Sr. Physical Design Engineer (AI)

TL;DR

Sr. Physical Design Engineer (ASIC): Designing and optimizing custom SoCs for cloud-scale machine learning acceleration with an accent on power-performance-area tradeoffs and physical implementation. Focus on driving IO/Core subsystem implementation from synthesis to sign-off, ensuring high design quality for AWS Inferentia and Trainium systems.

Location: Must be based in Austin, TX or Cupertino, CA

Salary: $159,200 – $247,600 annually

Company

Annapurna Labs is an hirify.global subsidiary that designs custom silicon and software to accelerate cloud-scale machine learning innovation.

What you will do

• Collaborate with RTL/logic designers to conduct architectural feasibility studies and explore PPA tradeoffs.
• Drive IO/Core subsystem physical implementation through synthesis, floor planning, and place-and-route.
• Execute power/clock distribution, congestion analysis, timing closure, and IR drop analysis.
• Perform physical verification, ECO, and final sign-off.
• Develop and optimize physical design methodologies and evaluate 3rd party IP.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in EE/CS (BS + 8yrs experience) or Master's degree (MS + 6yrs experience).
• 6+ years of experience in ASIC Physical Design (RTL-to-GDSII) in 7nm to 28nm nodes.
• Proficiency with EDA tools such as Cadence, Mentor Graphics, or Synopsys.
• Experience with scripting in Python, Perl, Bash, or PowerShell.
• Deep understanding of sign-off activities including timing, IR/EM, and physical verification.

Nice to have

• Experience mentoring, leading, or managing junior engineers.
• Expertise in developing custom CAD flows for synthesis and verification.
• 4+ years of experience in specifying and driving physical IP requirements.
• Knowledge of device physics and custom/semi-custom implementation techniques.
• Experience solving physical design challenges for DDR, PCIe, or fabrics.

Culture & Benefits

• Competitive compensation including sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs).
• Comprehensive health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription).
• 401(k) matching and paid time off.
• Parental leave and adoption/surrogacy reimbursement.
• Inclusive work environment with mental health support and EAP.