Senior Technical Lead - CPU Physical Design
Intel CorporationJob Title
Senior Technical Lead - CPU Physical Design
Role Summary
Lead physical implementation of next-generation CPU IPs from floorplanning through signoff. Provide technical leadership across the physical design lifecycle to drive PPA (performance, power, area) optimization, design convergence, methodology adoption, and execution for high-performance CPU products.
Experience Level
Senior-level. Typical candidate has 14+ years of industry experience in ASIC or CPU physical design.
Responsibilities
Accountable for physical design delivery, cross-functional coordination, and technical mentorship across multiple projects.
- Lead physical design execution for CPU IPs from design planning through signoff.
- Define and implement floorplanning, placement, CTS, routing, and signoff strategies for advanced CPU architectures.
- Drive timing closure, congestion resolution, and power/area optimization to meet aggressive PPA targets.
- Partner with Architecture, RTL, Circuit Design, DFT, CAD, Power, and Signoff teams to achieve implementation goals.
- Identify and resolve complex implementation, timing, signal/power integrity, and EM/IR issues.
- Promote methodology improvements, automation, and AI-driven workflows in collaboration with CAD teams.
- Support planning, estimation, risk assessment, execution tracking, and signoff readiness.
- Mentor engineers, participate in hiring and technical interviews, and develop engineering talent.
Requirements
Must-have technical skills and experience; preferred items noted where applicable.
- 14+ years of industry experience in ASIC or CPU physical design.
- Proven track record delivering products through complete physical implementation and signoff cycles.
- Deep expertise in floorplanning, placement & optimization, clock tree synthesis, routing, static timing analysis, and physical verification.
- Experience with signal integrity, power integrity, and EM/IR analysis.
- Hands-on experience with industry implementation and signoff tools such as Synopsys Fusion Compiler, ICC2, Cadence Innovus, PrimeTime, StarRC, RedHawk, and Calibre.
- Strong scripting and automation skills (Python, Tcl, Shell).
- Ability to evaluate implementation trade-offs and provide technical recommendations that influence architecture and design decisions.
- Experience working with geographically distributed teams and leading technical initiatives.
- Preferred: experience with high-performance CPU core, cache, fabric, or compute IP designs and advanced process technologies (Intel 18A/14A, TSMC N3/N2 or equivalent).
- Preferred: experience driving CAD methodology improvements, automation initiatives, and familiarity with AI/ML applications for design automation.
Education Requirements
M.Tech, MS, or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, VLSI, or a related discipline.
About the Company
Company: Intel Corporation
Headquarters: Santa Clara, California, USA
Intel Corporation is a leading multinational technology company known for its innovative semiconductor solutions, including microprocessors, artificial intelligence accelerators, and memory products. Headquartered in the United States, Intel focuses on cutting-edge technology and a collaborative working environment, driving advancements in semiconductor manufacturing to meet global demands. The company emphasizes professional development and aims to shape the future of technology through groundbreaking designs.
