Senior Microprocessor VLSI Physical Design Engineer

Job Title

Senior Microprocessor VLSI Physical Design Engineer

Role Summary

Lead technical contributions to AMD core and cache physical design for high-performance microprocessors. Work with RTL and physical design teams across sites to optimize power, performance, area and schedule for next-generation CPU products.

This role is based in Fort Collins, CO and reports into the Cores organization focused on server, client and gaming processors.

Experience Level

Senior — senior-level individual contributor and technical lead. (Title indicates seniority; specific years of experience not specified.)

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities as a senior physical design engineer and technical lead:

• Technical lead for high-speed VLSI physical design in deep-submicron processes.
• Collaborate with RTL and physical designers across sites to optimize power, performance, area and schedule.
• Execute chip-level floorplanning, bus/pin planning and clock strategy to meet timing and power targets.
• Drive placement, optimization, routing, parasitic extraction, static timing analysis and physical sign-off activities.
• Perform IR drop and electromigration analysis and coordinate fixes through sign-off flow.
• Analyze and modify complex Verilog RTL for timing or power improvements when needed.
• Create technical presentations for peers and management; guide design reviews and trade-off decisions.
• Mentor and guide junior engineers; champion engineering efficiency and automation (including use of AI tools where appropriate).

Requirements

Must-have technical skills and attributes; concise list of required and preferred skills.

• Must-have: Hands-on experience in high-speed VLSI physical design and leading physical implementation for complex digital designs.
• Must-have: Knowledge of chip-level floorplanning, bus/pin planning, clock tree synthesis, placement, optimization, routing, parasitic extraction, static timing analysis, IR drop, electromigration, physical verification and sign-off.
• Must-have: Ability to comprehend complex Verilog RTL and perform minor modifications for timing or power.
• Must-have: Solid understanding of digital circuits including high-speed flops, synchronizers, level shifters and SRAM behavior.
• Must-have: Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving, attention to detail, verbal and written communication, and ability to meet long-program timelines.
• Nice-to-have: Scripting/programming experience (Perl, C, Tcl or similar).
• Nice-to-have: Experience using AI agents or automation tools to increase engineering efficiency.

Education Requirements

BS or MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering (or similar) 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.