CPU Physical Design Engineer
Intel CorporationJob Title
CPU Physical Design Engineer
Role Summary
Work on physical design and verification of high-performance CPUs from RTL to GDSII within the CPU Physical Design team. Collaborate with logic, architecture, circuits, and design automation engineers to implement and optimize synthesis, floorplanning, place-and-route, clocking, timing and power signoff flows.
Early-career position focused on developing practical expertise with industry EDA tools, physical design methodologies, and automation for advanced process nodes.
Experience Level
Entry-level / Early-career. Years-of-experience guidance: typically 1–3 years of relevant experience.
Responsibilities
Key responsibilities include:
- Implement physical design and verification flows for CPU, custom, and memory designs from RTL synthesis through GDS generation.
- Perform verification and signoff activities: formal equivalence, layout verification, reliability, timing and power integrity analysis.
- Collaborate with logic, architecture, circuit, and design automation teams to optimize power, frequency, and area.
- Develop and maintain physical design methodologies and automation workflows to streamline the design process.
- Engage with EDA vendors to enhance tool capabilities for high-speed, low-power CPU design.
Requirements
Must-have technical skills and experience:
- Experience with at least one successful tape-out on advanced technology nodes.
- Hands-on experience with industry EDA tools for physical design flows (for example, Synopsys or Cadence).
- Proficiency in scripting for design automation (Python, Perl, or TCL).
- Practical experience in synthesis, floorplanning, place-and-route, clock implementation, static timing analysis, and power optimization.
- Strong problem-solving, collaboration, communication, and attention to detail.
Preferred / nice-to-have:
- Background in physical design verification methodologies including DRC/LVS.
- Familiarity with layout design rules for advanced process nodes.
- Graduate-level coursework in VLSI design or computer architecture; exposure to AI-related workloads is a plus.
Education Requirements
Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field (commonly with ~3+ years relevant experience), or a Master's in the same fields (commonly with ~1+ years experience). A PhD in these fields is listed as preferred. Qualifications may also be met through a combination of internships, coursework, research, or equivalent practical experience.
About the Company
Company: Intel Corporation
Headquarters: Santa Clara, California, USA
Intel Corporation is a leading multinational technology company known for its innovative semiconductor solutions, including microprocessors, artificial intelligence accelerators, and memory products. Headquartered in the United States, Intel focuses on cutting-edge technology and a collaborative working environment, driving advancements in semiconductor manufacturing to meet global demands. The company emphasizes professional development and aims to shape the future of technology through groundbreaking designs.
