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CPU Physical Design Engineer

Qualcomm
September 19, 2026
Full-time
On-site
San Diego, California, United States
$109,400 - $164,200 USD yearly
Physical Design Jobs, Level - Entry or Early Career

Job Title

CPU Physical Design Engineer

Role Summary

Design and verify physical implementation of CPU cores and multi-core CPU operations. Work with cross-functional CPU engineering teams in San Diego across the product lifecycle from architectural definition through pre-silicon verification to post-silicon validation.

Experience Level

Entry-level. Guidance: typically 1+ years of relevant industry experience; works under supervision and performs tasks with some planning and prioritization.

Responsibilities

Primary duties include contribution to CPU physical design and verification to meet performance, power, and functionality goals.

  • Apply knowledge of computer architecture, micro-architecture, logic design, circuits, and physical design to CPU implementation and verification.
  • Identify and resolve routine design issues affecting completeness, functionality, power, and performance.
  • Collaborate on requirements, specifications, and trade-offs (performance, power, cost, features) to meet product goals.
  • Support evaluation of design process from concept through productization (architecture, pre-silicon verification, post-silicon validation).
  • Develop technical documentation: feature descriptions, architectural descriptions, verification test plans, and implementation details.

Requirements

Must-have technical skills and experience.

  • Proficiency in high-level programming (C, C++) and scripting (Python, Perl, or similar).
  • Experience with industry tools for synthesis, place-and-route, or design verification.
  • Experience with simulation, emulation, formal verification, or silicon validation.
  • Experience creating functional models, checkers, test plans, and test generation.
  • Familiarity with CPU design constraints related to performance, power, and area.
  • Effective verbal and written communication skills and ability to work in a team.
  • Ability to analyze and solve multi-step engineering problems with supervision.

Education Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field is required. A master’s degree in the same fields is preferred.


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.

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Date Posted: 2026-09-19