Physical Design Staff Engineer
QualcommJob Title
Physical Design Staff Engineer
Role Summary
Work on physical design (PNR) and implementation for Qualcomm SoCs within the ASICS Engineering team. Responsible for planning and executing floorplanning, placement, clock tree synthesis, post-route optimization and signoff to deliver high-performance, low-power silicon.
Experience Level
Senior-level. The posting includes degree-based minimums (Bachelor's +4 years; Master's +3 years; PhD +2 years) and also lists a preference for candidates with approximately 8+ years of hardware engineering and PNR experience on advanced process nodes.
Responsibilities
Primary duties include ownership of PNR implementation and signoff activities.
- Lead PNR implementation: floorplanning, placement, clock tree synthesis (CTS), routing and post-route optimization.
- Perform timing signoff activities (STA), power analysis and full-chip verification.
- Manage low-power verification and power validation flows.
- Optimize placement/CTS to meet timing, power and congestion targets.
- Develop and maintain automation scripts and small tools using Unix/Linux, Perl and TCL.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams for integration and silicon bring-up.
- Troubleshoot implementation issues and define corrective actions.
Requirements
Must-have technical skills and experience.
- Proven PNR experience on advanced process nodes (e.g., 4nm/5nm/7nm/10nm).
- Strong knowledge of placement, CTS, optimization and post-route flows.
- Signoff experience with STA, power analysis and related verification flows.
- Familiarity with signoff domains including LEC, CLP and PDN methodologies.
- Proficient with Unix/Linux and scripting (Perl, TCL).
- Strong analytical, debugging and problem-solving skills.
- Experience with ASIC design, verification, validation or integration activities.
Nice-to-have: experience with specific EDA toolchains and advanced power/STA signoff tools.
Education Requirements
Degree in Science, Engineering or a related field is required: Bachelor's degree with 4+ years ASIC experience, or Master's degree with 3+ years, or PhD with 2+ years. The posting also indicates preference for candidates with ~8+ years of hardware engineering/PNR experience. No specific certifications were listed.
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.
