Physical Design Engineer

Physical Design Engineer – 3D-IC

Location:

Sunnyvale, CA

Work Arrangement:
Hybrid

Experience:

5–10 Years

Employment Type:

Full-Time

We are seeking an experienced Physical Design Engineer – 3D-IC to join our semiconductor engineering team. The ideal candidate will have strong hands‑on experience in ASIC/SoC Physical Design, including complete RTL-to-GDSII implementation, timing and physical signoff, and advanced-node tape-outs.

The candidate should have experience working with 5nm/3nm/2nm technologies, advanced physical design methodologies, and preferably 3D-IC, multi‑die, or heterogeneous integration. Strong scripting skills, particularly Tcl, are required for methodology development and design automation.

• Own and execute the RTL-to-GDSII physical design flow from synthesis through final signoff.
• Perform physical-aware synthesis, floor planning, power planning, placement, clock tree synthesis (CTS), routing, and optimization.
• Drive design implementation to achieve timing, power, area, and quality‑of‑results (QoR) targets.
• Perform timing closure and implement necessary ECOs throughout the design cycle.

• Support physical implementation of 3D-IC, 2.5D, heterogeneous integration, and multi-die architectures.
• Perform TSV (Through-Silicon Via) planning and analyze die-to-die interconnect considerations.
• Work with advanced packaging and 3D integration teams to address physical design challenges.
• Analyze and resolve IR drop, electromigration (EM), thermal, and signal‑integrity issues across multi-die designs.

• Perform static timing analysis (STA) and drive timing closure for high-performance designs operating at 1GHz+.
• Develop and execute MCMM/MMCM implementation and signoff strategies.
• Analyze and resolve setup/hold violations, clock skew, crosstalk, and signal‑integrity issues.
• Implement low-power designs using UPF/CPF and support power‑intent verification.
• Perform or support IR-drop and EM analysis and physical signoff.

• Develop and maintain physical design methodologies and flows.
• Create automation and productivity solutions using Tcl (mandatory), Python, and/or Perl.
• Automate repetitive implementation, analysis, reporting, and signoff tasks.
• Collaborate with IP, RTL, STA, DFT, packaging, foundry, and EDA teams to resolve implementation challenges.
• Work with foundry and IP partners to ensure technology and design requirements are met.

• 5–10 years of hands‑on experience in ASIC/SoC Physical Design.
• Multiple successful full-cycle tape-outs from RTL through GDSII.
• Experience with advanced semiconductor process nodes, preferably 5nm, 3nm, or 2nm.
• Strong understanding of the complete RTL-to-GDSII implementation flow.
• Strong experience with floor planning, placement, CTS, routing, optimization, and timing closure.
• Hands‑on experience with MCMM/MMCM, STA, signal integrity, IR drop, and EM analysis.
• Experience implementing high-frequency designs (1GHz+).
• Experience with low-power design methodologies using UPF/CPF.
• Strong hands‑on experience with one or more industry-standard EDA flows:
• Cadence:
  Innovus, Tempus, Voltus
• Synopsys: ICC2, Prime Time
• Strong Tcl scripting skills – mandatory.
• Proficiency in Python and/or Perl is highly desirable.
• Strong problem-solving and debugging skills with the ability to work across multiple design disciplines.