Physical Design Engineer, Sr Lead
QualcommJob Title
Physical Design Engineer, Sr Lead
Role Summary
Senior physical-design engineer in Qualcomm's Bangalore Camera team responsible for end-to-end ownership of complex hierarchical blocks from RTL/netlist to GDSII. Focus areas include synthesis, place & route, timing closure, and achieving target PPA (Power, Performance, Area).
The role works closely with RTL designers, CAD teams, and tool vendors to deliver high-performance, power-efficient implementations for camera subsystems.
Experience Level
Senior — role expects an experienced candidate (typically 6+ years in physical design or equivalent demonstrated experience).
Responsibilities
Key responsibilities include collaborating with cross-functional teams and driving physical implementation and optimization for camera designs.
- Own block-level physical design flow from netlist to GDSII, including synthesis, floorplanning, PNR, and signoff.
- Implement and optimize timing closure across corners; perform ECOs and physical ECO flows.
- Design and verify low-power techniques including voltage islands and power intent implementation.
- Work with CAD/tool vendors and internal CAD to resolve tool and optimization issues.
- Partner with block-level teams to analyze and improve PPA and manufacturability (IR drop, LVS/DRC, PV).
Requirements
Must-have technical experience and skills.
- 6+ years of experience in Physical Design, including floorplanning, PNR, CTS, and STA signoff checks.
- Hands-on experience owning full physical-design flow: netlist to GDSII, post-route optimization, and timing closure.
- Experience with power delivery and low-power design flows (voltage islands, PDN design, low-power checks).
- Strong familiarity with industry tools such as Fusion Compiler, Genus, Innovus, PrimeTime, Tempus, Voltus, and RedHawk.
- Experience implementing complex ECOs for timing convergence using tools like Tweaker, Tempus, and PrimeTime physical ECO flows.
- Proficiency in scripting (Perl, Python, TCL) for automation and flow development.
- Solid fundamentals in VLSI and physical-design concepts, including IR drop analysis and physical verification.
- Nice-to-have: experience in deep-submicron nodes and advanced high-performance/low-power implementation techniques.
Education Requirements
Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in Computer Science, Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Engineering, or a related technical field. The posting specifies degree-plus-experience options (examples: BS + 3 years or BS + 6 years; MS + 2 or MS + 5; PhD + 1 or PhD + 4). Equivalent practical experience may be acceptable.
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.
