Senior Software R&D Engineer, ECO Route - VLSI EDA

NVIDIA Gruppe; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 168,000 - 311,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity compensation

Benefits package

Job summary

NVIDIA is seeking a senior-level engineer in California to develop incremental physical-design technology and advanced routing algorithms. The role involves ownership from concept to production, tackling ECOs with DRC-aware solutions, and integrating cross-domain optimization across logic, timing, clocks, and power delivery.

Ideal candidates have 5+ years of relevant experience, strong C++ expertise, and a track record in high-performance software architecture and algorithm development.

Qualifications

• MS, PhD, or equivalent experience with 5+ years of relevant experience.
• Strong expertise in C++, high-performance software architecture and algorithms.
• Deep understanding of detailed routing, including DRC-aware implementation.
• Understanding of ECO co-optimization with clocks, DFT, and power delivery.

Responsibilities

• Develop incremental physical-design technology that can rapidly implement high-performance logic changes with DRC and parasitic awareness for all-layer and metal-only ECOs.
• Invent improved detailed-routing algorithms for DRC constraints in latest manufacturing processes.
• Help craft cross-domain optimization tools that consider logic, timing, clocks, testability, power distribution, placement, routing, and DRCs.
• Own problems end-to-end—from algorithm invention through implementation, validation, and production deployment.

Skills

C++

Algorithms

High-performance software

Memory efficiency

Data structures

Education

MS/PhD or equivalent

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.

NVIDIA's world-leading hardware relies on design exploration beyond the limits of conventional tools. Our team develops highly optimized internal EDA technology by combining novel algorithms, parallel computing, machine learning, and high-performance C++.

What you’ll be doing:

• Develop incremental physical-design technology that can rapidly implement high-performance logic changes with DRC and parasitic awareness, including for both all-layer and metal-only ECOs.
• Invent improved detailed-routing algorithms for the intricate mix of discrete and continuous optimization problems arising from DRC constraints in the latest manufacturing processes.
• Help craft cross-domain optimization tools that simultaneously consider logic, timing, clocks, testability, power distribution, placement, along with routing and DRCs to push the frontier of computing performance.
• Own problems end-to-end—from algorithm invention through implementation, validation, and production deployment.

What we need to see:

• MS, PhD, or equivalent experience, with 5+ years of relevant experience.
• Strong expertise in C++, high-performance software architecture and algorithm development, including complexity, data structures, and memory efficiency.
• Deep understanding of detailed routing, including advanced design rules, pin access, route optimization, and DRC-aware implementation.
• Understanding of areas often impacted and co-optimized with ECOs, including clock distribution, DFT, and power delivery.
• Authorization to work on export controlled data arising in CPUs, GPUs, LPUs, and communication networks.

Ways to stand out from the crowd:

• Familiarity with logic and physical co-optimization principles, including logic restructuring, technology mapping, and using SAT solvers.
• Experience with related physical-design areas such as placement, legalization, and IR drop reduction.
• Experience applying LLMs, reinforcement learning, GNNs, or other machine-learning techniques to physical design, combinatorial optimization, or algorithm-performance tuning.

Are you passionate about tackling innovative algorithms that enable the fastest, most efficient AI hardware? We have the scale, compute resources, and direct collaboration with hardware teams that make that possible!

Widely considered to be one of the technology world’s most desirable employers, NVIDIA offers highly competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package. As you plan your future, see what we can offer to you and your family www.nvidiabenefits.com/

Your base salary will be determined based on your location, experience, and the pay of employees in similar positions. The base salary range is 168,000 USD - 264,500 USD for Level 4, and 196,000 USD - 310,500 USD for Level 5.

You will also be eligible for equity and benefits.

Applications for this job will be accepted at least until September 4, 2026.

This posting is for an existing vacancy.

NVIDIA uses AI tools in its recruiting processes.

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.