Staff Physical Design Engineer

As a Staff Physical Design Engineer, you will lead the end-to-end physical design implementation of complex silicon projects. You will drive technical excellence from RTL to GDSII, oversee critical sign-off closures, and foster cross-functional collaboration to optimize power, performance, and area (PPA). Beyond project execution, you will serve as a technical leader, influencing methodologies, guiding vendor engagement, and ensuring predictable delivery through effective planning and communication.

The AI and Infrastructure team is redefining what’s possible. We empower Google customers with breakthrough capabilities and insights by delivering AI and Infrastructure at unparalleled scale, efficiency, reliability and velocity. Our customers include Googlers, Google Cloud customers, and billions of Google users worldwide.

We're the driving force behind Google's groundbreaking innovations, empowering the development of our cutting-edge AI models, delivering unparalleled computing power to global services, and providing the essential platforms that enable developers to build the future. From software to hardware our teams are shaping the future of world-leading hyperscale computing, with key teams working on the development of our TPUs, Vertex AI for Google Cloud, Google Global Networking, Data Center operations, systems research, and much more.

The US base salary range for this full-time position is $192,000-$278,000 + bonus + equity + benefits. Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.

Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only, and do not include bonus, equity, or benefits. Learn more about benefits at Google.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the physical design implementation of complex blocks, subchips, and top-level designs, ensuring technical excellence and project success.
  
• Manage the full design cycle from RTL to GDSII, including critical sign-off closures for timing, electrical performance, and power integrity.
  
• Partner with internal teams (RTL, DFT, methodology, package) to achieve optimal power, performance, and area (PPA) results, including conducting feasibility studies for new microarchitectures and optimizing RTL runs.
  
• Collaborate with external EDA and IP vendors to improve flows and methodologies, while contributing to internal processes to ensure efficient and predictable execution.
  
• Own and plan the physical design execution schedule, actively communicating status and risks to management.
  

Minimum qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
  
• 10 years of experience in physical design, with experience in leading the full-chip or complex subchip implementation (e.g., from RTL2GDSII, including key stages like floorplanning, place and route, and timing closure) of high-speed ASICs in process technologies.
• Experience in Python, Tcl, or Perl scripting.

Preferred qualifications:

• Master's degree or PhD in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or computer science, with an emphasis on computer architecture.
• Experience in technical leadership, managing execution schedules, mitigating risks, providing status updates, and driving cross-functional collaboration with internal teams and external vendors to improve flows.
• Experience in Cadence Innovus, Synopsys DP, Mentor Calibre, STARRC, with a strong understanding of foundry technology files, rule decks, physical signoff, and 2.5D/3D IC packaging.
• Strong understanding of performance, power, and area trade-offs, alongside knowledge of DFT including Scan, MBIST, and LBIST.
• Excellent communication skills to articulate complex technical challenges and solutions.