Staff Physical Design Engineer
QualcommJob Title
Staff Physical Design Engineer
Role Summary
Join Qualcomm's ASIC/physical design team to define, model, design, optimize, verify, validate, implement, and document IP blocks and SoC physical design for high-performance, low-power products. The role works across hardware and software teams to meet system-level requirements and deliver production-ready silicon.
Experience Level
Senior level. The posting indicates minimum practical ASIC experience (examples below); preferred candidates have multiple years of ASIC/physical design experience (the posting notes preferred 3+ years in related ASIC work).
Responsibilities
Key responsibilities focus on physical design and full ASIC block/SoC implementation from architecture through tapeout.
- Define architectures, circuit specifications, logic designs, and system simulations based on system requirements.
- Perform physical design flow tasks: synthesis, place and route, timing and power analysis, and signoff activities.
- Apply digital and/or analog ASIC design techniques to optimize for performance, power, and area.
- Execute RTL-to-GDS flows and work with EDA tools (including custom layout flows where applicable).
- Develop and execute verification, validation, and integration strategies for IP/SoC blocks.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams (software, hardware architecture, verification) to define implementation strategies and resolve cross-domain issues.
- Produce detailed technical documentation for EDA, IP, and ASIC projects.
Requirements
Must-have technical skills and experience. Education degree requirements are summarized separately under Education Requirements.
- Practical ASIC experience in design, verification, validation, or integration for block/SoC development.
- Experience with architecture and design tools and design verification methods.
- Familiarity with RTL-to-GDS flow and common EDA tools; experience with place-and-route, timing, and power analysis.
- Scripting and programming experience to automate flows and support tool usage.
- Strong technical writing and communication skills; ability to collaborate across teams and influence technical decisions.
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and handle multi-step tasks requiring planning and problem solving.
- Preferred: hands-on experience with Virtuoso or other custom layout tools and prior work on high-performance, low-power ASIC projects.
Education Requirements
Minimum qualifications specify a Bachelor's in Science, Engineering, or related field plus 2+ years ASIC experience; OR a Master's in Science, Engineering, or related field plus 1+ year ASIC experience; OR a PhD in Science, Engineering, or related field. Preferred fields include Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Computer Science.
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.
