Principal Physical Design Engineer (Full Chip Expert)

Aion Silicon; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 130,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Aion Silicon is seeking a Principal Physical Design Engineer to lead complete physical implementation of complex SoCs and ASICs. You will own RTL handoff to sign‑off and GDSII generation, coordinating with RTL, STA, DFT, packaging, foundry and EDA partners globally.

You will mentor engineers, drive design strategies for 7nm and below, and ensure timely tape‑outs while staying ahead with industry best practices.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of Physical Design experience with a proven track record of full‑chip delivery.
• Expertise in advanced technology nodes (7nm, 5nm and below).
• Experience delivering multiple complex SoC or ASIC tape‑outs.
• Demonstrated leadership mentoring and developing engineers.
• Strong customer engagement and stakeholder management skills.
• Excellent communication and ability to influence technical direction across teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead full‑chip physical implementation for complex SoC and ASIC designs.
• Define and drive chip‑level physical design strategies, methodologies and best practices.
• Coordinate with RTL, STA, DFT, Packaging, Foundry and EDA partners to achieve design closure.
• Mentor and coach Physical Design engineers and drive team capability development.
• Review and approve block‑level physical design deliverables before integration.
• Lead technical reviews, debug sessions and closure activities.
• Support recruitment activities and help build a world‑class team.
• Represent the company at universities, conferences and industry events to promote innovation.

Education

Master's or PhD in a relevant engineering discipline

Tools

ICC2

Fusion Compiler

PrimeTime

StarRC

ICV

Innovus

Tempus

Voltus

Genus

Calibre

Job description

Principal Physical Design Engineer (Full Chip Expert)

Location: Global / Hybrid
Department: Engineering
Reports to: Physical Design Function Lead

Join Aion Silicon and Shape the Future of Semiconductor Innovation

At Aion Silicon, we\'re seeking an experienced Principal Physical Design Engineer to lead the physical implementation of complex, cutting‑edge SoCs and ASICs. This is a senior technical leadership role for a recognised Full‑Chip Physical Design expert who thrives on solving complex challenges, mentoring engineering teams, and driving successful tape‑outs on advanced technology nodes.

You will take ownership of the complete physical design flow, from RTL/netlist handoff through to final sign‑off and GDSII generation, working closely with cross‑functional teams across the globe.

What You\'ll Be Doing

• Lead full-chip physical implementation for complex SoC and ASIC designs.


• Define and drive chip‑level physical design strategies, methodologies and best practices.


• Coordinate closely with RTL, STA, DFT, Packaging, Foundry and EDA partners to achieve successful design closure.


• Mentor and coach Physical Design engineers, supporting capability development across the team.


• Review and approve block‑level physical design deliverables before integration.


• Lead technical reviews, debug sessions and closure activities.


• Support recruitment activities and contribute to building a world‑class Physical Design team.


• Represent Aion Silicon at universities, conferences and industry events, sharing technical expertise and promoting innovation.


• Ensure the team remains at the forefront of industry methodologies, tools and advanced‑node technologies.

What We\'re Looking For

• 10+ years of Physical Design experience with a proven track record of full-chip delivery.


• Strong expertise in advanced technology nodes, including 7nm, 5nm and below.


• Experience delivering multiple complex SoC or ASIC tape‑outs.


• Demonstrated leadership experience mentoring and developing engineers.


• Strong customer engagement and stakeholder management skills.


• Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence technical direction across multiple teams.

Technical Expertise

Full‑Chip Floorplanning & Integration

• Chip‑level floorplanning and macro placement


• IO ring integration


• Hierarchical and flat implementation flows


• Pin placement, channel planning and congestion management

Power Planning & Package Integration

• Power grid design and optimisation


• Multi‑voltage domains and power gating


• IR drop and electromigration analysis


• Bump planning and package co‑design

Clock Tree Synthesis

• Multi‑domain and multi‑level CTS


• Clock mesh, H‑tree and fishbone architectures


• Skew, latency and jitter optimisation


• Low‑power clocking techniques

Placement, Routing & Timing Closure

• Full‑chip placement and routing


• Signal integrity, crosstalk and antenna resolution


• MCMM timing analysis


• STA sign‑off and timing ECO implementation


• Hierarchical timing budgeting and closure

Physical Verification & Tape‑Out

• DRC, LVS and ERC sign‑off


• RC extraction and correlation


• Reliability and noise analysis


• GDSII/OASIS generation and foundry handoff

EDA Tool Expertise

Strong working knowledge of one or more industry‑leading tool flows, including:

• Synopsys (ICC2, Fusion Compiler, PrimeTime, StarRC, ICV)


• Cadence (Innovus, Tempus, Voltus, Genus)


• Mentor Calibre

Desirable Experience

• DFT integration and ECO flows


• 2.5D/3D‑IC and chiplet‑based architectures


• Advanced packaging technologies


• Master\'s or PhD in a relevant engineering discipline

Personal Attributes

• Leads through collaboration, trust and transparency.


• Thrives in a fast‑paced environment and enjoys solving complex technical challenges.


• Demonstrates strong ownership and accountability.


• Has a passion for mentoring and developing others.


• Is adaptable, resilient and able to navigate changing priorities.


• Embodies Aion Silicon\'s values and contributes positively to our culture.

Why Join Aion Silicon?

At Aion Silicon, you\'ll work alongside exceptional engineers on some of the industry's most challenging semiconductor projects. You\'ll have the opportunity to influence technical strategy, mentor future talent, and help shape the next generation of silicon solutions.

If you\'re a recognised Full‑Chip Physical Design expert ready to make a significant impact, we\'d love to hear from you.

Apply today and help us design the future.