NXP Semiconductors

Principal Physical Design Engineer / Physical Design – ACE US

NXP Semiconductors • $150K — $180K *
Enterprise Technology
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's or Master's in Electrical/Electronics Engineering or related field.
  • 10+ years of experience in ASIC/SoC physical design.
  • Strong knowledge of industry EDA tools (Synopsys, Cadence flows).
  • Deep technical expertise in RTL-to-GDSII implementation flow.
  • Strong communication skills.

Responsibilities

  • Lead end-to-end physical design execution including floorplanning, synthesis, place & route, and signoff.
  • Drive timing, power, IR/EM, and physical verification closure.
  • Deliver optimized PPA across complex designs.
  • Collaborate with internal teams to ensure design convergence.
  • Define and deploy next-generation physical design methodologies.
  • Interface with EDA vendors for tool and flow optimization.
  • Support post-silicon bring-up and yield improvement.

Benefits

  • Participate in mentoring and career development.
  • Be part of a team leading innovation in physical design methodologies.
  • Directly impact silicon success and product competitiveness.
  • Engage with advanced node technologies, pushing the envelope in the semiconductor industry.
Full Job Description

Role Summary

We are seeking an experienced Digital Designer for SoC Implementation / Physical Design for advanced semiconductor products. This role will own end-to-end physical design execution across complex designs, driving delivery from RTL to silicon for cutting-edge technology nodes.

The ideal candidate demonstrates deep technical expertise to implement a given design on silicon with optimized quality and meeting PPA targets.

Key Responsibilities

1. End-to-End Physical Design Ownership

  • Lead Physical design execution including floorplanning, synthesis, place & route, CTS, routing, STA, PDN, PDV and signoff.
  • Drive timing, power, IR/EM, and physical verification closure to achieve tapeout readiness.
  • Deliver optimized PPA (Power, Performance, Area) across complex designs.
  • Aligns with internal expectations of implementing designs on silicon with optimal quality, PPA, and cost efficiency

2. Team Leadership & Organization Development

  • Participate in mentoring and career development.
  • Role-Model execution discipline, review mechanisms, and performance tracking.
  • Interface with senior leadership for status reporting, escalation, and decision-making.

3. Technical Strategy & Innovation

  • Define and deploy next-generation physical design methodologies.
  • Drive automation, flow optimization, and tool innovation.
  • Lead adoption of advanced node technologies (5nm and beyond).
  • Improve scalability, productivity, and design quality through methodology enhancements.

4. Cross-Functional & Ecosystem Engagement

  • Collaborate with architecture, RTL, verification, and product teams to ensure design convergence.
  • Interface with EDA vendors and IP providers for tool and flow optimization.
  • Support post-silicon bring-up, yield improvement, and production ramp activities.

Core Technical Expertise

  • Full RTL-to-GDSII implementation flow (Cadence and/or Synopsys tool sets)
  • Floorplanning, synthesis, PNR, CTS, routing
  • STA and signoff methodologies
  • Physical verification (DRC/LVS/ERC)
  • Advanced node implementation (64 16nm / 5nm)
  • Low power design (UPF/CLP)
  • Scripting in Python, TCL, and Perl

Required Qualifications

  • Bachelors or Masters in Electrical / Electronics Engineering or related field
  • 10+ years of experience in ASIC / SoC physical design
  • Strong knowledge of industry EDA tools (Synopsys, Cadence flows)
  • Strong communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience in high-reliability SoCs
  • Exposure to AI-driven design methodologies and automation

Why This Role Matters

  • Own delivery of flagship SoCs at advanced nodes
  • Drive innovation in physical design methodologies
  • Direct impact on silicon success and product competitiveness

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About NXP Semiconductors

NXP Semiconductors N.V. is a Dutch semiconductor manufacturer with headquarters in Eindhoven, Netherlands. The company employs approximately 31,000 people in more than 35 countries, including 11,200 engineers in 33 countries. NXP reported revenue of $8.88 billion in 2020. The company's products are used in a wide range of automotive, identification, wireless infrastructure, lighting, industrial, mobile, consumer and computing applications. NXP is the co-inventor of near field communication (NFC) technology along with Sony and supplies NFC chip sets that enable mobile payments, as well as secure access to cars and buildings.
Learn more about NXP Semiconductors
Size
31,000 employees
Market Cap
$39.8 billion
Industry
Net Income
$52 million
Founded
1953
5 Year Trend
+3.1%
Revenue
$8.6 billion
NASDAQ

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