Senior Physical Design Engineer Jobs
Senior Physical Design Engineer jobs are open across semiconductor, consumer electronics, and automotive industries, from mid-level to staff and principal engineer, with specializations in floorplanning, clock tree synthesis, and timing closure. Find a role that fits from the openings below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 48+ Senior Physical Design Engineer jobs
Note: By applying to this position you will have an opportunity to share your preferred working location from the following: Austin, TX, USA; Mountain View, CA, USA.
Minimum qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
- 8 years of experience with high-speed digital design, implementation, and Power, Performance, and Area (PPA) optimization.
- Experience with sign-off convergence domains, including Static Timing Analysis (STA), electrical checks, or physical verification.
Preferred qualifications:
- Master's degree or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or Computer Science, with an emphasis on computer architecture.
- Experience with advanced process nodes (e.g., 5nm, 3nm, 2nm, or below).
- Experience applying AI/ML-assisted techniques for physical design closure and PPA scaling.
- Proficiency in scripting (Python, Tcl, Perl) and data mining for QoR metrics.
- Understanding of EMIR flows, power grid design, and design reliability for high-frequency circuits.
About the job
Be part of a team that pushes boundaries, developing custom silicon solutions that power the future of Google's direct-to-consumer products. You'll contribute to the innovation behind products loved by millions worldwide. Your expertise will shape the next generation of hardware experiences, delivering unparalleled performance, efficiency, and integration.
Google's mission is to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful. Our team combines the best of Google AI, Software, and Hardware to create radically helpful experiences. We research, design, and develop new technologies and hardware to make computing faster, seamless, and more powerful. We aim to make people's lives better through technology.
Individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.US: $163000 - $236000 (USD) + 15% bonus target + equity + benefits
Learn more about benefits at Google.
Responsibilities
- Partner with architecture, RTL, and DFT teams to optimize Power, Performance, and Area trade-offs.
- Own block and IP-level physical design implementation from synthesis through Place and Route.
- Debug critical timing paths and apply advanced physical design techniques to solve timing challenges.
- Execute signoff activities, including Static Timing Analysis, power recovery, and electrical layout checks.
Note: By applying to this position you will have an opportunity to share your preferred working location from the following: Austin, TX, USA; Mountain View, CA, USA.
Minimum qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
- 8 years of experience with high-speed digital design, implementation, and Power, Performance, and Area (PPA) optimization.
- Experience with sign-off convergence domains, including Static Timing Analysis (STA), electrical checks, or physical verification.
Preferred qualifications:
- Master's degree or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or Computer Science, with an emphasis on computer architecture.
- Experience with advanced process nodes (e.g., 5nm, 3nm, 2nm, or below).
- Experience applying AI/ML-assisted techniques for physical design closure and PPA scaling.
- Proficiency in scripting (Python, Tcl, Perl) and data mining for QoR metrics.
- Understanding of EMIR flows, power grid design, and design reliability for high-frequency circuits.
About the job
Be part of a team that pushes boundaries, developing custom silicon solutions that power the future of Google's direct-to-consumer products. You'll contribute to the innovation behind products loved by millions worldwide. Your expertise will shape the next generation of hardware experiences, delivering unparalleled performance, efficiency, and integration.
Google's mission is to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful. Our team combines the best of Google AI, Software, and Hardware to create radically helpful experiences. We research, design, and develop new technologies and hardware to make computing faster, seamless, and more powerful. We aim to make people's lives better through technology.
Individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.US: $163000 - $236000 (USD) + 15% bonus target + equity + benefits
Learn more about benefits at Google.
Responsibilities
- Partner with architecture, RTL, and DFT teams to optimize Power, Performance, and Area trade-offs.
- Own block and IP-level physical design implementation from synthesis through Place and Route.
- Debug critical timing paths and apply advanced physical design techniques to solve timing challenges.
- Execute signoff activities, including Static Timing Analysis, power recovery, and electrical layout checks.
Senior Physical Design Engineer Jobs by Experience Level
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Find JobsSenior Physical Design Engineer Job Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software
- Consulting & Professional Services
- Aerospace & Defense
- Electronics & Hardware
- Construction & Real Estate
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in senior physical design engineer jobs.
- 5+ years of experience in physical design at advanced process nodes
- Proficiency in Cadence Innovus or Synopsys IC Compiler for full-flow implementation
- Hands-on experience with floorplanning, placement, routing, and timing closure
- Strong understanding of static timing analysis using PrimeTime or similar tools
- Bachelor's or master's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or a related field
- Experience with DRC and LVS signoff using Mentor Calibre or equivalent verification tools
Tips for Your Senior Physical Design Engineer Job Search
Quantify your physical design tape-outs
Hiring managers want to see how many tape-outs you've contributed to and at what process nodes. List the technology node, die size, and your specific ownership area, like top-level integration or partition-level timing closure, for each project on your resume.
Target openings by process node generation
Companies working at advanced nodes like 3nm or 5nm filter for very different skill sets than those at 16nm or 28nm. Read job descriptions carefully for the node family and prioritize roles where your hands-on experience is a direct match.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists senior physical design engineer openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Tailor your resume to EDA tool stacks
Cadence Innovus, Synopsys IC Compiler, and Mentor Calibre all appear in job descriptions by name. Mirror the exact tool names used in each posting rather than writing generic phrases like 'industry-standard EDA tools' to pass automated screening.
Prepare a timing closure narrative for interviews
Most technical screens for this role include a deep-dive on how you've resolved setup or hold violations under tight PPA constraints. Walk in ready to describe a specific closure challenge, the root cause, and the physical implementation change that resolved it.
Negotiate using scope, not just title
At the senior level, compensation packages differ significantly based on block ownership and tape-out frequency. Before accepting an offer, clarify how many active tapes you'd own per year and whether the role includes sign-off authority, both of which affect your leverage.
Senior Physical Design Engineer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most senior physical design engineers?
The companies hiring the most senior physical design engineers right now include Amazon Web Services, NVIDIA, and SpaceX, with the largest share of openings in California, Texas, and Colorado, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Demand is concentrated at chip design companies and semiconductor IP providers actively preparing new tape-outs.
How many senior physical design engineer jobs are remote?
About 60% of senior physical design engineer openings are fully remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting the hands-on EDA tool access most roles require. Sub-specializations in front-end physical verification review and timing analysis consulting tend to have a higher share of remote-eligible positions than full-flow implementation roles.
How do you become a senior physical design engineer?
Start with a degree in electrical or computer engineering and gain foundational experience in digital backend flows, including synthesis, placement, and routing. Build expertise at a specific process node family, earn proficiency in at least one major EDA tool suite, and contribute to multiple tape-outs in progressively larger ownership scopes until you can independently close a full partition.
Can you get hired as a senior physical design engineer with limited experience?
Most senior physical design engineer roles require documented tape-out experience, so candidates without it face a real barrier at the senior level specifically. A realistic path is to apply for mid-level physical design roles first, complete one or two full tape-outs with clear ownership of a functional block, and then move laterally into a senior position once that experience is on your record.
What does the senior physical design engineer interview process look like?
The process typically begins with a recruiter screen, followed by a technical phone interview focused on physical design fundamentals like clock tree synthesis and timing constraints. A deeper technical loop with senior engineers or architects then covers hands-on problem-solving, often including a whiteboard or take-home exercise around floorplanning or timing closure. A final round with hiring managers and cross-functional leads closes the process.
Where can I find and apply to senior physical design engineer jobs?
You can find and apply to senior physical design engineer jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Search the listings to find roles that match your process node experience and EDA tool background, then apply directly to each opening that fits.
See All 48 Senior Physical Design Engineer Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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