Physical Design Engineer

Job Title

Physical Design Engineer

Role Summary

Join a startup hardware team developing next-generation in-memory computing silicon for AI across edge-to-cloud applications. The role owns physical implementation tasks across RTL-to-GDSII flow and drives PPA-focused closure in advanced process nodes.

Experience Level

Mid-level — typically 2–4 years of hands-on physical design experience in the semiconductor industry.

Responsibilities

Accountable for end-to-end physical implementation and improving automation for faster turnarounds.

• Drive RTL-to-GDSII flow: floorplanning, placement, clock tree synthesis (CTS), routing, and physical verification (LVS/DRC/ERC).
• Achieve performance closure targeting PPA (Power, Performance, Area) in advanced process nodes (3nm or below).
• Perform static timing analysis (STA), including signal integrity, crosstalk analysis, and CPPR optimization.
• Conduct power-integrity checks: IR-drop (static/dynamic) and electromigration (EM) analysis.
• Develop and integrate AI/ML-based automation scripts to optimize the physical design flow and reduce turnaround time.

Requirements

Key technical skills and experience required; listed as must-have and nice-to-have.

• Must-have: Hands-on physical design experience in semiconductor implementation and closure (placement, CTS, routing, signoff flows).
• Must-have: Strong understanding of multi-corner multi-mode (MCMM) closure and low-power design techniques (UPF/CPF).
• Must-have: Experience with physical verification flows (LVS/DRC/ERC) and static timing analysis.
• Must-have: Proficiency with industry EDA tools (preferred: Cadence Innovus or equivalent).
• Must-have: Detail-oriented, able to take ownership of blocks and meet tight deadlines.
• Nice-to-have: Scripting skills in Python or Tcl.
• Nice-to-have: Experience applying AI/ML techniques for EDA automation or predictive PPA analysis.

Education Requirements

B.Tech or M.Tech in Electrical/Electronics Engineering (top-tier university preferred — e.g., IIT/NIT/BITS or equivalent). The posting emphasizes candidates from top-tier institutions; equivalent practical experience may be considered.

About the Company

Company: EnCharge AI

EnCharge AI develops advanced AI hardware and software systems for edge-to-cloud computing, focusing on in-memory computing technology to deliver high compute efficiency and density with low power consumption. Founded in 2022, the company targets power-, energy-, and space-constrained applications with integrated hardware architectures and software stacks for scalable, reliable AI deployment.