Sr. Staff Physical Design Engineer

lightmatter

Mountain View, CA · Mountain View · United States

Posted Jan 7, 2026

Full-time
Hybrid
Photonics & Silicon Engineering

Job description

Lightmatter is leading the revolution in AI data center infrastructure, enabling the next giant leaps in human progress. The company invented the world’s first 3D-stacked photonics engine, Passage™, capable of connecting thousands to millions of processors at the speed of light in extreme-scale data centers for the most advanced AI and HPC workloads.

Lightmatter raised $400 million in its Series D round, reaching a valuation of $4.4 billion. We will continue to accelerate the development of data center photonics and grow every department at Lightmatter!

If you're passionate about tackling complex challenges, making an impact, and being an expert in your craft, join our team of brilliant scientists, engineers, and accomplished industry leaders.

Lightmatter is (re)inventing the future of computing with light!

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) to drive timing closure, power integrity, and physical verification for high-performance ASICs. Beyond standard digital flows, you will have the unique opportunity. To work alongside a team of world-class scientists and engineers in defining how the system will be optimized and trailblaze problems that are new to the photonics industry! If your passion is innovation, solving challenging technical problems and doing impactful work you should join our team!

Responsibilities

Implement digital blocks in advanced tech nodes from synthesis through physical verification, using industry standard tools and flows
Drive fullchip STA signoff, review constraints, debug timing reports and implement ecos
Drive power analysis and optimization while balancing area and performance trade-offs
Drive full chip floor planning, IO placement and clock distribution
Understand clock details and be able to customize clock implementation for functional and test clocks
Debug and clean up DRC/LVS
Functional and timing ECO implementation
Work with EDA companies to resolve any tool issues
Write TCL, Python, or Shell scripts to automate flow or customize existing flows

Qualifications

Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering
12+ years of industry experience working as a Physical Design Engineer
Must have completed blocks or top level physical design for large ASICs or mixed signal chips that taped out
Thorough knowledge of timing closure, LVS/DRC closure
Experience in TCL and Python (or other scripting languages)
Strong teamwork skills with the ability to collaborate with multiple functional teams across a variety of fields
Ability to react to change and thrive in a fast paced environment

Preferred Qualifications

Masters Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering with 8 years of industry experience
Hands-on experience with Cadence tools
Tape-out experience 3nm designs
Be willing to do manual layouts as well as willingness to learn and do silicon photonics layout
EM/IR analysis using standard industry signoff tools

We offer competitive compensation. The base salary range for this role determined based on location, experience, educational background, and market data.

Salary Range: total compensation goes beyond base salary, it also includes a new hire equity grant, annual performance-based equity, and other rewards that recognize your impact and contribution.

$220,000—$270,000 USD

Benefits

Comprehensive Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
Retirement Savings Matching Program
Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
Generous Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
Paid Family Leave
Short Term & Long Term Disability
Training & Development
Commuter Benefits
Flexible, hybrid workplace model
Equity grants (applicable to full-time employees)

Benefits eligibility may vary depending on your employment status and location. Lightmatter recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law.

Export Control

Candidates should have capacity to comply with the federally mandated requirements of U.S. export control laws.