Senior Physical Design Engineer

Please Note:

To provide the best candidate experience amidst our high application volumes, each candidate is limited to 10 applications across all open jobs within a 6-month period.

Advancing the World’s Technology Together

Our technology solutions power the tools you use every day--including smartphones, electric vehicles, hyperscale data centers, IoT devices, and so much more. Here, you’ll have an opportunity to be part of a global leader whose innovative designs are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and powering the future.

We believe innovation and growth are driven by an inclusive culture and a diverse workforce. We’re dedicated to empowering people to be their true selves. Together, we’re building a better tomorrow for our employees, customers, partners, and communities.

Please Note:

To provide the best candidate experience amidst our high application volumes, each candidate is limited to 10 applications across all open jobs within a 6-month period.

Advancing the World’s Technology Together

Our technology solutions power the tools you use every day--including smartphones, electric vehicles, hyperscale data centers, IoT devices, and so much more. Here, you’ll have an opportunity to be part of a global leader whose innovative designs are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and powering the future.

We believe innovation and growth are driven by an inclusive culture and a diverse workforce. We’re dedicated to empowering people to be their true selves. Together, we’re building a better tomorrow for our employees, customers, partners, and communities.

The AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) Computing Lab is dedicated to solving the complex system-level challenges posed by the growing demands of future AI/ML workloads. Our team is committed to designing and developing scalable platforms that can effectively handle the computational and memory requirements of these workloads while minimizing energy consumption and maximizing performance. To achieve this goal, we collaborate closely with both hardware and software engineers to identify and address the unique challenges posed by AI/ML workloads and to explore new computing abstractions that can provide a better balance between the hardware and software components of our systems. Additionally, we continuously conduct research and development in emerging technologies and trends across memory, computing, interconnect, and AI/ML, ensuring that our platforms are always equipped to handle the most demanding workloads of the future. By working together as a dedicated and passionate team, we aim to revolutionize the way AI/ML applications are deployed and executed, ultimately contributing to the advancement of AGI in an affordable and sustainable manner. Join us in our passion to shape the future of computing!

Location: Daily onsite presence at our San Jose, CA office / U.S. headquarters in alignment with our Flexible Work policy.

What You’ll Do

• Own the physical implementation of memory-centric computing IP and SoC partitions from RTL netlist to GDSII, including synthesis, floorplanning, placement, clock tree synthesis (CTS), and routing.
• Drive block- and full-chip-level PPA (performance, power, and area) convergence and timing closure across multiple process corners and operating modes.
• Develop floorplans, power delivery networks, and macro placement strategies for memory controllers, NoC, and high-bandwidth interconnect subsystems.
• Perform static timing analysis (STA), constraint development, and signoff, resolving setup/hold timing, IR-drop, electromigration, and signal integrity issues.
• Execute physical verification and signoff (DRC, LVS, antenna, and reliability checks) in collaboration with foundry and standard-cell/memory library teams on advanced process nodes.
• Collaborate with RTL and verification engineers, providing physical feedback that informs design-for-PPA and floorplan-aware microarchitecture decisions.
• Make design decisions out of a large design trade-off space across performance, power, thermal, and cost.
• Develop and automate physical implementation flows and methodologies using Tcl/Python scripting and agentic AI tools and frameworks to improve turnaround time and quality of results.
• Communicate effectively with stakeholders, including users, partners, and management, to ensure that the designs are delivered on time and within budget.
• Complete other responsibilities as assigned.

What You Bring

• Bachelor’s with 5+ years, or Master’s with 3+ years, or PhD's with 0+ years of industry experience.
• Strong background in digital physical design and VLSI implementation.
• 5+ years of experience in physical design implementation — synthesis, floorplanning, place-and-route, clock tree synthesis, and timing closure — for complex ASIC/SoC designs.
• Proficiency with industry-standard EDA tools such as Synopsys Fusion Compiler/ICC2, Cadence Innovus, PrimeTime, and StarRC.
• Experience with static timing analysis and constraint (SDC) development, low-power design (UPF/CPF), and power, IR-drop, and electromigration analysis.
• Experience with physical verification (DRC, LVS, antenna) and tapeout on advanced FinFET process nodes.
• Experience implementing memory controllers, NoC, or high-speed interconnect IP and full-chip SoC integration.
• Proficiency in scripting (Tcl, Python, or Perl) for physical design flow automation.
• Experience in AI/ML workloads.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• You’re inclusive, adapting your style to the situation and diverse global norms of our people.
• An avid learner, you approach challenges with curiosity and resilience, seeking data to help build understanding.
• You’re collaborative, building relationships, humbly offering support and openly welcoming approaches.
• Innovative and creative, you proactively explore new ideas and adapt quickly to change.

Equal Opportunity Employment Policy

Samsung Semiconductor takes pride in being an equal opportunity workplace dedicated to fostering an environment where all individuals feel valued and empowered to excel, regardless of race, religion, color, age, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, ancestry, genetic information, marital status, national origin, political affiliation, or veteran status.

When selecting team members, we prioritize talent and qualities such as humility, kindness, and dedication. We extend comprehensive accommodations throughout our recruiting processes for candidates with disabilities, long-term conditions, neurodivergent individuals, or those requiring pregnancy-related support. All candidates scheduled for an interview will receive guidance on requesting accommodations.

Our Commitment to Innovation and Fairness

At Samsung Semiconductor, we use Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in the recruitment process to enhance efficiency. However, AI is used as a support tool, not a final decision-maker. All hiring decisions are made by our human recruiting team and hiring managers to ensure every candidate is evaluated fairly and holistically.

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