2017- 03/2021: Product Application (20%) & Applications Engineer (80%) in Power Management Department, Analog Devices Incorporation (ADI), ADI acquired Linear Technology Corporation (LTC).

In Switching Power Supplies Group (Power Management Business): Specialized on a DC/DC converter (BUCK & BOOST, BUCK-BOOST, SEPIC, FLYBACK, CUK topology). Did multi- tasks of Applications Engineering and Products Engineering such as

Application Engineer:

Developed, designed and tested DC-DC conversion EVB for customers’ use,

Drew Schematic (OrCAD Capture CIS), PCB LAYOUT Design (Allegro Cadence),

Built DEMO board, Evaluated / Tested.

Modified / Optimized Transient Response, Frequency Response (Bode), Efficiency, Thermal Performance.

Troubleshot and fixed the Switching Regulator DC-DC Converter.

Worked on power MOSFET, CMOS, IGBT, IC design power-bipolar/ CMOS (BCDMOS) IC and developed surrounding switching mode power supply (SMPS) application board and circuitry for switching IC power amplifiers.

Customized/ Developed Standard DEMO Boards for customers.

Supported FAEs and Customers with collected documentation, results and data.

Wrote application notes/ ideas for internal use.

Product Applications Engineer:

Collaborated with and contributed to R&D IC Analog Design team for new product/ part development (monolithic power Analog ICs) and tested all features based on preliminary datasheet for efficiency, bode plots, thermals, transients, output voltage ripple, switching frequency, drop-out voltage, output voltage Regulation, over-voltage/ current protection, PWM, EMI, spread spectrum and more specifications.

Built EVB, conducted road tests and performed optimization and characterization.

Worked with PCB LAYOUT design.

Supported customers’ projects (optimization for the best solution, modification for a specific application, investigation for a root-cause/ failure of the switching power supply, designing DC/DC BUCK converter on DEMO board for customers’ requests).

Ability to read/debug a C/C++ test program.

05/2007- 03/2017: Associate Applications Engineer in Power Management Department, Linear Technology Corp (LTC)

Modifications of Analog circuits designs (demo-board), evaluated switching power supply, optimized, and supported Application Engineers’ and/ or Field Application Engineers’ and Customer’s projects on varieties of the power supplies AC-DC conversion (House’s LED Light bulbs, Automotive LED Headlights) and DC/DC such as Buck, Boost, Buck-Boost, Flyback, Cuk, Inverter, Forward, Sepic converter, and LED Drivers topology.

Customer’s specification: Stability, Output Ripple Voltage, Steady State (Continue/ Discontinue/ Burst Mode), Transient, Short Circuit, Thermal Test, Soft-Start, Efficiency, Start-up, and Bode Plots needed to optimize by calculating and selecting proper Inductor (Current Rating, Temperature Rating, Size and Value), Output/ Input Capacitor (size and value), Frequency, Compensation Capacitor, Feed-Forward Capacitor, Soft-Start Capacitor.

Performed and operated all necessary equipment in Power Design Lab such as: Bode Plot Tool (Frequency Analyzer), Thermal Camera/ Thermal Meter, Digital Multi-Meter DMM, Pulse/Function Generator, Oscilloscope, Efficiency Meter, SMC Solder, Computer (Fax, Printer, Excel, Microsoft Word, Power Point slides), LTSPICE, Linear-Designed Simulation Software (LTC-SWITCHER), Linear-Designed Layout Software/Machine tool.

Supported AEs to draw Schematics (OrCAD Capture CIS), PCB LAYOUT Design (Allegro Cadence). Created BOM, DFM, ODB, NETLIST,.

Modified DEMO boards, Evaluated, Tested for AE’s, FAE’s dada sheets or requests from customers.

11/2006-04/2007: Associate Test Engineer (ATE), KLA-Tencor Corp.

In 100-class clean room, performed Software, mechanical and Optical setup, electrical test, laser alignment for an Automation Focus System (AFS), Bright Field (UV, VISIBLE, I-LINE & G-LINE) in Wafer Inspection Tooling Series 23XX (Escape and Explorer) using (IR) Autocollimator, and (IR) Visible Focus Collimator, High gauge, LVDT Leveling Probes, Microscope Measurements, Micrometer, DMM, Oscilloscope, Optical Power Meter.

1996-2006: worked as an Engineering Technician, Technician at many different semiconductor companies in Bay Area located in Milpitas, Sunnyvale, San Jose, Santa Clara.

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