Senior Staff CPU Server Physical Design Engineer

Job Title

Senior Staff CPU Server Physical Design Engineer

Role Summary

Lead CPU physical design for server-class processors within the CPU Engineering team, delivering high-performance, low-power multi-core CPU implementations from architecture through silicon validation. Work cross-functionally to define trade-offs and ensure designs meet performance, power, and product goals.

Experience Level

Senior-level role. Substantial industry experience and technical leadership are expected; see Education Requirements for the degree-and-experience combinations.

Responsibilities

Typical duties include:

• Develop and verify CPU physical design, including microarchitecture, logic design, circuits, and physical implementation for high-performance, low-power processors.
• Identify and resolve complex design issues affecting functionality, power, and performance.
• Collaborate with architecture, verification, validation, and cross-functional teams to define requirements and trade-offs.
• Evaluate designs from conceptualization through productization, including pre-silicon verification and post-silicon validation.
• Produce and review technical documentation such as architectural descriptions, verification plans, and implementation details.
• Provide guidance to junior engineers and influence technical decisions across the organization.

Requirements

Core technical and professional requirements (must-have vs. nice-to-have):

• Must-have: Advanced knowledge of computer architecture, micro-architecture, logic design, circuits, and physical design with demonstrated ability to develop and verify CPU designs.
• Must-have: Proficiency in high-level programming (C, C++) and scripting (Python, Perl) for tooling and automation.
• Must-have: Experience with HDL simulators and waveform debugging (e.g., Verilog, VHDL) and modern verification methodologies.
• Must-have: Experience creating functional models, checkers, test plans, and test generation.
• Nice-to-have: Experience with synthesis, place-and-route flows, and industry-standard EDA tools for physical implementation and verification.
• Nice-to-have: Experience with simulation, emulation, formal verification, or silicon validation at scale.
• Nice-to-have: Experience working in large matrixed organizations and in roles requiring interaction with senior leadership.

Education Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field with 6+ years of relevant work experience; OR Master's degree in those fields with 5+ years' experience; OR PhD in those fields with 4+ years' experience. Preferred: Master's degree. The posting also accepts related hardware/software/systems engineering experience as equivalent to formal degrees.

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.