Analog/mixed-signal IC Design Engineer - Acacia (Hybrid)
Cisco SystemsJob Title
Analog/mixed-signal IC Design Engineer - Acacia
Role Summary
Member of the Mixed Signal Design team developing high-speed and high-accuracy analog/mixed-signal CMOS ICs for optical transceivers. Work within a small IC design group and collaborate with digital/DSP, system, package, and module design teams.
The role focuses on architecture, circuit design, layout, lab validation and productization of ultra-deep sub-micron CMOS designs for 100G–1.6T+ optical communications applications.
Experience Level
Senior. Candidates should typically have extensive industry experience (see Education Requirements for degree-linked minimums); role expects leadership of large blocks, technical mentorship, and independent ownership of complex IC design deliverables.
Responsibilities
Primary responsibilities include hands-on mixed-signal IC design, team leadership, and cross-disciplinary coordination.
- Architect, design, simulate, layout and bring to production high-speed analog/mixed-signal CMOS blocks.
- Lead design efforts for large blocks on complex chips; track deliverables and schedules.
- Mentor and review work of team members; participate in peer design reviews and enforce design methodology.
- Collaborate with packaging and hardware teams to meet signal and power integrity targets.
- Create and execute laboratory validation and test plans; analyze measurements and iterate designs.
- Ensure designs meet manufacturability and reliability criteria across PVT and stress conditions.
Requirements
Must-have technical experience and practical skills required to perform the role.
- Proven experience in design, simulation and measurement of high-speed ICs in at least three of the following areas: high-speed serial links (serdes, data converters), modeling for system link simulations, high-performance output drivers, phase-locked loops, clock transmission/propagation, opamps/programmable gain amplifiers, and equalization techniques.
- Strong analog/mixed-signal circuit design skills and hands-on experience with layout and floorplanning for high-frequency designs.
- Experience with lab validation, test setup construction, and ESD practices.
- Track record of taking designs from concept through production, including characterization across PVT and addressing IR drop, electromigration, and self-heating concerns.
- Effective communication and collaboration skills for cross-functional work with digital, DSP, package and system teams.
Nice-to-have:
- Experience with FinFET and GAA technologies and high-frequency layout of passives (inductors, transformers, transmission lines).
- Experience with electrical transceiver applications (backplane and cable communications).
- Familiarity with design and verification tools such as Cadence Virtuoso, Spectre/APS/SpectreX, Calibre, EMX, AMS mixed-signal simulation flows, and MATLAB.
Education Requirements
Minimum qualification: Bachelor’s degree plus 8 years related experience, or Master’s degree plus 6 years related experience, or PhD plus 3 years related experience. No specific field-of-study mandated in the posting; degree-equivalent experience accepted per the stated formulas.
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).
