AI/ML-driven ASIC Design and Implementation Principal Engineer

Job Title

AI/ML-driven ASIC Design and Implementation Principal Engineer

Role Summary

Lead development and prototyping of AI/ML-driven automation and CAD techniques to improve power, performance, area, and verification quality for SoC and IP teams. Collaborate with architecture, IP, SoC design, verification, implementation, and design-enablement teams to pilot solutions on real designs.

Work with external AI/ML research and industry experts to evaluate state-of-the-art methods and drive integration into VLSI CAD software and flows for advanced-node SoCs, Edge-AI, automotive processors and microcontrollers.

Experience Level

Senior (Principal level). Guidance: 10+ years of relevant software and engineering experience.

Responsibilities

Deliver prototype tools and integrations that apply AI/ML to VLSI CAD problems and validate them on production designs.

• Research and evaluate GenAI, reinforcement learning, graph neural networks, and convolutional networks for CAD/implementation tasks.
• Develop prototypes and automation to improve design, verification, and implementation flows (PPA, verification quality).
• Work closely with architecture, IP, SoC design and implementation teams across sites to define requirements and pilot solutions.
• Integrate and validate AI/ML approaches within existing toolchains and CI/CD processes.
• Collaborate with academic and industry researchers to transfer methods into engineering practice.
• Analyze results, document methods, and recommend production-ready tool features and process changes.

Requirements

Must-have technical skills and experience.

• 10+ years developing complex software projects.
• Strong AI/ML expertise and practical software background.
• Proficient in Python and C++ for research and production code.
• Experienced with Unix/Linux, revision control (Git, BitBucket) and standard SW development/debug tools.
• Proven analytical problem-solving ability and clear written/verbal communication.
• Experience piloting tools or automation on real designs and workflows.

Nice-to-have.

• Data structures, algorithms and optimization-focused software development experience.
• Prior VLSI CAD methodology or EDA tool development experience (design, verification, DFT, implementation).
• Familiarity with design constraints and flows: SDC, clocks, CDC, RDC, static timing analysis, UPF/low-power flows.
• Experience with design revision control tools (DesignSync), build tools, Splunk, Jenkins, LSF and CI/CD systems.

Education Requirements

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or a related discipline (BS/MS). Strong software development background stated as required.

About the Company

Company: NXP Semiconductors

Headquarters: Nijmegen, Netherlands

NXP Semiconductors N.V. is a global semiconductor company that provides High Performance Mixed Signal and Standard Product solutions. With over 45,000 employees and operations in more than 35 countries, NXP is a leader in secure connectivity solutions for embedded applications, catering to automotive, industrial IoT, mobile, and communication infrastructure markets. The company is committed to innovation and sustainability, advancing a smarter, safer, and more sustainable world through technology.