Custom CPU Physical Design Engineer
QualcommJob Title
Custom CPU Physical Design Engineer
Role Summary
Work on physical implementation and timing closure of custom CPU blocks, driving RTL-to-GDSII delivery for high-performance processor designs. Coordinate with timing, power, RTL, and verification teams to meet PPA and PDN targets.
Experience Level
Mid-level. Minimum qualifications reference Bachelor's +2 years, Master's +1 year, or PhD; some role descriptions indicate responsibility levels that typically require more senior experience (up to 7+ years) for leadership of block/chip activities.
Responsibilities
Key day-to-day responsibilities include:
- Perform physical design and timing signoff for high-speed CPU cores.
- Lead or contribute to block- and chip-level physical design, STA, and PDN activities.
- Implement RTL-to-GDSII flow and resolve implementation issues.
- Optimize layout for performance, power, and area (PPA) and ensure PDN convergence.
- Validate and verify constraints, timing, and physical design interactions with cross-functional teams.
- Apply low-power techniques (power gating, multi-Vt, power supply management) in the physical design flow.
- Analyze and mitigate deep-submicron issues (leakage, signal integrity, DFM) and time-critical paths.
- Develop/maintain scripts for automation (Tcl/Perl) and lead small technical delivery teams when required.
Requirements
Must-have technical skills and experience:
- Practical experience in physical design, timing closure, and signoff for high-frequency designs.
- Experience with PDN methodology and PPA-driven physical convergence.
- Experience with STA and constraint validation across design and verification teams.
- Hands-on RTL-to-GDSII implementation experience and silicon bring-up collaboration.
- Familiarity with low-power physical design flows and power-management techniques.
- Circuit-level understanding of time-critical paths and submicron design challenges.
- Scripting skills (Tcl/Perl) for automation and flow development.
- Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work independently and in small technical teams.
Education Requirements
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical/Electronics Engineering, or a related engineering field is cited as a baseline (commonly with 2+ years of experience). A Master's degree with 1+ year or a PhD in the same fields is also referenced. Some role variants expect more senior experience (e.g., Bachelors/Masters with ~7+ years) for leadership positions. The posting allows degree-based qualification and implies equivalent practical experience may 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.
