Analog/mixed-signal IC Design Engineer - Acacia (Hybrid)
Cisco SystemsJob Title
Analog/mixed-signal IC Design Engineer - Acacia (Hybrid)
Role Summary
Member of the Acacia mixed-signal IC design team responsible for architecting, designing, laying out, measuring and productizing ultra-deep-submicron CMOS analog/mixed-signal circuits for high-speed optical transceivers (100G–1.6T+).
This is a hybrid role based in San Jose, CA (three days per week on-site). The role requires cross-functional collaboration with digital/DSP, system, package and module teams to meet signal and power integrity and production requirements.
Experience Level
Senior-level. The posting defines degree-based experience thresholds (see Education Requirements); equivalent senior hands-on IC design experience is expected.
Responsibilities
Primary responsibilities focus on end-to-end mixed-signal block delivery and cross-functional integration.
- Architect, design, simulate, layout review, and characterize high-speed analog/mixed-signal blocks in advanced CMOS processes.
- Lead design efforts for large blocks on complex chips; mentor junior engineers and track deliverables.
- Perform peer reviews and establish robust design methodology from concept through production.
- Collaborate with packaging and hardware teams to ensure signal and power integrity requirements are met.
- Develop laboratory validation/test setups and participate in measurement, characterization and product bring-up.
- Drive design-for-manufacturability activities including PVT characterization, IR drop and reliability considerations.
Requirements
Must-have technical experience and practical skills for this role. Degree-related requirements are summarized separately under Education Requirements.
- Proven experience designing, simulating and measuring high-speed ICs in at least three of the following areas: high-speed serial links (SERDES), serializers/deserializers/data converters, high-performance output drivers, phase-locked loops (PLLs), efficient clock distribution, op amps/programmable gain amplifiers, and equalization techniques.
- Hands-on experience with high-frequency layout and floorplanning (power/ground, mixed-signal routing) and passive components relevant to transceiver design.
- Laboratory validation experience including test setup construction and ESD best practices.
- Experience with design-for-manufacturability practices: PVT characterization, electromigration, self-heating and IR-drop analysis.
- Strong familiarity with mixed-signal simulation and layout toolflows (see preferred tools); ability to debug silicon and iterate on design.
Preferred:
- Experience with electrical transceiver applications (backplane and cable communications) and high-speed optical/electrical link modeling.
- Experience with FinFET or GAA process technologies and high-frequency layout tools and methodologies.
- Proficiency with Cadence Virtuoso, Spectre/APS/SpectreX, Calibre, EMX, AMS mixed-signal simulations, and MATLAB.
Education Requirements
Minimum qualifications specify one of the following degree + experience combinations: Bachelor's degree + 8 years of related experience, Master's degree + 6 years of related experience, or PhD + 3 years of related experience. No specific field-of-study was mandated; role implies electrical/computer engineering or related technical background. No mandatory certifications were listed.
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).
