Analog/mixed-signal IC Design Engineer - Acacia (Hybrid)
Cisco SystemsJob Title
Analog/mixed-signal IC Design Engineer - Acacia (Hybrid)
Role Summary
Member of a small, dynamic mixed-signal IC design team (Acacia) developing high-speed analog/mixed-signal CMOS transceivers for optical communications (100G–1.6T+).
Work includes architecture, circuit design, layout, measurement and productization of ultra-deep-submicron CMOS blocks; role requires cross-functional collaboration with digital/DSP, system, package and module teams. This is a hybrid role (three days per week in San Jose, CA).
Experience Level
Senior. Experience guidance: Bachelor’s + 8 years related experience, Master’s + 6 years, or PhD + 3 years.
Responsibilities
Key responsibilities include leading design efforts for significant analog/mixed-signal blocks and driving designs from concept to production.
- Architect, design, layout, measure and productize high-speed AMS CMOS circuits.
- Lead a large block on complex chips, mentor team members, and track deliverables.
- Perform peer reviews and enforce robust design methodology.
- Collaborate with packaging and hardware teams to meet signal and power integrity targets.
- Develop and execute lab validation and characterization plans; support production bring-up.
Requirements
Must-have technical experience and core skills. Candidates should demonstrate practical experience in high-speed analog/mixed-signal IC design and verification.
- Proven experience designing, simulating and measuring high-speed ICs; experience required in at least 3 of the areas listed below.
- High-speed serial links: serializers, deserializers, data converters.
- Modeling for system link simulations and equalization techniques.
- High-performance output drivers and phase-locked loops (PLLs); efficient clock transmission/propagation.
- Op amps and programmable gain amplifiers (PGAs).
- Experience leading design blocks, mentoring engineers, and delivering designs to production.
Nice-to-have / preferred:
- Transceiver applications experience (backplane and cable communications).
- Experience with FinFET and GAA technologies and high-frequency layout (floorplanning, power/ground, analog/digital routing).
- Design for manufacturability: characterization over PVT, electromigration, self-heating, IR drop analysis.
- Laboratory validation experience including ESD practices and construction of test setups.
- Familiarity with design and simulation tools: Cadence (Virtuoso), Spectre/APS/SpectreX, Calibre, EMX, mixed-signal AMS simulations, and Matlab.
Education Requirements
Minimum qualification specifies degree plus experience: Bachelor's degree + 8 years related experience, Master's degree + 6 years, or PhD + 3 years. The posting does not list specific fields of study; related technical degree or equivalent practical experience is acceptable.
About the Company
Company: Cisco Systems
Headquarters: San Jose, CA, United States
Cisco Systems is a global technology company that designs and sells networking hardware, telecommunications equipment, software, and services. It provides enterprise and service-provider networking, security, collaboration, and optical communications solutions (including Acacia Communications technologies for high-speed optical interconnects).
