How to start working as a freelancer in analog design

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bulg1234

Joined: 29 Jan 2008
Posts: 5

29 Jan 2008 14:25 How to start working as a freelancer in analog design

Hi,
Does somebody know if it is possible to start working as a freelancer in Analog Design.? I have 3 years experience in High Voltage Analog Design and I would like to become a freelancer fi possible.
Thanks,
Radek

analog_prodigy

Joined: 19 Jul 2007
Posts: 139
Helped: 12

30 Jan 2008 11:59 How to start working as a freelancer in analog design

Try to contact the companies or consultants

bulg1234

Joined: 29 Jan 2008
Posts: 5

30 Jan 2008 12:16 Re: How to start working as a freelancer in analog design

Yes, that is an option but I do not think I will receive a positive reply on that by the companies. I would more prefer that somebody who already works like that to give me some hint.
I contacted a lot of companies with one idea for sensorless stepper/DC motor control but they seem to be big enough that they do not consider seriously external ideas.
Thanks anyway!

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FvM

Joined: 22 Jan 2008
Posts: 5161
Helped: 767
Location: Bochum, Germany

30 Jan 2008 12:57 Re: How to start working as a freelancer in analog design

Hello,

the best way start working as a freelancer is to know a customer. It's unlikely to find a customer making your entrance like a travelling salesman. There may be someone, who knows that you have reputation or experience in a certain field. Either he works with a company needing support in this field or he knows another guy, who does. A lot of freelancer started working for a company they were formerly employed with.

Regards,
Frank
(consultant since 20 years)

bulg1234

Joined: 29 Jan 2008
Posts: 5

30 Jan 2008 14:05 Re: How to start working as a freelancer in analog design

Thanks Frank,
I value very much your comment, your long experience is admirable.
Yes ideed I approached my former employer (AMIS) with this idea, but they simply do not have such practice. So I received a negative answer. They want to work full time for them but I do not see serious prospects there and that is why I quited and went to another field - I started to work in the board level design field instead in the IC design. I simply found a better position.
From the other hand I like IC design very much. I do not have a lot of experience - 3 years only but I feel there is a lot to learn there and it is a gerat challenge. I have made severel types of simple blocks like bandgaps, OTAs, folded cascodes, comparators, capacitive ADC, bias circuitry, LDO, and one major block - transmitter for Flexray.
So I would like to continie in some way in IC design. I live in Bulgaria and there are not any other serious IC companies here. There are opportunities in Europe, US and the Far East but I do not want to work abroad.
It would be a great thing if I find a way to work remotely for a serious company. That is why I asked the question in EDAboard.
With best regards,
Radek

sp

Joined: 01 Jan 2004
Posts: 420
Helped: 27
Location: Floating Garden

31 Jan 2008 15:09 How to start working as a freelancer in analog design

not sure whether my opinion is true...

in 45nm, the mask is so expensive... every design flaws will make the company lose a lot of money and lack a lot behind to competitors...

so I don't think a big company allows freelancer to design the analog part (which is the most critical one), it also involve ownership issues and confidential competitive information that need to provide freelancer... no blocks are independent in a chip.

small company is impossible to use the 45nm (even the 65nm) mask...

- sp

bulg1234

Joined: 29 Jan 2008
Posts: 5

31 Jan 2008 16:16 Re: How to start working as a freelancer in analog design

Yes sp you are very right, the risks for the companies are very high if the use freelancers...
But who knows, "rabbit may show-up below some bush" - we have such proverb Smile