Senior Staff Engineer, Physical Design

Samsung Electronics; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 180,000 - 270,000; Full time

Job summary

Samsung Electronics is seeking a Senior Staff GPU Physical Design Engineer at its Austin center. You will shape full-chip and block-level implementation, drive PPA-optimized designs, and collaborate with architecture, RTL, and design tech teams to resolve complex challenges.

You will mentor junior engineers, advance automation, and influence design strategies across advanced-node GPU IPs, delivering robust silicon and scalable workflows in a fast-growing environment.

Qualifications

• 11+ years of experience with a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science/Engineering, or 9+ years with a Master’s, or 7+ with a Ph.D.
• 7+ years of hands-on experience with full physical design implementation flows: synthesis, PnR, CTS, timing closure, and signoff.
• Strong expertise in physical design for GPU/SoC, including low-power design and physical verification (DRC/LVS).
• Experience with timing analysis and convergence methodologies, STA and reliability considerations.
• Proficiency with industry-standard EDA tools (Synopsys or Cadence ICC2/Fusion Compiler, Innovus, PrimeTime/Tempus, StarRC).
• Scripting and automation skills in Python, Tcl, Shell, or Perl.
• Strong analytical, debugging, and problem-solving skills; mentoring experience.
• Excellent collaboration and communication in a fast-paced global team.

Responsibilities

• Shape full-chip and block-level implementation: floorplanning, placement, routing, CTS, timing closure, signoff.
• Contribute to PPA-targeted implementation strategies including power optimization and congestion management.
• Advance methodology, automation, and scalable design practices across projects.
• Collaborate with architecture, RTL, design technology, software, and vendors to adapt flows for cutting-edge nodes.
• Mentor junior engineers and promote ownership, accountability and continuous learning.

Skills

Full physical design implementation

Synthesis

Place-and-Route

Clock Tree Synthesis

Timing closure

Signoff

Power optimization

Automation scripting

Data-driven debugging

Mentoring engineers

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in CS/Engineering

Master’s Degree

Ph.D.

Tools

ICC2

Fusion Compiler

Innovus

PrimeTime

Tempus

StarRC

Job description

Position Summary

Samsung, a world leader in advanced semiconductor technology, is founded on a simple philosophy – the endless pursuit of excellence will create a better world for all. At Samsung Austin Research and Development Center (SARC) and Advanced Computing Lab (ACL), we are building a center of excellence for Intellectual Property (IP) that is applied to high-performance computing devices (mobile, automotive, and other custom market segments) consumed by millions of people around the world. Come build with us!

Role and Responsibilities

As a Senior Staff GPU Physical Design Engineer, you will help shape the physical implementation and methodology innovation for high-performance GPU and system-level IP, enabling market-differentiating power, performance, and area (PPA) goals across Samsung’s advanced technology nodes. Your work will impact implementation quality, silicon readiness, and scalable execution for next-generation GPU IPs.

In this senior individual contributor role, you will contribute to key stages of the physical design flow, from synthesis through floorplanning, timing closure, and signoff, while help advancing implementation strategies, methodology innovation, and scalable execution across parallel development cycles. You will collaborate closely with hardware, advanced design technology, and system-level teams to resolve complex implementation challenges and deliver robust, high-quality silicon for advanced-node designs.

• Leveraging your expertise in one or more technical areas, you help shape full-chip and block-level implementation, including floorplanning, placement, routing, timing closure, and signoff for complex GPU and SoC designs.
• You contribute to implementation strategies to achieve market-differentiating PPA targets, including power optimization, congestion management, STA-driven convergence, and reliability considerations across advanced-node designs.
• You help advancing methodology and flow innovation, including automation, tool optimization, and scalable design practices to improve implementation quality, productivity, and repeatability across projects.
• You enable cross-functional collaboration with architecture, RTL, advanced design technology, software, system-level teams, and external vendors, to adapt physical design flows for cutting-edge nodes and accelerate resolution of complex implementation and tool challenges.
• You inspire high performance by mentoring junior engineers, fostering a culture of ownership, accountability and innovation, and promoting continuous learning by staying ahead of physical design innovation for emerging GPU technologies.

Skills and Qualifications

• 11+ years of experience with a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science/Engineering, or 9+ years of experience with a Master’s Degree, or 7+ years of experience with a Ph.D.

• 7+ years of hands-on experience with full physical design implementation flows, including synthesis, place-and-route, clock tree synthesis (CTS), timing closure, and signoff.

• Strong expertise in physical design implementation for complex GPU or SoC designs, including low-power design, physical verification (DRC/LVS), and advanced-node challenges

• Strong experience with timing analysis and convergence methodologies, including STA, signal integrity, and reliability considerations

• Strong proficiency with industry-standard EDA tools (Synopsys or Cadence: ICC2/Fusion Compiler or Innovus, PrimeTime/Tempus, StarRC)

• Strong scripting and automation skills in Python, Tcl, Shell, or Perl

• Strong analytical, debugging, and problem-solving skills with a data-driven approach for complex flow and design challenges

• Experience with leading technical initiatives, driving process and methodology innovation, and mentoring engineers.

• Excellent collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to navigate ambiguity and influence stakeholders in a fast-paced, global team environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with advanced-node designs (≤5nm) and high-performance GPU or SoC programs
• Experience with DTCO methodologies and implementation scalability challenges

Our Team

The Advanced Design Technology and Design Implementation teams play a critical role in enabling GPU and system-level development within Samsung SARC/ACL and the broader System LSI organization. Operating at the intersection of design technology and physical implementation, we partner closely with Foundry from early technology exploration through the full development cycle. Spanning advanced design methodologies, GPU physical design, CAD, and DTCO, we accelerate adoption of leading technology nodes and deliver optimized power, performance, area (PPA), silicon quality, and turnaround time for next-generation IP solutions.

You will join a highly collaborative, fast-paced environment working across parallel development cycles with direct impact on consumer technologies used worldwide. Here, you’ll help build what’s next: experimenting with new ideas, broadening your technical expertise, and solving impactful challenges alongside talented teammates who value ownership, continuous learning, and growth.

Total Rewards

At Samsung – SARC/ACL, base pay is one part of our total compensation package and is determined within a range. This provides the opportunity to progress as you grow and develop within a role. The base pay range for this role is between $180,200 and $270,400. Your actualbase pay will depend on variables that may includeyour educationskills, qualifications, experience, and worklocation.

Samsung employees have access to benefits including: medical, dental, vision, life insurance, 401(k), onsite lunch, employee purchase program, tuition assistance (after 6 months), paid time off, student loan program, wellness incentives, and many more. In addition, regular full-time employees (salaried or hourly) are eligible for MBO bonus compensation, based on company, division, and individual performance.

Additionally, this role might be eligible to participate in long term incentive plan and relocation.

This is an exempt position, which is not eligible for overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

Trade Secrets

By submitting an application, you agree not to disclose to Samsung or induce or encourage Samsung to use any confidential or proprietary information (including trade secrets) belonging to a current or former employer or other entity.

U.S. Export Control

This rolemayrequireaccess to information subject to U.S. export control laws. Applicants must be authorized to access such information or eligible for government authorization.

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