Physical Design Engineer (PnR / PPA / Timing Closure) - Austin TX

Job Description

We are looking for a Physical Design Engineer with strong expertise in Place & Route (PnR), Power-Performance-Area (PPA) optimization, and timing convergence for advanced technology nodes.

Key Responsibilities

Drive block-level physical design implementation from netlist to GDSII.

Perform floorplanning, power planning, placement, clock tree synthesis (CTS), routing, and physical verification.

Optimize designs for Power, Performance, and Area (PPA) targets.

Achieve timing closure across multiple corners and modes.

Analyze and resolve setup, hold, transition, capacitance, and noise violations.

Develop and maintain timing constraints (SDC) and STA signoff methodologies.

Perform EMIR (Electromigration & IR Drop) analysis and closure.

Collaborate with RTL, DFT, STA, and Signoff teams to ensure successful tapeout.

Debug physical design issues and drive design convergence within project schedules.

Required Skills

Strong experience in Physical Design and PnR flow.

Hands-on expertise in:

o Floorplanning

o Placement & Optimization

o Clock Tree Synthesis (CTS)

o Routing

o Timing Closure

o Static Timing Analysis (STA)

o Timing Constraints (SDC)

o EMIR Analysis

o PPA Optimization

Experience with industry-standard EDA tools such as:

o Synopsys Fusion Compiler / ICC2

o PrimeTime

o Cadence Innovus (optional)

o RedHawk / Voltus (EMIR)

Good understanding of low-power design techniques and signoff methodologies.

Preferred Qualifications

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical/Electronics Engineering.

Experience in advanced nodes (7nm/5nm/3nm preferred).

Strong debugging and problem-solving skills.

Experience working with cross-functional silicon teams.