Physical Design Engineer, Staff
QualcommJob Title
Physical Design Engineer, Staff
Role Summary
Senior physical design engineer responsible for defining, modeling, implementing, verifying, validating, and documenting IP and SoC physical design and related flows. Works on high-performance, low-power ASIC/SoC projects and collaborates with cross-functional teams to deliver production designs.
Experience Level
Senior level. Candidates typically meet or exceed the company's preferred experience; minimum experience guidance is provided in Education Requirements.
Responsibilities
Primary responsibilities include delivering complex physical-design tasks across the full ASIC/SoC flow and collaborating with multiple teams.
- Define and implement advanced physical architectures and circuit/logic designs for IP blocks and SoCs.
- Execute and evaluate design flows from RTL to GDS (synthesis, place-and-route, timing and power analysis).
- Perform verification, validation, and optimization for performance, area, and power targets.
- Use EDA tools (e.g., RTL-to-GDS flows, custom design tools) to deliver multiple complex blocks or IC packages.
- Collaborate with software/hardware architects, product and program management to align implementation with system requirements.
- Write and review detailed technical documentation for EDA/IP/ASIC projects.
- Provide guidance and mentorship to other engineers; work independently with minimal supervision.
Requirements
Technical must-haves and strong preferences for proven ASIC/SoC physical-design capabilities.
- Practical experience in ASIC/SoC physical design, implementation, verification, or integration.
- Familiarity with RTL-to-GDS flows, synthesis, place-and-route, and timing/power analysis tools and methodologies.
- Experience with custom design/layout tools and environments.
- Knowledge of design verification methods and ability to support verification activities for physical implementation.
- Scripting and programming skills to automate flows and analyses.
- Strong technical writing and communication skills; able to produce and review complex technical documentation.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate across disciplines and influence design decisions.
Education Requirements
Minimum qualifications: Bachelor's degree in Science, Engineering, or related field plus 4+ years of relevant ASIC experience; OR Master's plus 3+ years; OR PhD plus 2+ years. Preferred: Master's degree in Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Computer Science. (The posting specifies these degree-and-experience combinations as minimum/preferred criteria.)
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.
