Physical Design Engineer

  • Location:
    San Jose, California, US
  • Area of Interest
    Engineer - Hardware
  • Compensation Range
    133300 USD - 186800 USD
  • Job Type
    Professional
  • Technology Interest
    Networking
  • Job Id
    1430971

Meet the Team

The Common Hardware Group (CHG) delivers the silicon, optics, and hardware platforms for Cisco's core Switching, Routing, and Wireless products. Come join us and take part in shaping Cisco's ground-breaking solutions by designing, developing and testing some of the most complex ASICs being developed.

Your Impact

As a physical design engineer you will be spearheading the implementation of complex multi-hierarchy designs, ensuring robust physical design processes like logic synthesis and static timing analysis. By resolving design challenges and driving the execution of innovative solutions, you will impact the successful delivery of high-quality ASIC and SoC designs, including the creation of custom macros, contributing to our team's efficiency and success. Responsibilities include:

  • Develop and own physical design implementation of multi-hierarchy designs including physical aware logic synthesis, design for testability, floorplan, place and route, static timing analysis, IR Drop, EM, and physical verification in advanced technology nodes.
  • Resolve design and flow issues related to physical design, identify potential solutions, and drive execution.
  • Deliver physical design of an end-to-end IP or integration of ASIC/SoC design.
  • Design custom macros like PLL, GPIO design and RDL connections.

Minimum Qualifications:

  • BS in Electrical Engineering or Computer Science, with 5+ year minimum of hands-on experience in ASIC implementation and Physical verification.
  • Hands-on experience in physical synthesis, floor planning, P&R, and timing closure of high-performance designs with a focus on improving PPA (Performance, Power, Area).
  • Experience and knowledge of hardware architecture and RTL/logic design for timing closure, specifically experience in critical timing path planning and crafting.
  • Expertise and hands-on knowledge of industry standard EDA tools for Synthesis, P&R and Timing.
  • Experience with deep sub-micron process nodes and hands-on expertise in modeling and optimizing high-performance designs within these nodes.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • MS in Electrical Engineering or Computer Science, with 3+ year minimum of hands-on experience in ASIC implementation and Physical verification.
  • Experience working with block or full chip physical verification and/or owning Physical Verification CAD flow development and support.
  • Basic TCL and python scripting.
  • Experience on 7nm nodes and below.
  • Prior experience working with semiconductor foundries on installation, and maintenance of process design kits (PDKs) for SOC physical design teams.

Why Cisco?

#WeAreCisco. We are all unique, but collectively we bring our talents to work as a team, to develop innovative technology and power a more inclusive, digital future for everyone. How do we do it? Well, for starters – with people like you!

Nearly every internet connection around the world touches Cisco. We’re the Internet’s optimists. Our technology makes sure the data travelling at light speed across connections does so securely, yet it’s not what we make but what we make happen which marks us out. We’re helping those who work in the health service to connect with patients and each other; schools, colleges and universities to teach in even the most challenging of times. We’re helping businesses of all shapes and size to connect with their employees and customers in new ways, providing people with access to the digital skills they need and connecting the most remote parts of the world – whether through 5G, or otherwise.

We tackle whatever challenges come our way. We have each other’s backs, we recognize our accomplishments, and we grow together. We celebrate and support one another – from big and small things in life to big career moments. And giving back is in our DNA (we get 10 days off each year to do just that).

We know that powering an inclusive future starts with us. Because without diversity and a dedication to equality, there is no moving forward. Our 30 Inclusive Communities, that bring people together around commonalities or passions, are leading the way. Together we’re committed to learning, listening, caring for our communities, whilst supporting the most vulnerable with a collective effort to make this world a better place either with technology, or through our actions.

So, you have colorful hair? Don’t care. Tattoos? Show off your ink. Like polka dots? That’s cool. Pop culture geek? Many of us are. Passion for technology and world changing? Be you, with us! #WeAreCisco


Message to applicants applying to work in the U.S. and/or Canada:

When available, the salary range posted for this position reflects the projected hiring range for new hire, full-time salaries in U.S. and/or Canada locations, not including equity or benefits. For non-sales roles the hiring ranges reflect base salary only; employees are also eligible to receive annual bonuses. Hiring ranges for sales positions include base and incentive compensation target. Individual pay is determined by the candidate's hiring location and additional factors, including but not limited to skillset, experience, and relevant education, certifications, or training. Applicants may not be eligible for the full salary range based on their U.S. or Canada hiring location. The recruiter can share more details about compensation for the role in your location during the hiring process.

U.S. employees have access to quality medical, dental and vision insurance, a 401(k) plan with a Cisco matching contribution, short and long-term disability coverage, basic life insurance and numerous wellbeing offerings. Employees receive up to twelve paid holidays per calendar year, which includes one floating holiday, plus a day off for their birthday. Employees accrue up to 20 days of Paid Time Off (PTO) each year and have access to paid time away to deal with critical or emergency issues without tapping into their PTO. We offer additional paid time to volunteer and give back to the community. Employees are also able to purchase company stock through our Employee Stock Purchase Program.

Employees on sales plans earn performance-based incentive pay on top of their base salary, which is split between quota and non-quota components. For quota-based incentive pay, Cisco typically pays as follows:

.75% of incentive target for each 1% of revenue attainment up to 50% of quota;

1.5% of incentive target for each 1% of attainment between 50% and 75%;

1% of incentive target for each 1% of attainment between 75% and 100%; and once performance exceeds 100% attainment, incentive rates are at or above 1% for each 1% of attainment with no cap on incentive compensation.

For non-quota-based sales performance elements such as strategic sales objectives, Cisco may pay up to 125% of target. Cisco sales plans do not have a minimum threshold of performance for sales incentive compensation to be paid.

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