ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Senior Physical Design Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Nvidia

Senior Physical Design Engineer

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

We are now looking for a Senior Physical Design Engineer. NVIDIA has continuously reinvented itself over two decades. Our invention of the GPU in 1999 sparked the growth of the PC gaming market ...

Microsoft

Senior Physical Design Engineer

Raleigh, NC · On-site

$101K - $139K/yr

We are looking for a Sr. Physical Design Engineer to join the team. Responsibilities * Experience and knowledge on Synthesis, RTL / DFT feedback , Timing Constraints. * Responsible for RTL to GDS ...

Lightmatter

Staff Physical Design Engineer

Boston, MA · On-site

$147K - $152K/yr

We are seeking a highly skilled Senior Physical Design Engineer to work on the implementation of complex digital blocks. In this role, you will leverage your expertise in advanced process nodes (3nm ...

Lightmatter

Staff Physical Design Engineer

Mountain View, CA · On-site

$160K - $165K/yr

We are seeking a highly skilled Senior Physical Design Engineer to work on the implementation of complex digital blocks. In this role, you will leverage your expertise in advanced process nodes (3nm ...

Intel

Senior Physical Design Engineer (CPU)

Hillsboro, OR

$148K - $152K/yr

As a Senior Physical Design Engineer (CPU), you will play a key role in delivering high-performance, power-efficient silicon solutions. You will take ownership of blocks within the CPU core design ...

TSMC

Senior Physical Design Engineer(7051)

San Jose, CA · On-site

$155K - $160K/yr

Overview of Role As a Senior Physical Design Engineer, you will be responsible for the physical design implementation PnR run, Performance/Power/Area (PPA) comparison, congestion & DRC analysis, and ...

TSMC

Senior Physical Design Engineer(7051)

San Jose, CA · Hybrid

$155K - $160K/yr

Overview of Role As a Senior Physical Design Engineer, you will be responsible for the physical design implementation PnR run, Performance/Power/Area (PPA) comparison, congestion & DRC analysis, and ...

Nvidia Corporation

Physical Design Engineer

Westford, MA · On-site

$141K - $145K/yr

NVIDIA is looking for best-in-class Senior Physical Design Engineers to join our outstanding Networking Silicon engineering team, developing the industry's best high speed communication devices ...

Nvidia

Physical Design Engineer

Westford, MA · On-site

$141K - $145K/yr

NVIDIA is looking for best-in-class Senior Physical Design Engineers to join our outstanding Networking Silicon engineering team, developing the industry's best high speed communication devices ...

Lightmatter

Staff Physical Design Engineer

Boston, MA · On-site

$186K - $218K/yr

We are seeking a highly skilled Senior Physical Design Engineer to work on the implementation of complex digital blocks. In this role, you will leverage your expertise in advanced process nodes (3nm ...

Apple

Physical Design Engineer

Cupertino, CA · On-site

$167K - $172K/yr

We have an opportunity for a forward-thinking and unusually hardworking Physical Design Engineer. As a member of our wide-ranging group, you will have the rare and great opportunity to craft upcoming ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

All JobsSenior Physical Design Engineer Jobs

Senior Physical Design Engineer information

See salary details

$70.5K

$134.6K

$195K

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

As of Jul 4, 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, and why are they important?

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.
More about Senior Physical Design Engineer jobs
What cities are hiring for Senior Physical Design Engineer jobs? Cities with the most Senior Physical Design Engineer job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Physical Design Engineer jobs? The most popular types of Physical Design Engineer jobs are:
What states have the most Senior Physical Design Engineer jobs? States with the most job openings for Senior Physical Design Engineer jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Senior Physical Design Engineer jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Senior Physical Design Engineer jobs are:
Senior Physical Design Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Senior Physical Design Engineer job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 91% Full Time, 3% Temporary, 3% Contract, and 3% 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.
Senior Physical Design Engineer

Senior Physical Design Engineer

Nvidia

Santa Clara, CA • On-site

Full-time

Posted 21 days ago

Job description

We are now looking for a Senior Physical Design Engineer. NVIDIA has continuously reinvented itself over two decades. Our invention of the GPU in 1999 sparked the growth of the PC gaming market, redefined modern computer graphics, and revolutionized parallel computing. More recently, GPU deep learning ignited modern AI - the next era of computing. NVIDIA is a "learning machine" that constantly evolves by adapting to new opportunities that are hard to solve, that only we can tackle, and that matter to the world. This is our life's work, to amplify human imagination and intelligence. Make the choice to join our diverse team today.

What you'll be doing:

  • Responsible for all aspects of physical design and implementation of GPU and other ASICs targeted at the desktop, laptop, workstation, and mobile markets.

  • As a member of a team, we will all participate in establishing physical design methodologies, flow automation, chip floorplan, power/clock distribution, chip assembly and P&R, timing closure.

  • Craft designs for static timing analysis, power and noise analysis and back-end verification.

What we need to see:

  • BSEE (MSEE preferred) or equivalent experience.

  • 8+ years of experience in large VLSI physical design implementation on 5nm, 4nm and 3nm technology.

  • Your successful track record of delivering designs to production is a requirement.

  • Shown experience in the following areas: Power, Performance and Area improvement Initiatives is a plus.

  • Already a validated strong power user of P&R, Timing analysis, Physical Verification and IR Drop Analysis CAD tools from Synopsys (ICC2/DC/PT/STAR-RC/ICV),Cadence (Innovus, Tempus, SeaHawk ) and Mentor Graphics.

  • Deep understanding of custom macro blocks such as RAMs, CAMs, high-speed IO drivers, PLLs.

  • Confirmed prior experience in timing closure, clock/power distribution and analysis, RC extraction and correlation, place/ route and tapeout solutions.

  • To be successful you should possess strong analytical and debugging skills required.

  • Proficiency using Python, Perl, Tcl, Make scripting is helpful.

NVIDIA is widely considered to be the leader of AI computing, and one of the technology world's most desirable employers. We have some of the most forward-thinking and hardworking people in the world working for us. If you're creative and autonomous, we want to hear from you.

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 May 18, 2026.

This posting is for an existing vacancy.

NVIDIA uses AI tools in its recruiting processes.

NVIDIA is committed to fostering a diverse 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.
Nvidia logo

About Nvidia

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

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. Today, we're tapping into the unlimited potential of AI to define the next era of computing. An era in which our GPU acts as the brains of computers, robots, and self-driving cars that can understand the world. Doing what's never been done before takes vision, innovation, and the world's best talent.

Industry

Computer and electronic product manufacturing

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Santa Clara, CA, US

Year founded

1993

View All Nvidia Jobs

Apply