Senior DTCO Engineer, CPU Physical Design

NVIDIA Corporation; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 136,000 - 265,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Benefits package

Competitive salary

Job summary

NVIDIA Corporation in Santa Clara, CA seeks a Senior DTCO Engineer for CPU Physical Design to advance next-generation CPUs. You will evaluate process technologies, shape technology choices, and collaborate with foundries, IP teams, and hardware groups during early development.

Requirements: Master’s or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, 5+ years in DTCO/physical design, and strong Python/Tcl/Perl scripting with AI tooling.

Qualifications

• Master’s or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of relevant CPU physical design or DTCO experience.
• Strong background in advanced-node silicon design and physical-design methodology.
• Ability to analyze physical implementation constraints and improve PPA.
• Proficiency with Python, Tcl, Perl, and AI tools.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate advanced process technologies and help shape technology choices for next-generation CPUs.
• Run synthesis, place-and-route, and static timing analysis to assess how process features affect power, performance, and area.
• Work with foundry, IP, and hardware design teams during early technology development.
• Use early pathfinding blocks to identify implementation bottlenecks and project technology-node scaling.
• Evaluate competitive products and benchmarks to understand technology and design trade-offs.

Skills

Python

Tcl

Perl

AI tools

Scripting

Education

Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering

Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Synthesis

Place-and-Route

Static Timing Analysis

DTCO tooling

Job description

NVIDIA has been transforming computer graphics, PC gaming, and accelerated computing for more than 25 years. It’s a unique legacy of innovation that’s fueled by great technology—and amazing people.

Today, we’re tapping into the unlimited potential of AI to define the next era of computing. An era in which our GPU acts as the brains of computers, robots, and self-driving cars that can understand the world. Doing what’s never been done before takes vision, innovation, and the world’s best talent. As an NVIDIAN, you’ll be immersed in a diverse, supportive environment where everyone is inspired to do their best work.

NVIDIA has continuously reinvented itself over two decades. Our invention of the GPU in 1999 sparked the growth of the PC gaming market, redefined modern computer graphics, and revolutionized parallel computing! More recently, GPU deep learning ignited modern AI — the next era of computing. NVIDIA is a “learning machine” that constantly evolves by adapting to new opportunities which are hard to tackle, that only we can pursue, and that matter to the world. This is our life’s work, to amplify human inventiveness and intelligence.

We are now looking for a motivated Senior DTCO Engineer, CPU Physical Design to join our dynamic and growing team. As a Senior DTCO Engineer, you will evaluate advanced semiconductor foundry nodes to optimize next-generation CPU microarchitecture. You will coordinate between foundry partners, IP development, and hardware design teams to explore target technology nodes during early development phases.

What you'll be doing:

• Evaluate advanced process technologies and help shape technology choices for next-generation CPUs.
• Run synthesis, place-and-route, and static timing analysis to assess how process features affect power, performance, and area.
• Work with foundry, IP, and hardware design teams during early technology development.
• Use early pathfinding blocks to identify implementation bottlenecks and project technology-node scaling.
• Evaluate competitive products and benchmarks to understand technology and design trade-offs.

What we need to see:

• Master’s or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• 5+ years of relevant experience.
• Strong background in advanced-node silicon design and physical-design methodology.
• Ability to analyze physical implementation constraints and develop technology solutions to improve PPA.
• Proficiency with Python, Tcl, Perl, or similar scripting languages, as well as AI tools.

Ways to stand out from the crowd:

• Experience with DTCO or technology pathfinding for high-performance CPUs, GPUs, or AI accelerators.
• Expertise in advanced circuit and physical-design optimization, clocking, memory, or timing-closure techniques.
• A track record of translating test-chip or silicon data into measurable product improvements.
• Strong technical leadership, with the ability to collaborate across organizations and turn complex technical trade-offs into clear recommendations.

Salary and benefits:

• Widely considered to be one of the technology world’s most desirable employers, NVIDIA offers highly competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package.
• Your base salary will be determined based on your location, experience, and the pay of employees in similar positions. The base salary range is 136,000 USD - 218,500 USD for Level 3, and 168,000 USD - 264,500 USD for Level 4.
• You will also be eligible for equity and benefits.
• www.nvidiabenefits.com/

Application deadline:

Applications for this job will be accepted at least until October 15, 2026.

Equality and Diversity Statement:

NVIDIA is committed to fostering an inclusive work environment and proud to be an equal opportunity employer. As we highly value diversity in our current and future employees, we do not discriminate (including in our hiring and promotion practices) on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status or any other characteristic protected by law.

NVIDIA pioneered accelerated computing. Today, our AI infrastructure powers global intelligence, transforming every industry. Learn more about NVIDIA.