Staff Engineer, Physical Design​/Implementation

Company:
Qualcomm Canada ULC Job Area:
Engineering Group, Engineering Group > ASICS Engineering

General

Summary:

As a leading technology innovator, Qualcomm pushes the boundaries of what's possible to enable next-generation experiences and drives communication and data processing transformation to help create a smarter, connected future for all.

You will lead and drive physical design implementation for complex, large-scale retimer-class and full-reticle ASIC products in advanced technology nodes. This role requires strong technical leadership to synthesize ambiguous requirements, drive execution across cross-functional teams, and deliver high-quality silicon meeting aggressive power, performance, and area (PPA) targets.
Replacement Position

What You'll Do

• Lead and execute end-to-end Physical Design flow for SoC and retimer ASICs, including:
  • Floor planning
  • Clock Tree Synthesis (CTS)
  • Placement & Routing
  • Power Delivery Network (PDN)
  • Timing analysis and closure
• Plan and implement full-chip or hierarchical designs, including full-reticle-scale integration
• Drive timing closure across all corners and modes (MMMC), including SI-aware optimization
• Perform and review physical verification checks:
  • DRC, LVS
  • Design-for-manufacturability (DFM)
  • Design-for-yield (DFY)
• Collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams (front-end, analog/Ser Des, DFT, packaging, silicon validation) to ensure design convergence and tapeout readiness
• Lead integration of high-speed Ser Des macros and mixed-signal IP, ensuring robust floorplan and signal integrity alignment
• Drive IR/EM closure, power optimization, and congestion mitigation for large die designs
• Provide schedules, risk assessment, and execution tracking to drive successful silicon tapeouts
• Act as a strong technical contributor in design reviews and project meetings, influencing architecture and implementation decisions
• Develop and improve physical design methodologies and flows to enhance efficiency and scalability

What You'll Need:

• Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field and 3+ years of experience, OR Bachelor’s degree and 4+ years of progressive experience in ASIC Physical Design or related domain
• Strong experience with
  :
  • End-to-end ASIC Physical Design flow
  • Timing closure and signoff methodologies
  • Physical verification flows
• Hands-on expertise in industry-standard EDA tools (e.g., Cadence Innovus / Synopsys ICC2)
• Solid understanding of:
  • Power delivery and reliability (IR/EM)
  • Clocking architectures and CTS
  • Large-scale SoC integration challenges

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with high-speed Ser Des / retimer designs (PAM4-class signaling)
• Experience with full-reticle or near-reticle SoC implementation
• Familiarity with multi-die / chiplet / advanced packaging architectures
• Exposure to data center, networking, or optical connectivity ASICs
• Strong scripting and automation skills (Python, Tcl)

Key Competencies

• Proven ability to lead complex PD execution in high-pressure tapeout environments
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail
• Ability to synthesize ambiguous or conflicting requirements into execution plans
• Effective collaboration across global, cross-functional engineering teams

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Science, Engineering, or related field and 4+ years of ASIC design, verification, validation, integration, or related work experience.
• Master's degree in Science, Engineering, or related field and 3+ years of ASIC design, verification, validation, integration, or related work experience.
• PhD in Science, Engineering, or related field and 2+ years of ASIC design, verification, validation, integration, or related work experience.

Applicants
:
Qualcomm is an equal opportunity employer. If you are an individual with a disability and need an accommodation during the application/hiring process, rest assured that Qualcomm is committed to providing an accessible process. You may e-mail disabili or call Qualcomm's toll-free number found here. Upon request, Qualcomm will provide reasonable accommodations to support individuals with disabilities to be able participate in the hiring process.

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