Physical Design Engineer, Senior to Staff Level
QualcommJob Title
Physical Design Engineer, Senior to Staff Level
Role Summary
Execute full physical implementation of complex digital SoCs from netlist to GDSII, meeting timing, power, area, and manufacturability targets. Work within an ASIC/SoC physical design team focused on block-level and full-chip ownership.
Experience Level
Senior — typically 5–8 years of physical design experience. Minimum qualifications also list degree-dependent minimums (see Education Requirements).
Responsibilities
Primary responsibilities include hands-on physical implementation, verification, and automation to deliver manufacturable silicon.
- Perform netlist-to-GDSII flow: floorplanning, power planning, placement, CTS, and routing.
- Conduct static timing analysis (STA) and drive timing closure across process corners and modes.
- Run and resolve physical verification: DRC, LVS, ERC.
- Implement low-power techniques (multi-voltage, power gating) and analyze IR drop / EM.
- Analyze and mitigate signal integrity issues such as crosstalk and noise.
- Develop and maintain flow automation and scripts to improve efficiency.
Requirements
Must-have technical skills, tools, and domain knowledge for this role.
- Proven experience with end-to-end physical design implementation and timing closure at block or chip level.
- Proficiency with EDA tools, particularly Synopsys (ICC2, Fusion Compiler, PrimeTime, StarRC, Redhawk) and Mentor/Siemens tools such as Calibre for DRC/LVS.
- Strong scripting skills (Tcl, Shell, Makefile, Perl) for flow automation and tool customization.
- Experience with power analysis and mitigation (IR drop, EM) and low-power design methodologies.
- Knowledge of signal integrity, crosstalk analysis, and mitigation techniques.
- Familiarity with advanced process nodes and constraints (examples: 12nm, 7nm, 5nm).
Education Requirements
Degree-level requirements listed in the source: Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related technical field. The posting specifies degree-dependent minimum experience: Bachelor's +2+ years relevant experience, Master's +1+ year relevant experience, or PhD (no specific experience duration stated). "Related field" language is allowed.
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.
