Physical Design Lead
A well-funded deep-tech semiconductor startup developing next‑generation computing technology at the intersection of artificial intelligence and advanced hardware. We are focused on building advanced hardware designed to unlock significant improvements in AI performance and efficiency.
As a Physical Design Team Lead, you will oversee and guide our Physical Design team while continuing to contribute hands‑on to the implementation of advanced semiconductor devices. This role combines technical expertise with organisational and communication responsibilities, helping translate innovative concepts into silicon while managing a growing team. Prior leadership experience is not mandatory, but strong organisational skills and a solid understanding of physical design objectives are essential.
Key responsibilities
- Lead and coordinate the Physical Design team (currently two engineers) while supporting their growth and development
- Carry out physical design implementation tasks including floorplanning, placement, clock tree synthesis, and routing
- Drive timing closure and optimise designs to meet performance, power, and area goals
- Support physical verification and sign‑off processes ahead of tapeout
- Collaborate closely with RTL, DFT, and system teams to resolve timing, integration, and design challenges
- Help improve backend flows, automation, and implementation methodologies
- Ensure alignment of team goals with overall project timelines and technical objectives
Required experience
- Several years of experience in digital physical design or backend implementation
- Strong understanding of the ASIC implementation flow from RTL through to GDSII
- Hands‑on experience with industry‑standard EDA tools, particularly within the Cadence toolchain
- Knowledge of timing analysis, physical verification, power integrity, and advanced technology nodes
- Experience with scripting (e.g., Tcl) to support automation of backend flows
- Experience working on complex SoC or hierarchical chip designs would be beneficial
- Excellent organisational and communication skills, capable of coordinating a small team and collaborating across multiple engineering domains.