CPU Microarchitecture/RTL Design Engineer, Senior/Staff
QualcommJob Title
CPU Microarchitecture/RTL Design Engineer, Senior/Staff
Role Summary
Design and implement CPU microarchitecture and RTL for high-performance, low-power SoCs. Work with architects, verification, physical design and system teams from early architectural exploration through RTL delivery and performance validation.
Primary focus is microarchitecture development, RTL ownership, and ensuring designs meet power, performance, area and timing goals.
Experience Level
Senior-level (Senior/Staff). Typical experience guidance: 4+ years with a Bachelor's, 3+ years with a Master's, or 2+ years with a PhD; equivalent practical experience accepted.
Responsibilities
Primary responsibilities include:
- Explore and evaluate high-performance CPU strategies with modelling teams.
- Develop microarchitecture concepts, perform research, and produce detailed specifications.
- Author and refine RTL to meet power, performance, area and timing targets.
- Support functional and performance verification teams to validate design correctness and performance goals.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver designs that meet timing, area, reliability, testability and power constraints.
Requirements
Must-have skills and experience:
- Deep knowledge of CPU microarchitecture: fetch/decode, branch prediction, scheduling/rename, out-of-order execution, integer/FPU datapaths, load/store units, prefetching, caches and memory subsystems.
- Proficient in Verilog and/or VHDL; experience with simulators and waveform debugging tools.
- Strong understanding of digital logic design, timing closure and power implications.
- Familiarity with low-power microarchitecture techniques and high-performance trade-offs.
- Experience with scripting languages such as Perl or Python for automation and analysis.
Nice-to-have:
- Experience with CPU performance modelling and early architectural exploration.
- Experience with physical design considerations and silicon bring-up.
Education Requirements
Bachelor's degree in Science, Engineering, or related field plus 4+ years ASIC design/verification/integration experience; or Master's degree plus 3+ years; or PhD plus 2+ years. Equivalent practical experience will be considered.
About the Company
Company: Qualcomm
Headquarters: San Diego, California, United States
Qualcomm is a global leader in semiconductor and telecommunications equipment, specializing in mobile technologies and innovations. Known for its Adreno GPUs, the company provides solutions enabling advancements in mobile gaming, AI, VR/AR, and autonomous driving. Qualcomm's cutting-edge technology and commitment to high-performance, power-efficient designs drive the evolution of mobile graphics and connectivity worldwide.
