ASIC Digital Physical Design Engineer

About the job

As a Physical Design Engineer, you will play a key role in transforming advanced semiconductor designs into high-performance, manufacturable silicon products. Working at the heart of the chip implementation flow, you will drive critical physical design activities from floorplanning and power implementation through place-and-route, timing closure, physical verification, and final tape-out. This is a unique opportunity to work on cutting-edge technology, solve complex engineering challenges, and influence the development of next-generation low-power semiconductor solutions.

You will collaborate closely with talented design, architecture, verification, and silicon teams while helping shape future methodologies, automation flows, and AI-assisted design practices. If you are passionate about delivering high-quality silicon, enjoy tackling difficult technical problems, and want to see your work make its way into real-world products, this is the role for you!

Key responsibilities

Floorplanning activities, including macro placement, partitioning, and voltage area definition

Develop and implement robust power distribution networks

Execute Place & Route activities, including clock tree synthesis (CTS), congestion optimization, signal integrity improvements, and timing closure

Perform comprehensive physical verification and signoff activities, ensuring designs meet foundry requirements and are ready for successful tape-out

Analyze and optimize power integrity through IR-drop, electromigration, and reliability assessments, identifying and resolving issues that could impact silicon performance or long-term product reliability

Drive ECOs and late-stage design optimizations, implementing efficient fixes while maintaining schedule commitments and achieving timing closure across all operating modes and corners.

Support silicon bring-up and tape-out activities by providing physical design expertise, debugging implementation issues

Contribute to the development and enhancement of physical design flows, automation scripts, and implementation methodologies to improve productivity, quality, and design scalability across future projects

Key Qualifications

BSc/MSc in Electronics Engineering or similar

Several years of experience in chip implementation

Experience of relevant Synopsys and Cadence IC implementation and signoff tools

Contribution to flow development and setup

Knowledge of scripting languages like TCL, Perl, Python or similar

Experience using AI-assisted tools to improve design productivity (e.g. AI-driven EDA flows, code/script generation, debug assistance)

Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English 

Personal Skills

The ideal candidate is a detail-oriented engineer who thrives on solving complex technical challenges and takes pride in delivering high-quality silicon. With a structured and analytical mindset, you can navigate intricate physical design issues, balance competing priorities, and maintain focus on achieving demanding performance, power, area, and schedule targets. You enjoy digging into root causes, finding efficient solutions, and continuously improving design methodologies, flows, and tools.

You combine independent ownership with a collaborative mindset, enabling you to drive tasks forward while contributing to a highly skilled and supportive team environment. Curious by nature, you embrace new technologies, including AI-assisted engineering tools, and are motivated by the opportunity to learn, innovate, and help shape the next generation of cutting-edge semiconductor products.

Working for Nordic

Working at Nordic, you will be inspired and supported to develop yourself. Our teams enjoy a professional and informal working environment. We value and encourage the continuous development of skills and expertise to the highest levels. We are proud of our Norwegian heritage, our highly skilled international workforce, and our world-leading innovation.

We offer a variety of tasks and projects, and the possibility to work alongside some of the world’s most renowned experts within their field. We encourage our employees to question the established and innovate while expecting professionalism, commitment, and the will to learn.   

Benefits

Competitive salary with short- and long-term incentive plan

Flexible working hours

Medical insurance

Family-friendly policies, insurances, and benefits

Practical details

Location: Bristol, UK | Stockholm, Sweden | Tampere, Finland

Please note that this position might be subject to a background check.