RFIC Layout Designer (Starshield Silicon)

SpaceX; Hawthorne (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

SpaceX is seeking an RFIC Layout Designer for the Starshield Silicon team to lead the layout discipline for analog and RFIC designs and collaborate with cross-functional teams spanning systems, ASIC, firmware, verification, and production.

You will work on multiple silicon projects focused on integration, lower power, and high-frequency performance for space and ground infrastructure, coordinating with packaging, tape-out, and manufacturability activities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in electrical or computer engineering or 3+ years of IC layout experience.
• Experience with RF/mixed-signal layouts and high-frequency blocks up to 50 GHz.
• Strong analog layout skills and attention to parasitic effects.
• Proficiency with scripting (Python, Perl) is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Determine chip floor plan with power/ground distribution and pad locations.
• Estimate schedule for layout work and identify complexity.
• Layout custom RF and analog blocks with attention to matching and parasitics.
• Perform DRC/ER/ LVS checks and resolve errors.
• Integrate top-level layout with ESD structures and pad assembly and prepare tape-out.
• Collaborate with EDA vendors to trial new tools.
• Create guides and demos to share layout improvements.

Skills

Analog layout

RFIC layout

EDA tools

Python scripting

Education

Bachelor's degree in electrical or computer engineering

Tools

Cadence

Mentor Graphics

Job description

SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars.

RFIC LAYOUT DESIGNER (STARSHIELD SILICON)

Starshield leverages SpaceX’s Starlink technology and launch capability to support national security efforts. While Starlink is designed for consumer and commercial use, Starshield is designed for government use, with an initial focus on earth observation, communications, and hosted payloads. As a RFIC Layout Engineer on the Starshield team, you will be working on advanced development programs in support of U.S. National Security.

We are seeking motivated, proactive, and intellectually curious engineers who will work alongside world‑class cross‑disciplinary teams (systems architecture, ASIC design, firmware, pre‑silicon verification, post‑silicon validation, product engineering, manufacturing/production, and more). In this role, you will be on a team working on multiple silicon projects that are driving more integration, lower power, mixed signal architectures and advanced silicon technology for deployment in space and ground infrastructures. You will be an integral part of the IC design team and lead the discipline of layout at the technical level and will work with RFIC/mixed signal designers on full chip layout of custom analog and RFIC designs.

Responsibilities

• Work with the integrated circuit designers and chip leads to determine the chip floor plan; this includes strategies for power and ground distribution as well as working with packaging engineers to determine pad locations
• Accurately estimate the schedule for the layout work and identify areas of complexity that need early investigation
• Perform layout of custom RF and analog circuit blocks with attention to matching and minimizing parasitic capacitance in the layout
• Perform design rule checking, electrical rule checking and layout versus schematic checks and resolve errors
• Perform top‑level layout integration with electrostatic discharge structures and pad assembly and perform final tape out (including density fill, running design for manufacturability checks and sharing GDS with the foundry)
• Work with EDA suppliers to trial new tools and features
• Generate guides and demos for others in the team to showcase improvements in layout technique

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical or computer engineering or 3+ years of professional experience with integrated circuit layout design in lieu of a degree
• 1+ years of professional experience as an IC layout designer

Preferred Skills And Experience

• Strong analog layout skills
• Experience in advanced node IC layouts such as 16nm, 7nm, 5nm or below
• Experience in layout of circuits with frequencies up to 50GHz
• Experience in layout of sensitive RF blocks such as low noise amplifiers, voltage‑controlled oscillators and mixers
• Experience with skill programming
• Experience with shell scripting, Perl, Python or similar language