Principal Physical Design Lead (up to $500k pkg)
Summary
Hands-on physical design or STA work on customer ASIC programs, including tape-out validation, EDA flows, and coordination across design, test, packaging, fabrication, and production. Requires multiple advanced-node tape outs, programming or scripting, and U.S. work authorization.
Highlights
- Benefits
- Health, dental, vision, 401k match, ESPP
- Type
- Part-Time
- Experience
- Multiple tape outs at advanced process nodes
- Travel Required
- Customer ASIC programs from engagement through production
- Language
- Authorized to work in the United States
- Start Date
- First posted 06/24/2026
Job description
Principal ASIC Engineering Lead (Physical Design OR STA)
Up to $230k base, + 30% bonus plus around $800k-$1.2m in stocks which vests over 4 years.
Total first year realistic income $450-500k
Locations: San Jose, CA, Irvine, CA or Fort Collins, CO
Introduction
Are you a seasoned Engineer who excels at guiding complex semiconductor programs across areas such as physical design, STA, DFT, and packaging and a passion for working on bleeding-edge AI and high-performance silicon? Have you delivered enough chips to recognize hidden issues in EDA reports before they impact schedules, and can you clearly explain both the technical root cause and the long term solution? Do you enjoy deep technical discussions with engineering teams while also providing clear, high level summaries to management?
If this sounds like you, and you want to work on advanced compute and infrastructure silicon, this role may be an excellent match.
Top Reasons to Work With Us
- Support customers building cutting edge ASICs in AI, HPC, networking, and storage
- Collaborate with highly experienced cross functional engineering and technology teams
- Influence the development of next generation semiconductor technologies
- Take ownership of customer success from initial engagement through production
- Shape design methodologies, best practices, and implementation strategies
- Be part of a supportive, collaborative environment that values technical leadership
The Role / Responsibilities
As a senior technical leader, (NOTE: prior leadership experience NOT required) you will guide customer ASIC programs and ensure successful delivery of highly complex designs. (Approximately 80% hands on, 20% technical leadership).
Your responsibilities will include:
- Leading end to end customer ASIC programs: RFQs, technology planning, IP integration, design, test, packaging, fabrication, bring up, and production
- Advising customer teams on EDA best practices, design flows, and methodologies, including hosting Q&A sessions with technical experts
- Identifying risks related to quality, schedule, or dependencies and coordinating mitigation plans with internal and external teams
- Running physical design validation flows to ensure incoming customer netlists meet strict tape out quality requirements
- Staying up to date on new technologies, IP developments, and application trends
- Working closely with marketing, sales, legal, and compliance teams on program related discussions
- Collaborating with and supporting other engineering teams as needed
Essential Skills
- Multiple tape outs at advanced process nodes
- Ability to analyze PPA tradeoffs across library components, architectures, and implementation strategies
- Strong understanding of low power design techniques and power management
- Hands on experience in physical design or STA, along with EDA tools and flows covering physical design, logic simulation, test, and packaging
- Programming or scripting experience
- Excellent communication skills
Bonus Points For
- Exposure to SERDES communication protocols
- Experience in logic design, chip architecture, microarchitecture, Verilog RTL development, front end verification, DRC, and logic synthesis
- Knowledge of DFT methods including scan, memory BIST, and repair