Standard Cell Design Engineer (Staff)

Job Title

Standard Cell Design Engineer (Staff)

Role Summary

As a member of Arm's Solutions Engineering Physical IP team, you will design custom standard cells for sub-3nm process nodes. The role focuses on transistor-level circuit design, layout co-optimization with physical design, characterization, modeling, and QA of standard cell libraries used in SoCs across infrastructure, client, automotive, and IoT markets.

Work within a cross-functional team including mask and physical design engineers to deliver production-quality standard cell libraries that improve performance, power, and area (PPA).

Experience Level

Senior level — Staff. Experience guidance: 8+ years relevant circuit design experience for candidates with a BSEE, or 6+ years with an MSEE.

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities include development, verification, and delivery of standard cell libraries and collaboration with adjacent teams to optimize SoC PPA.

• Design custom standard cells for advanced process nodes (sub-3nm).
• Co-optimize circuit design and physical layout with physical design engineers to improve core and SoC PPA.
• Produce optimally tuned layouts in coordination with the mask design team.
• Characterize and model all standard library views and maintain models for downstream flows.
• Validate libraries through QA flows using EDA tools and SPICE simulators.
• Iteratively refine designs based on data, variability analysis, and signoff requirements.
• Collaborate with and mentor team members; communicate technical risks and issues.

Requirements

Must-have technical skills and experience.

• Proven experience designing and verifying cells targeted to improve core and SoC PPA.
• Deep understanding of MOSFET electrical behavior, transistor-level device physics, layout, variability, and PPA tradeoffs at 3nm and below.
• Expertise in transistor-level design of static circuits, including latches and flip-flops.
• Hands-on experience with standard cell characterization, modeling, and QA flows.
• Experience with standard cell characterization tools and SPICE circuit simulators.
• Proficiency in scripting (Perl, Python, or similar).
• Ability to analyze design data, present conclusions, and iteratively improve designs.

Nice-to-have:

• Experience leading engineering teams and managing project risks.
• Familiarity with physical design implementation flow and signoff.

Education Requirements

Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) or Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (MSEE) were specified with experience guidance: 8+ years for BSEE, 6+ years for MSEE. Equivalent practical experience accepted; focus on relevant circuit design background.

About the Company

Company: Arm

Headquarters: Cambridge, United Kingdom

ARM is a global leader in semiconductor and software design, driving innovation in computing technology. The company specializes in designing processors and systems that provide the essential building blocks for electronic devices. ARM's architecture is widely used in smartphones, servers, and IoT devices, and its collaborative culture fosters bold thinking, diversity, and high-impact benefits for its talented workforce.