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EnCharge AI Verified
Artificial Intelligence, Semiconductor, Hardware, Deep Tech

Staff Physical Design Engineer

RemoteRemoteFull TimeStaffCA$170,000–CA$240,000 /yrPosted 2 months agoVisa sponsorship available

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Required skills

  • Staff Physical Design Engineer
  • AI hardware
  • in-memory computing
  • semiconductor chips
  • microarchitectures
  • silicon
  • block-level physical design
  • top-level physical design
  • floor-planning
  • placement

Nice to have

  • hierarchical floorplanning expertise
  • PDK management
  • foundry tapeout processes

Role summary

EnCharge AI is seeking a Staff Physical Design Engineer to lead the physical implementation of their next-generation AI semiconductor chips. This role involves driving block-level and top-level design using industry-standard EDA tools, focusing on achieving aggressive timing, power, and area (PPA) targets. Responsibilities include floor-planning, placement, CTS, routing, power grid verification, EM/IR analysis, and scripting for flow automation. The engineer will collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure design rule compliance and successful foundry tapeout, requiring 10-15 years of dedicated physical design experience and proficiency with Cadence tools and STA concepts.

EnCharge AI is a leader in advanced AI hardware and software systems for edge-to-cloud computing. EnCharge’s robust and scalable next-generation in-memory computing technology provides orders-of-magnitude higher compute efficiency and density compared to today’s best-in-class solutions. The high-performance architecture is coupled with seamless software integration and will enable the immense potential of AI to be accessible in power, energy, and space constrained applications. EnCharge AI launched in 2022 and is led by veteran technologists with backgrounds in semiconductor design and AI systems.

About the Role

EnCharge AI is looking for a highly motivated and experienced Staff Physical Design Engineer to drive the physical implementation of our next-generation semiconductor chips. In this role, you will play a critical part in translating complex microarchitectures into high-performance, power-efficient silicon. Working closely with cross-functional teams, you will own block-level and top-level implementation using industry-standard EDA tools, tackle complex timing closure and power challenges, and guide designs all the way from netlist to successful foundry tapeout.

Key Responsibilities

  • Drive block-level and top-level physical design, including floor-planning, placement, clock tree synthesis (CTS), and routing.
  • Achieve aggressive timing, power, and area (PPA) targets through advanced timing closure techniques.
  • Perform power grid verification and manage electromigration and IR drop (EM/IR) analysis and resolution.
  • Develop and maintain automation scripts (Tcl/Python) to streamline design flows and methodologies.
  • Collaborate with physical verification and foundry teams to ensure design rule compliance and successful tapeout execution.

    • Qualifications and Requirements

  • Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
  • 10–15 years of dedicated experience in physical design.
  • Strong understanding of EDA implementation flows with extensive experience using Cadence design tools.
  • Deep understanding of static timing analysis (STA) concepts and advanced timing closure methodologies.
  • Demonstrated success in top-level and block-level physical design, with hierarchical floorplanning expertise a strong plus.
  • Proficiency in low-power design techniques, debugging, and EM/IR check resolution/power grid verification.
  • Strong scripting skills in Tcl or Python for design flow automation.
  • Solid understanding of advanced process nodes and physical verification requirements associated with routing.
  • Experience with physical design methodology, flow setup, and advanced flow evaluations.
  • Prior experience with PDK management or foundry tapeout processes is highly desirable.

    • EnCharge AI is an equal employment opportunity employer in the United States.

    The salary range for this position is $170,000 to $240,000 USD ($170,000 to $230,000 CAD) per year. Actual compensation offered will be determined based on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

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