Senior Microprocessor VLSI Physical Design Engineer

Job Title

Senior Microprocessor VLSI Physical Design Engineer

Role Summary

Senior physical-design engineer in AMD's Cores Organization providing technical leadership for high-speed VLSI design of CPU cores and caches. The role focuses on optimizing power, performance, area and schedule through cross-site collaboration with RTL and physical-design teams. This position is based in Fort Collins, CO and is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

Experience Level

Senior-level. The posting does not state a specific number of years but expects extensive hands-on VLSI physical-design experience and demonstrated technical leadership.

Responsibilities

Primary duties for the technical lead on high-speed microprocessor physical design.

• Serve as technical lead for high-speed VLSI physical design in deep-submicron processes.
• Collaborate with RTL and physical-design teams across multiple sites to optimize PPA (power, performance, area) and delivery schedule.
• Diagnose and solve complex design and EDA tool issues; develop innovative approaches and apply AI-based methods to improve flows.
• Prepare and present technical analyses and design reviews for peers and management.
• Provide guidance and mentorship to junior engineers and influence cross-site design practices.

Requirements

Key technical skills, behaviors, and expectations. Items labeled "Preferred" are optional but desirable.

• Must-have: Hands-on experience in high-speed VLSI physical design for deep submicron processes.
• Must-have: Strong understanding of computer architecture, hardware concepts, and design tradeoffs.
• Must-have: Practical experience with chip-level floorplanning, bus/pin planning, clock-tree synthesis, placement, optimization, routing, parasitic extraction, static timing analysis, IR drop analysis, electromigration, physical verification and sign-off.
• Must-have: Ability to read and make minor modifications to Verilog RTL for timing or power fixes.
• Must-have: Solid knowledge of digital circuits (high-speed flops, synchronizers, level shifters) and SRAM considerations.
• Must-have: Scripting/programming proficiency (Perl, C, Tcl or similar) to automate and debug flows.
• Must-have: Strong analytical/problem-solving skills, attention to detail, clear verbal and written communication, and commitment to long program timelines.
• Must-have: Demonstrated ability to lead technical efforts and mentor junior engineers in a distributed team environment.
• Preferred: Experience using AI agents to increase engineering efficiency and automation.

Education Requirements

BS or MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering (CSE) or a closely related technical field preferred.

About the Company

Company: Advanced Micro Devices

Headquarters: Sunnyvale, California, USA

Advanced Micro Devices, or AMD, is a global semiconductor company that designs and manufactures microprocessors, graphics processors, and related technologies for a variety of computing devices. Known for pushing the boundaries of innovation, AMD's mission is to deliver high-performance computing solutions for AI, data centers, gaming, and embedded applications. They foster a collaborative, inclusive culture focused on creativity and problem-solving, aiming to drive progress and excellence in technology.