Principal Digital Design Engineer

Job Title

Principal Digital Design Engineer

Role Summary

Design, develop, and optimize digital logic circuits and subsystems for ASIC and FPGA products across the full design cycle: specification, RTL implementation, verification, synthesis, timing closure, and silicon validation. Work collaboratively with verification, physical design, firmware, and validation teams to meet power, performance, and area (PPA) targets.

Experience Level

Senior — typically 10+ years of experience in digital design or ASIC/FPGA development, with demonstrable tape-outs or product deliveries.

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities include:

• Implement and maintain RTL using Verilog/SystemVerilog/VHDL.
• Architect and deliver complex digital blocks and subsystems.
• Create and execute functional verification, testbenches, and validation plans (UVM/OVM where applicable).
• Perform synthesis, static timing analysis, and area/power optimization.
• Debug design issues at RTL, gate, and silicon bring-up stages; support post-silicon validation.
• Collaborate in design reviews, code reviews, and cross-functional technical discussions.
• Use EDA tools for implementation, validation, and timing closure.

Requirements

Must-have technical skills and tools:

• Strong RTL proficiency in Verilog, SystemVerilog, or VHDL.
• Experience with RTL simulation tools (ModelSim, VCS, Xcelium) and waveform debuggers (Verdi, SimVision).
• Practical experience with synthesis tools (Design Compiler, Genus) and static timing analysis (PrimeTime).
• Solid understanding of digital design concepts: FSMs, pipelining, clock domain crossing (CDC), and low-power techniques.
• Familiarity with FPGA/ASIC design flow and common bus protocols (AXI, AHB, APB).
• Proven debugging and problem-solving skills across RTL, gate, and silicon levels.

Nice-to-have:

• UVM-based verification methodology experience.
• Exposure to DFT concepts and hardware-software co-design.
• Scripting experience (Python, Perl, TCL) and experience with high-speed interfaces or SoC design.

Education Requirements

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electronics Engineering, Electrical Engineering, VLSI Design, Computer Engineering, 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.