SoC Physical Design Engineer (Senior/Lead)
QualcommJob Title
SoC Physical Design Engineer (Senior/Lead)
Role Summary
The engineer will own end-to-end physical implementation from netlist to GDSII for complex SoC/IP blocks, driving floorplanning, placement, clock tree synthesis, routing, timing closure, and physical verification to support successful tapeouts on advanced technology nodes.
The role requires close collaboration with RTL, STA, DFT, verification, and CAD teams to resolve timing, congestion, power integrity, and signoff challenges.
Experience Level
Senior-level. Posting indicates 3–6 years of hands-on SoC/ASIC physical design experience.
Responsibilities
Primary responsibilities include:
- Own full physical design implementation from Netlist to GDSII for complex SoC/IP blocks.
- Drive floorplanning, power planning (PDN), placement, CTS, routing, STA, and timing closure.
- Perform physical verification including DRC, LVS, and signoff checks.
- Debug and resolve timing, congestion, IR drop, and other physical design issues.
- Collaborate with RTL, STA, DFT, verification, and CAD teams to meet design and tapeout goals.
- Support chip tapeouts on advanced technology nodes.
Requirements
Must-have skills and experience:
- 3–6 years of hands-on experience in SoC/ASIC physical design.
- Strong expertise in floorplanning, PDN, placement, CTS, routing, and timing closure.
- Experience with industry-standard EDA tools such as Innovus, ICC2/Fusion Compiler, PrimeTime, and Calibre.
- Good understanding of physical verification, power integrity, and signoff methodologies.
- Experience working on advanced nodes (16nm and below preferred).
- Strong debugging, problem-solving, and communication skills.
Nice-to-have:
- Experience in high-performance CPU, GPU, AI, mobile, networking, or multimedia SoCs.
- Background from leading semiconductor product companies.
Education Requirements
Minimum qualifications listed: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Engineering, or related field with 6+ years of relevant experience; OR Master's degree in those fields with 5+ years; OR PhD in those fields with 4+ years. Fields referenced include Computer Science and Electrical/Electronics Engineering. (Equivalent practical experience not explicitly stated.)
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.
