Six Lessons I Learned from Six Roles at Marvell

1. Step Outside Your Comfort Zone

I joined Marvell through the Inphi acquisition back in 2021 during my fourth year of my BSc program. I studied Electrical Engineering and Applied Electronics at the University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest. Before joining, I wasn't familiar with Marvell or any other semiconductor companies, nor did I have any background in packaging design. When a friend of mine, who had previously interned at Marvell, told me about the internship, I decided to apply.

2. Don’t Be Afraid to Try

A few months into the internship, a 6-month program, one of the projects I was working on with two other interns was sold to a client, which meant we then worked on a tight schedule solving challenging technical issues in real time. We were working on a design for 5G communication, using 2.5D Packaging, which includes the interposer. The project taught me so much about layout and packaging design and helped me gain the skills I needed. During the project, I became a full-time employee as a Junior Packaging and Signal Integrity Engineer.

3. Follow Your Passion

I didn’t always know I wanted to be a manager, but I knew I loved mentoring and helping others grow. So when Marvell started a new intern program the following summer, I had the privilege of mentoring them and seeing their growth. For me, having the opportunity to share my knowledge and expertise with them is the best part. Seeing them grow, develop, succeed, and become independent is very rewarding. I’ve mentored every new generation of interns since then.

4. Find Mentors and Support Along the Way

Transitioning from a mentor to a manager was challenging at times. There were times I questioned if this was the right path for me. Luckily for me, I found a mentor who was a true role model, which helped me gain my confidence back. Having my colleagues' support was tremendous; they understood my struggles and encouraged me through them.

5. Delegate and Ask for Help

It can be challenging to delegate and ask others for help. I still find it challenging at times. When things get overwhelming or hectic, don’t try to take it all on your own. Ask for your team’s support. Our team collaborates effortlessly because we are there to support each other. Creating that space and finding your support system is crucial. But most importantly, finding an environment where you feel safe, have opportunities for growth and can collaborate with people who genuinely value your ideas is key.

6. Change and Adapt

Working in an industry that is constantly changing, you have to keep learning and evolving, as there are never two projects that are the same. We constantly have to adapt and change, come up with new ideas, innovate, and improve our workflows and processes. We work from small-size 2D packages to large 2.5D architectures utilizing various interposer technologies, and even advanced 3.5D packages that integrate both interposer technology and 3D IC stacking to enhance system performance and data transfer speeds. New innovations in substrate materials are improving signal integrity, thermal management and overall reliability. Our developments also extend to co-packaged optics (CPO) technology integrated into custom AI accelerators to improve the bandwidth, performance, and efficiency of the chips powering AI training clusters and inference servers and opening the door to higher-performing scale-up servers.

Bonus Lesson: Ask “Why?” as Much as Possible

Being curious will help you expand your knowledge beyond your scope. In packaging, becoming a technical expert requires understanding how everything is interconnected, from package planning to layout, electrical performance, assembly and manufacturing. But asking “why?” is not just about gaining knowledge—it also builds a valuable skill. It promotes confidence, curiosity and a sense of purpose in your work, making it feel more like a passion than just a job.