Senior Physical Design Engineer

Intel Corporation; Hillsboro (OR); On-site; USD 142,000 - 269,000; Full time

Job summary

Intel Corporation in Hillsboro, Oregon seeks a Senior Physical Design Engineer (CPU) to own blocks within CPU core design, guiding RTL-to-GDS turnaround. You will run synthesis, floorplanning, place-and-route, and design closure, while analyzing STA and power.

Collaborate with RTL, verification, and full-chip teams to optimize PPA and establish robust design flows. The role emphasizes ownership, cross-functional teamwork, and clear technical communication, in a fast-paced semiconductor

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's in Computer/ Electrical Engineering with 4+ years (Masters) or 7+ years (Bachelor's) experience.
• Experience with integrated circuit design tools (Synthesis, P&R, STA, PV convergence) and design closure.
• Scripting in TCL (plus Perl/Python/Ruby).
• Experience with one or more digital block synthesis integrated into large SoC/IP.

Responsibilities

• Own physical design and implementation of CPU core blocks/subsystems.
• Execute synthesis, floorplanning, place-and-route, and design closure.
• Perform STA, power analysis, and physical verification.
• Drive convergence of timing, power, and area (PPA) metrics.
• Debug and resolve complex design issues across design stages.
• Develop and optimise design flows and automation scripts.
• Collaborate with RTL, verification, clocking, and full-chip teams.
• Provide guidance to junior engineers where applicable.

Skills

Problem solving

Ownership

Cross-functional collaboration

Clear communication

Education

Bachelor's in Computer or Electrical Engineering

Master's in Computer or Electrical Engineering

Tools

Synopsys

Cadence

Fusion Compiler

ICC2

PrimeTime

Genus

Innovus

Job description

Job Details: Job Description: About the Role

Join a team developing next-generation CPU cores that power client, server, IoT, and AI platforms. As a Senior Physical Design Engineer (CPU), you will play a key role in delivering high-performance, power-efficient silicon solutions. You will take ownership of blocks within the CPU core design, driving implementation from RTL to GDS and contributing to advanced physical design methodologies.

What You’ll Do

Key responsibilities will include but not limited to:

• Own physical design and implementation of CPU core blocks or subsystems
• Execute synthesis, floorplanning, place and route, and design closure
• Perform static timing analysis (STA), power analysis, and physical verification
• Drive convergence of timing, power, and area (PPA) metrics
• Debug and resolve complex design issues across multiple design stages
• Develop and optimise design flows and automation scripts
• Collaborate cross-functionally with RTL design, verification, clocking, and full-chip teams
• Contribute to improving design methodologies and best practices
• Provide guidance to junior engineers where applicable

Behavioral traits that we are looking for:

• Strong problem-solving and analytical thinking
• Takes ownership and accountability for deliverables
• Collaborates effectively across multidisciplinary teams
• Communicates technical concepts clearly and concisely
• Prioritises work effectively in a fast-paced environment
• Continuously learns and applies new tools and methodologies

Why Join Us

Work on cutting-edge CPU core designs that power client, server, IoT, and AI platforms used worldwide. Be part of a team driving innovation at advanced semiconductor process nodes. Contribute across the full RTL-to-GDS flow, gaining exposure to complex, high-impact silicon design. Collaborate with experienced engineers across architecture, design, and full-chip integration. Grow your technical expertise through challenging problems, modern tools, and continuous learning opportunities. Join a culture that values inclusion, collaboration, and diverse perspectives while delivering industry-leading technology. Intel invests in our people and offers a complete and competitive package of benefits employees and their families through every stage of life. See Intel Benefits for more details.

Qualifications

You must possess the below minimum qualifications to be initially considered for this position. Preferred qualifications are in addition to the minimum requirements and are considered a plus factor in identifying top candidates. Note: For information on Intel’s immigration sponsorship guidelines, please see Intel U.S. Immigration Sponsorship Information

• Bachelors in Computer / Electrical Engineering or related field with 7+ years of relevant work experience.
• Or a Masters in the same field with 4+ years of relevant work experience.

Your experience described above must be in the following:

• Experience with integrated circuit design tools (ex: Synopsys/Cadence), including logic synthesis, place and route, static timing analysis and design closure PV convergence (including static timing and power analysis) Chip physical design verification including formal equivalence, timing, electrical rules, DRC/LVS, Noise and electro-migration checks.
• Scripting in an interpreted language, minimum TCL in addition to at least one other (e.g. Perl, Python, Ruby)
• Experience with one or more of the following areas: Synthesis of a digital logic block, which was integrated into a large SoC or IP

Preferred Qualifications and Experience

• Industry experience/exposure with CPU Micro-Architecture
• Physical design best known practices concerning floor-planning, routing techniques, clock distribution
• Static Timing Analysis, Noise analysis, and reliability verification techniques
• RTL to GDS methodologies and formal equivalence
• Synopsys tool suite (Fusion compiler, ICC2, PrimeTime) or Cadence (genus/innovus)

Job Type: Experienced Hire

Shift: Shift 1 (United States of America)

Primary Location: US, Oregon, Hillsboro

Additional Locations:

Posting Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, religious creed, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, military and veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, gender, gender expression, gender identity, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by local law, regulation, or ordinance.

Position of Trust N/A

Benefits

We offer a total compensation package that ranks among the best in the industry. It consists of competitive pay, stock bonuses, and benefit programs which include health, retirement, and vacation. Find out more about the benefits of working at Intel.

• Annual Salary Range for jobs which could be performed in the US: $141,910.00-269,100.00 USD The range displayed on this job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target compensation for the position across all US locations.

Work Model for this Role

This role will require an on-site presence.

Job posting details (such as work model, location or time type) are subject to change.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Intel is committed to Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) compliance and ethical hiring practices. We do not charge any fees during our hiring process. Candidates should never be required to pay recruitment fees, medical examination fees, or any other charges as a condition of employment. If you are asked to pay any fees during our hiring process, please report this immediately to your recruiter.

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