Physical Design Engineer; STA, SDC, MMMC San Diego, CA​/Santa Clara, CA​/Austin, TX | Onsit

• Austin, TX

Function:
Physical Design - Timing Signoff

Experience:

3 – 8 years of relevant STA / physical design experience
Engagement:
Engineering services for a leading global SoC (System-on-Chip) manufacturer

Location:

San Diego, CA /Santa Clara, CA / Austin, TX (or client site as applicable)

Education:

B.E. /

B.Tech. / M.E. / M.Tech. in ECE / EEE / VLSI / Microelectronics or equivalent

We are hiring Static Timing Analysis engineers to strengthen the timing signoff team supporting a leading SoC manufacturer on advanced-node designs. In this role you will own timing constraints, drive block- and full-chip timing closure across all modes and corners, and collaborate closely with the physical design, synthesis, and DFT teams to deliver clean, silicon-ready timing signoff.
The ideal candidate has strong fundamentals in static timing analysis, hands-on experience with industry signoff tools, and a proven track record of closing timing on complex, high-frequency designs at advanced FinFET technology nodes.

• Timing constraints (SDC):
  Develop, review, validate, and maintain timing constraints - clock definitions, generated clocks, I/O delays, false paths, multicycle paths, and clock-domain-crossing (CDC) exceptions - and ensure constraint consistency and quality.
• Timing signoff:
  Perform block-level and full-chip static timing analysis and signoff using Synopsys Prime Time / Prime Time SI (and/or Cadence Tempus) across a full multi-mode multi-corner (MMMC) setup.
• Timing closure:
  Analyze and close setup, hold, recovery/removal, and transition/capacitance violations; generate and implement timing ECOs and coordinate fixes with the place-and-route team.
• Signal integrity:
  Run crosstalk delay and noise (SI) analysis, identify and resolve SI-induced violations, and correlate with extraction and physical data.
• Parasitic correlation:
  Set up and validate RC parasitic extraction and SPEF (StarRC / Quantus QRC), manage RC corners, and ensure extraction-vs-signoff correlation.
• Variation-aware analysis:
  Apply OCV / AOCV / POCV (SOCV) derating methodologies and drive accurate margin-aware signoff.
• Hierarchical timing:
  Build and validate timing abstracts / interface models (ETM / ILM), perform interface timing budgeting, and support top-level integration for hierarchical designs.
• Low-power timing:
  Handle UPF-based multi-voltage / multi-power-domain designs, including level shifters, isolation cells, and power-aware timing checks.
• Flow & automation:
  Automate and enhance timing analysis and ECO flows using TCL / Python / Perl; improve turnaround time and reporting.
• Collaboration & signoff quality:
  Work with synthesis, P&R, CTS, DFT, and IR/EM teams; document methodology, present timing reviews, and provide silicon-ready signoff sign-off criteria and reports.

• Strong fundamentals in static timing analysis — setup/hold, recovery/removal, timing arcs, slack, path groups, clock latency, uncertainty, and derating concepts.
• Hands-on experience with Synopsys Prime Time / Prime Time SI for block and/or full-chip timing signoff.
• Proficiency in SDC constraint development, debug, and validation (clocks, I/O timing, exceptions, CDC).
• Experience with MMMC (multi-mode multi-corner) analysis and closure.
• Understanding of OCV / AOCV / POCV variation-aware timing methodologies.
• Working knowledge of crosstalk / signal-integrity analysis and noise closure.
• Familiarity with parasitic extraction and SPEF (StarRC / Quantus QRC) and RC corner concepts.
• Solid understanding of the physical design flow — synthesis, place-and-route, and clock tree synthesis — and its interaction with timing.
• Exposure to advanced technology nodes (16nm / 7nm / 5nm / 3nm FinFET).
• Strong scripting skills in TCL (mandatory);
  Python or Perl for flow automation.
• Good debugging skills, clear communication, and the ability to work in a cross-functional, delivery-driven team.