CPU Custom Circuit Lead

NUVACORE; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

None

Job summary

NUVACORE is seeking a Custom Design Lead to steer a team developing high-performance memory blocks (SRAMs and register files) for next-gen CPUs. You will drive schematic, layout, and signoff, coordinating with RTL/DFT, foundries, and CAD teams to ensure silicon success.

You will define memory specifications, optimize timing and power, and advance automation across design flows, maturing processes and tools for faster, reliable tape-outs.

Qualifications

• 12+ years in custom memory circuit design (SRAMs and/or Register files).
• Hands-on transistor-level design in advanced CMOS nodes.
• Proficient with EDA tools for schematic, layout, extraction, characterization.
• Experience delivering production-level custom memory IP with silicon-validated PPA.
• Knowledge of end-to-end signoff: DRC/LVS/antenna, extraction, STA, EM/IR.

Responsibilities

• Lead a small team of engineers for custom memories development.
• Oversee schematic development and characterization to optimize PPA.
• Supervise layout, macro floorplanning, routing, and PDV closure.
• Manage end-to-end memory IP signoff across PVT with DRC/LVS/antenna and extraction.
• Collaborate with Foundry/PDK, CAD, Physical Design, RTL and DFT teams to optimize IP.
• Provide explicit memory specs to RTL and drive design methodologies and automation.

Skills

custom memory design

SPICE simulations

EDA tools

signoff workflows

Python

team leadership

PPA optimization

DFT/CCS

Education

BS/MS/PhD in Electrical Engineering

Tools

SPICE

Liberty/CCS

Python

Perl

TCL

Job description

Nuvacore is building ground-up high performance, low-power CPU for next-generation compute workloads. As a member of the CPU-specific custom circuit design team, you will enable the design to achieve the target PPA specifications for the product.

THE ROLE

As a Custom Design Lead, you will participate in and direct work in the following:

• Lead a small team of engineers responsible for development of custom memories (SRAM and register files) used in development of a high performance CPU
• Manage and help participate in schematic development and characterization of custom memories (SRAM, register files) to optimize PPA at advanced process nodes.
• Supervise layout implementation, defining macro floor planning, critical routing specifications, and driving physical design verification (PDV) closure.
• Manage engineers performing end-to-end memory IP signoff: schematic and layout through DRC/LVS/antenna, parasitic extraction, and characterization (timing, power, and noise in Liberty/CCS format) across PVT corners, meeting target PPA commitments.
• Partner with Foundry/PDK, CAD, Physical Design, RTL and DFT teams to benchmark new process technology, validate IP on testchips, and co-optimize custom memories for downstream design PPA.
• Collaborate closely with RTL, providing explicit custom memory functional specifications, timing behaviors, and state definitions to support accurate RTL modeling.
• Define and drive adoption of Tools, Flows, and Methodology (TFM) — including characterization automation and compiler QA — to raise design efficiency and set team-wide best practices.

Minimum Qualifications

• Hold a BS, MS, or PhD degree with 12+ years of experience in custom memory circuit design - SRAMs, and/or Register files.
• Hands-on transistor-level circuit design experience with combo cells, sequential logic in static/dynamic logic families, as well as memory arrays — bit cells, sense amps, decoders — in advanced CMOS nodes.
• Deep knowledge of SPICE simulations, SRAMs / Register File circuit margins, and special memory cells architecture.
• Proficient with industry-standard EDA tools for schematic, layout, extraction, and characterization, applied to custom memory design workflows.
• Demonstrated track record delivering production-level custom memory IP through tape-out, with silicon-validated PPA in high-volume products.
• Deep understanding of end-to-end signoff for custom memories — DRC/LVS/antenna, extraction, Spice margins, STA, EM/IR — and characterization flows spanning timing, power, and noise.
• Well-versed in STA and Liberty/CCS lib model development and correlation, including timing and power characterization for both Functional and DFT (Design for Test) modes.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, comfortable working directly with foundry, CAD, and physical design partner teams.

Requirements — Preferred

• Experience managing engineers and providing technical leadership to a custom circuit team
• Substantial experience across the full embedded memory design flow — architecture, circuit design, physical implementation, compiler automation, characterization, and timing/model generation.
• Experience designing and optimizing complex memory sub-blocks (self timed design tracking loops, read/write assist schemes, power-gating headers) and translating PDK device characteristics into cell/bit-cell circuit decisions.
• Proven PPA-focused execution, including SRAM architecture trade-offs, critical-path modeling, full-cut analysis, and extensive Monte Carlo variation studies.
• Demonstrated experience converging on macro verification, including functional formal equivalence (LEC) and dynamic SPICE-versus-RTL co-simulation (cosim) methods.
• Experience partnering directly with foundries on PDK bring-up and device co-optimization (DTCO) at leading-edge nodes.
• Proficient in Python, Perl, or TCL to build and improve design, characterization, and QA automation.
• Experience using Agentic AI tools for productivity and automation.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.