Physical Design Engineer

Job Title

Physical Design Engineer

Role Summary

The Physical Design Engineer will implement and sign off block-level SoC/IP physical designs in advanced process nodes, delivering to NXP's PPA and reliability targets. The role is part of the VLSI/physical-design team and works closely with RTL, STA, DFT, packaging and integration teams.

Experience Level

Mid-level — 3–5 years of ASIC physical design experience.

Responsibilities

Primary duties include block implementation through signoff and cross-functional coordination.

• Perform block-level physical implementation from synthesized netlist to GDSII: floorplanning, power-grid design, placement, CTS, routing and post-route optimization.
• Drive timing convergence across multi-corner multi-mode scenarios with STA teams.
• Achieve design closure: setup/hold timing, DRC/LVS signoff, IR drop and EM compliance.
• Debug and resolve congestion, SI/crosstalk, and functional/physical ECOs.
• Collaborate with RTL/design, DFT, packaging and full-chip teams to improve quality of results and integration readiness.
• Develop and maintain automation and methodology improvements via scripting.
• Adhere to company design methodologies, quality and reliability standards.

Requirements

Must-have skills and technologies; followed by a few nice-to-have items.

• Must-have: 3–5 years of ASIC physical design experience and strong understanding of the physical design flow (floorplan → P&R → signoff).
• Must-have: Solid knowledge of static timing analysis fundamentals and CMOS digital design basics.
• Must-have: Hands-on experience with industry EDA tools such as Cadence Innovus/Genus or Synopsys ICC2/Fusion Compiler and PrimeTime.
• Must-have: Scripting proficiency in Tcl, Python, or shell for automation.
• Must-have: Experience with advanced process nodes (16 nm and below).
• Nice-to-have: Familiarity with low-power flows (UPF/CPF), multi-voltage designs, physical verification tools (e.g., Calibre), DFT flows, and full-chip/package integration.

Education Requirements

Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Electronics Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Microelectronics, or a closely related field.

About the Company

Company: NXP Semiconductors

Headquarters: Nijmegen, Netherlands

NXP Semiconductors N.V. is a global semiconductor company that provides High Performance Mixed Signal and Standard Product solutions. With over 45,000 employees and operations in more than 35 countries, NXP is a leader in secure connectivity solutions for embedded applications, catering to automotive, industrial IoT, mobile, and communication infrastructure markets. The company is committed to innovation and sustainability, advancing a smarter, safer, and more sustainable world through technology.