Senior Lead Physical Design Engineer - CPU
QualcommJob Title
Senior Lead Physical Design Engineer - CPU
Role Summary
Join the Noida CPU physical design team to lead physical implementation and signoff of high-performance, power-optimized custom CPU cores. The role focuses on RTL-to-GDS hardening including synthesis, placement & routing, timing closure, and physical verification, working cross-functionally to meet performance, power and area (PPA) targets.
Experience Level
Senior-level. Preferred experience: 5+ years in physical design and STA for CPU cores. Minimum qualifications vary by degree (see Education Requirements).
Responsibilities
Key responsibilities include driving physical design and timing closure for CPU blocks and ensuring robust signoff across process corners.
- Lead RTL-to-GDS physical implementation: synthesis, floorplan, placement & routing, and timing signoff.
- Perform static timing analysis (STA) and achieve timing convergence across multiple corners and modes.
- Prepare and execute complex ECOs for timing closure using Tweaker/Tempus/Physical PT ECO flows.
- Address IR drop, power integrity and coordinate with physical verification teams.
- Optimize designs for power and overall PPA; apply low-power implementation techniques where appropriate.
- Develop and maintain automation and scripts to support implementation flows (Perl, TCL).
- Collaborate with RTL, microarchitecture, verification and CAD teams; mentor junior engineers and promote best practices.
Requirements
The following are the primary technical requirements. Education requirements are listed separately below.
- Proven hands-on experience in physical design and STA for CPU or high-performance digital blocks (preferred 5+ years).
- Proficiency with industry-standard EDA tools such as Genus, Innovus, Fusion Compiler (FC), PrimeTime (PT), Tempus, Voltus and RedHawk.
- Demonstrated experience from floorplan to signoff and strong timing closure skills.
- Experience preparing complex ECOs and achieving timing convergence across large designs and multiple corners.
- Strong scripting/automation skills, especially in Perl and TCL.
- Nice-to-have: experience with deep submicron process nodes and advanced low-power implementation methods.
Education Requirements
One of the following: Bachelor's in Computer Science, Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Engineering or related field plus 3+ years of hardware engineering experience; OR Master's in the same fields plus 2+ years; OR PhD in the same fields plus 1+ year. Equivalent practical experience may be considered.
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.
