Design Engineer

Job Title

Design Engineer

Role Summary

Member of Arm's Solutions Engineering Physical IP team developing custom standard cells for sub-3nm process nodes. The role focuses on transistor-level circuit design, layout tuning, characterization and modeling to improve power, performance and area (PPA) for Arm cores integrated into SoCs across infrastructure, client, automotive, and IoT markets.

Experience Level

Mid-level — typical experience ~1–2+ years of relevant circuit design experience (guidance from role: ~1 year for MSEE, ~2 years for BSEE).

Responsibilities

The role requires hands-on circuit and layout work, collaboration with physical design and mask teams, and development of cell characterization and models used in SoC integration.

• Develop custom standard cells targeted for sub-3nm process nodes.
• Co-optimize circuit design with physical design engineers to improve core and SoC PPA.
• Provide optimally tuned layouts in collaboration with mask design teams.
• Characterize and model standard cell libraries; generate and validate EDA views and models.
• Use SPICE and standard cell characterization tools for verification and QA.
• Analyze characterization data and present conclusions to engineering teams.
• Iteratively refine designs to solve complex circuit and PPA problems.

Requirements

Must-have technical skills, tools and behaviors for success in this role.

• Understanding of MOSFET electrical characteristics, transistor-level device physics, layout and variability at 3nm and below.
• Transistor-level design experience of static circuits including state-retaining elements (latches, flops).
• Experience identifying, designing and verifying cells to improve core- and SoC-level PPA.
• Hands-on development of standard cell EDA views, characterization, modeling and QA.
• Experience with standard cell characterization tools and SPICE circuit simulators.
• Familiarity with scripting languages (Perl or Python) for automation and data analysis.
• Strong analytical skills, persistence in iterative development, and a collaborative team attitude.

Nice-to-have:

• Exposure to physical design implementation flow and signoff.

Education Requirements

Degree guidance in the posting: Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) or Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (MSEE). The posting indicates experience expectations tied to degree level (approx. 2+ years for BSEE, 1+ years for MSEE). Fields referenced imply Electrical Engineering or closely related technical disciplines.

About the Company

Company: Arm

Headquarters: Cambridge, United Kingdom

ARM is a global leader in semiconductor and software design, driving innovation in computing technology. The company specializes in designing processors and systems that provide the essential building blocks for electronic devices. ARM's architecture is widely used in smartphones, servers, and IoT devices, and its collaborative culture fosters bold thinking, diversity, and high-impact benefits for its talented workforce.