spectrallypure
Member level 3
phd in analog design
Hi all, I would really appreciate a piece of advice.
I have been given the opportunity to do a PhD in the field of Electromagnetic Compatibility at chip level (microelectronics EMC) at Politecnico di Torino (ITALY), but I am reluctant mostly for the following reasons:
1.Microelectronics EMC was never my target specialization area. It its not that I don't like it, but I always dreamed of specializing in analog design (RFICs/MMICs/etc) and become an "artist" designer or a professor/researcher. Now I am very unsure of this because I hear everywhere about analog designers not getting jobs at all, that industry is not willing to train fresh people anymore, that they all want people with a lot of experience, that the supply largely outnumbers the demand. I also hear that everything in analog has already been done, that people is just devising new ways of doing the same old things in the new processes, etc. On the other hand, the professor that is offering my the PhD assures me that microelectronics EMC is a nascent field, with just a few groups working on it worldwide, that its impact is going to be *BIG* a few years from now, and that therefore experts in EMC at the chip level will be rewarded very well.
2. I do not hold a MSc (only a BSc, obtained abroad) which I consider would make the experience of the 3-year PhD very painful since I am lacking a lot of formal theory (e.g. solid state physics, analog IC design, high-frequency circuit analysis). I've been working for some months in this field and find these "theory holes" of mine a very limiting and frustrating factor. Right now I would rather do a masters in analog design to formally obtain this knowledge, and tackle the PhD only afterwards.
3. I have been living and working in Italy for 6+ months now and I don't really think its the best place to neither work or do research in microelectronics. From the working point of view, the job opportunities are scarce, salaries are very low in comparison with other European countries; basically there is only one big company (STmicroelectronics) and everybody seems to be killing themselves to get a position there. From the research point of view, universities seem very unorganized and with limited funding. Getting a position in a university is VERY difficult if not impossible and only comes after many years of low-paid postdoc positions. Seems that most fresh researchers are sick and tired of all this and seek jobs elsewhere in other countries.
4. Things are also discouraging from the economic point of view. In Italy the salary of a PhD is around 800 euro/month. As far as I know, this is about half of the salary in other European countries, like Germany or the Netherlands: about 1500euro/month, i guess, maybe even more in Switzerland. And the living cost in Italy is not much lower that in these countries, and for sure there exists top institutions for doing an masters or a PhD there (EPFL, ETH Zurich, KU Leuven just to name a few).
For all the above reasons, I am reluctant about taking the position. I rather apply for a MsC in analog design in Belgium/Swirtzerland/Germany, and then pursue a further PhD afterwards. But I feel I am turning down the "safe option" for the "unsure path"...
What would you recommend doing in my situation? Is specializing in HF analog design realistic these days? Will I starve to die after getting a Phd in analog design? Do you think microelectronics EMC is really a promising new field? Would you stay in Italy to do a PhD?
Thanks in advance for any advice!
Hi all, I would really appreciate a piece of advice.
I have been given the opportunity to do a PhD in the field of Electromagnetic Compatibility at chip level (microelectronics EMC) at Politecnico di Torino (ITALY), but I am reluctant mostly for the following reasons:
1.Microelectronics EMC was never my target specialization area. It its not that I don't like it, but I always dreamed of specializing in analog design (RFICs/MMICs/etc) and become an "artist" designer or a professor/researcher. Now I am very unsure of this because I hear everywhere about analog designers not getting jobs at all, that industry is not willing to train fresh people anymore, that they all want people with a lot of experience, that the supply largely outnumbers the demand. I also hear that everything in analog has already been done, that people is just devising new ways of doing the same old things in the new processes, etc. On the other hand, the professor that is offering my the PhD assures me that microelectronics EMC is a nascent field, with just a few groups working on it worldwide, that its impact is going to be *BIG* a few years from now, and that therefore experts in EMC at the chip level will be rewarded very well.
2. I do not hold a MSc (only a BSc, obtained abroad) which I consider would make the experience of the 3-year PhD very painful since I am lacking a lot of formal theory (e.g. solid state physics, analog IC design, high-frequency circuit analysis). I've been working for some months in this field and find these "theory holes" of mine a very limiting and frustrating factor. Right now I would rather do a masters in analog design to formally obtain this knowledge, and tackle the PhD only afterwards.
3. I have been living and working in Italy for 6+ months now and I don't really think its the best place to neither work or do research in microelectronics. From the working point of view, the job opportunities are scarce, salaries are very low in comparison with other European countries; basically there is only one big company (STmicroelectronics) and everybody seems to be killing themselves to get a position there. From the research point of view, universities seem very unorganized and with limited funding. Getting a position in a university is VERY difficult if not impossible and only comes after many years of low-paid postdoc positions. Seems that most fresh researchers are sick and tired of all this and seek jobs elsewhere in other countries.
4. Things are also discouraging from the economic point of view. In Italy the salary of a PhD is around 800 euro/month. As far as I know, this is about half of the salary in other European countries, like Germany or the Netherlands: about 1500euro/month, i guess, maybe even more in Switzerland. And the living cost in Italy is not much lower that in these countries, and for sure there exists top institutions for doing an masters or a PhD there (EPFL, ETH Zurich, KU Leuven just to name a few).
For all the above reasons, I am reluctant about taking the position. I rather apply for a MsC in analog design in Belgium/Swirtzerland/Germany, and then pursue a further PhD afterwards. But I feel I am turning down the "safe option" for the "unsure path"...
What would you recommend doing in my situation? Is specializing in HF analog design realistic these days? Will I starve to die after getting a Phd in analog design? Do you think microelectronics EMC is really a promising new field? Would you stay in Italy to do a PhD?
Thanks in advance for any advice!
