Software R&D Engineer, VLSI Physical Design - New College Grad 2026
NVIDIAJob Title
Software R&D Engineer, VLSI Physical Design - New College Grad 2026
Role Summary
Develop and implement high-performance software for VLSI physical-design optimization inside NVIDIA's hardware organization. Work on algorithms and tools that improve chip performance, power, and area across placement, sizing, clocking, routing, and extraction flows.
Join a cross-functional R&D team that invents and deploys new optimization engines and integrates them into production design flows used by internal design teams.
Experience Level
Entry-level / New college graduate (new grads, early career). Suitable for recent Master's or PhD graduates or equivalent practical experience.
Responsibilities
Primary engineering and research responsibilities include:
- Invent and implement fused optimization engines combining multiple physical-design steps (e.g., legalization + sizing) to improve frequency and reduce power.
- Design and optimize C++ algorithms for gate-level sizing, buffering, useful clock skew, cell legalization, power minimization, ECO routing, and incremental parasitic extraction.
- Own the lifecycle from research and algorithm design through implementation and deployment with internal design teams.
- Integrate tools into existing implementation flows and collaborate with designers to validate PPA improvements.
- Maintain and optimize performance (multithreading, memory, I/O) of high-capacity software used on advanced process nodes.
Requirements
Core technical requirements and relevant skills.
- Experience developing VLSI algorithms in C++.
- Strong understanding of VLSI timing optimization concepts: cell libraries, interconnect models, crosstalk, glitches, IR drop, timing constraints, corners, and congestion.
- Familiarity with implementation and signoff tools such as ICC2, Innovus, PrimeTime, Tempus, and StarRC.
- Familiarity with design-flow scripting and automation using Perl, Tcl, and Python.
- Ability to produce high-performance software: multithreading, distributed computing, and efficient memory/I/O usage.
Nice-to-have:
- C++14+ features (lambdas, concurrency) and modern C++ practices.
- Experience fusing multiple physical-design steps into hybrid engines for improved PPA.
- Experience with reinforcement learning, GNNs, or other ML methods applied to physical design.
Education Requirements
Master's or PhD in Electrical Engineering or Computer Science, or equivalent practical experience.
About the Company
Company: NVIDIA
Headquarters: Santa Clara, California, USA
NVIDIA is a global leader in accelerated computing, renowned for its innovative solutions in AI and digital twins that transform diverse industries. The company specializes in networking technologies, providing end-to-end InfiniBand and Ethernet solutions for servers and storage that optimize performance and scalability. NVIDIA serves sectors such as high-performance computing, enterprise data centers, and cloud computing, constantly reinventing its products and services to stay ahead in the market.
