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Senior Physical Design Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Sr. Physical Design Engineer

San Jose, CA ยท On-site

$180 - $260/hr

  • Medical

Senior Physical Design Engineer** to join our silicon design team developing high-performance ASIC using TSMC advance process nodes, including 5nm and 3nm. In this role, you will own physical ...

New

Senior Physical Design Engineer

Sunnyvale, CA ยท On-site

$161K - $166K/yr

PD Engineer-Onsite (Manager level) Sunnyvale, CA, USA Fulltime We are looking for a Senior Physical Design Engineer with 8-14 years of experience to lead and execute RTL to GDSII implementation for ...

Senior Physical Design Engineer

Raleigh, NC ยท On-site

$160K - $261K/yr

We are looking for a Senior Physical Design Engineer with a dedicated passion for customer focused solutions, insight and industry knowledge to envision and implement future technical solutions that ...

Sr. Physical Design Engineer

San Jose, CA ยท On-site

$180 - $240/hr

  • Medical

Role Overview We are seeking a Senior Physical Design Engineer to join our silicon design team developing highโ€‘performance ASIC using TSMC advance process nodes, including 5nm and 3nm. In this role ...

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Senior Physical Design Engineer information

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$70.5K

$134.6K

$195K

How much do senior physical design engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 14, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior physical design engineer in the United States is $134,577.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $107,500.00 and $157,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some common challenges faced by senior physical design engineers during the chip tape-out phase?

Senior Physical Design Engineers often encounter tight deadlines and last-minute design changes during the chip tape-out phase, which can make ensuring timing closure and meeting power, performance, and area (PPA) targets particularly challenging. Collaborating closely with verification and layout teams is essential to quickly resolve any critical design rule violations or integration issues. Effective communication, attention to detail, and thorough knowledge of EDA tools are key to successfully managing these high-pressure situations and delivering a manufacturable design on schedule.

What is a senior physical design engineer?

A Senior Physical Design Engineer is a highly skilled professional in the field of semiconductor engineering who specializes in transforming circuit designs (netlists) into physical layouts for integrated circuits (ICs). They are responsible for tasks such as floorplanning, placement, clock tree synthesis, and routing, ensuring that the chip meets performance, area, and power requirements. Senior engineers in this role often lead projects, mentor junior engineers, and collaborate closely with other design and verification teams to deliver high-quality silicon products.

What is the difference between Senior Physical Design Engineer vs Physical Design Engineer?

AspectSenior Physical Design EngineerPhysical Design Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering; experience in physical design toolsBachelor's or Master's in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering; entry to mid-level experience
Work EnvironmentDesign teams in semiconductor or chip design companies, using EDA toolsDesign teams in semiconductor or chip design companies, using EDA tools
Employer & Industry UsageCommonly employed in advanced chip design companies, focusing on complex ICsUsed across various semiconductor companies for standard physical design tasks

The main difference is experience level and responsibility. Senior Physical Design Engineers typically lead complex projects and mentor junior staff, while Physical Design Engineers focus on executing design tasks under supervision. Both roles require similar technical skills and work in similar environments, but the senior role involves more leadership and strategic planning.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a senior physical design engineer?

To thrive as a Senior Physical Design Engineer, you need expertise in VLSI design, ASIC/SoC implementation, and a solid background in electrical or computer engineering, often complemented by a relevant degree. Mastery of EDA tools such as Cadence, Synopsys, or Mentor Graphics, and familiarity with scripting languages like TCL and Python, is typically required. Strong problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and effective communication are critical soft skills for collaborating with cross-functional teams and managing complex projects. These skills and qualifications ensure efficient, high-quality chip design, meeting both technical and timeline requirements in a competitive industry.

How much does a senior physical design engineer make in the US?

A senior physical design engineer in the US typically earns between $110,000 and $160,000 annually, depending on experience, location, and company size. Compensation may also include bonuses and stock options, especially in high-tech industries or large corporations.
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Cities with the most Senior Physical Design Engineer job openings:

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What states have the most Senior Physical Design Engineer jobs?

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Infographic showing various Senior Physical Design Engineer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 76% Full Time, 18% Part Time, 1% Temporary, 3% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 98% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $134,577 per year, or $64.7 per hour.

Sr. Physical Design Engineer

Doist

San Jose, CA โ€ข On-site

$180 - $260/hr

Other

Medical

Posted yesterday

New


Job description

# Sr. Physical Design EngineerLumilens โ€ข San Jose, CA โ€ข โ€ข 2h agoSave this role or tell us whether you want more jobs like it.**ABOUT LUMILENS**At Lumilens we are building the critical photonics infrastructure that powers tomorrowโ€™s AI supercomputing. From chip-to-chip optical interconnects to scalable photonic engines, Lumilens is unlocking a new era of computing faster, cooler, and massively more efficient.Weโ€™re a well-funded startup backed by Mayfield and led by veterans whoโ€™ve builtAnd scaled some of the most transformative technologies in the industry. This isnโ€™tincremental innovation, itโ€™s a ground-floor opportunity to rethink the optical layer fromthe silicon up. Youโ€™ll work alongside a team of world-class engineers solving some ofthe hardest challenges in optics, systems, and scale. Every line of code, every designdecision, every breakthrough you help deliver will shape the infrastructure of tomorrow.If you're looking for mission, momentum, and the chance to make an outsized impactjump on the rocket ship. Weโ€™re just getting started.**Role Overview**We are seeking a **Senior Physical Design Engineer** to join our silicon design team developing high-performance ASIC using TSMC advance process nodes, including 5nm and 3nm. In this role, you will own physical implementation from RTL to GDSII, drive timing and power closure for ultra-high-speed designs, and work closely with RTL, STA, IP, and verification teams to solve complex implementation challenges unique to advanced-node and high-speed transceiver architectures.**Key Responsibilities:**1. **Physical Implementation:** Own full-chip and block-level physical implementation, including floorplanning, placement, CTS, routing, and physical verification for high-speed designs in advanced TSMC nodes.1. **Timing, Power, and Area Closure:** Collaborate closely with RTL and STA teams to ensure clean handoffs and convergent timing, area, and power closure across complex design blocks and full chip.1. **Advanced Physical Design:** Apply physical design techniques for multi-voltage and multi-frequency domains, hierarchical implementation, physical-aware synthesis, congestion mitigation, skew optimization, and RC extraction-aware placement and routing.1. **Signoff and Tape out:** Perform tapeout signoff activities, including PV, EM/IR, ESD and ejobview using industry-standard verification tools.**Qualifications:**1. **Education:** Bachelorโ€™s or Masterโ€™s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, or a related field.1. **Experience:** 8+ years of hands-on physical design experience, preferably with advanced technology nodes at 5nm or below.1. **Physical Design Expertise:** Strong experience with floorplanning, placement, CTS, routing, IR drop mitigation, timing closure, and signoff debugging.1. **Tools and Automation:** Hands-on experience with tools such as Synopsys ICC2, RedHawk SC, Cadence Innovus, Voltus, Simens Calibre etc, along with strong scripting skills in Tcl, Python, or Perl.**Preferred Qualifications (Bonus)**1. **High-Speed PHY Implementation:** Experience with high-speed PHY such as SerDes, UCIe etc physical design implementation.1. **Advanced-Node Signoff:** Familiarity with EM/IR analysis, power grid optimization, congestion analysis, physical verification, and tapeout signoff in advanced semiconductor process nodes.1. **High-Frequency Design Exposure:** Experience supporting high-frequency datapath or DSP-heavy designs is a plus.1. **2.5D or 3D design experience:** Experience with TSMC CoWoS or SoIC-X design experience is a strong plus.**What we offer*** Competitive salary commensurate with experience* Comprehensive benefits package including health insurance* Professional development opportunities and certification support* Access to cutting-edge technology and cloud platforms* Collaborative work environment with cross-functional teams\*Lumilens is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, gender, identity, orientation, veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status. #J-18808-Ljbffr