Physical Design Engineer - Full Chip Implementation

Etched is building a new category of AI hardware: frontier inference clusters. As a top-level PD engineer, you will own full-chip implementation—encompassing floorplanning, P&R, clocking, timing analysis, physical verification, and sign-offs—from synthesis through to GDSII completion. You will lead critical efforts in these areas, leveraging our PD flows to drive aggressive PPA optimization and timing closure. You will collaborate closely with RTL designers to provide actionable feedback, ensuring we iterate at unprecedented speeds to bring our products to market.

* Own full-chip clocking across all PVT corners and modes.

* Manage MMMC (Multi-Mode Multi-Corner) timing closure at the top level.

* Own timing constraints and hierarchical timing budgeting between top level and blocks.

* Drive functional and timing ECO closure and achieve final timing signoff for tapeout.

* Own end-to-end physical verification closure at block, sub-system, and full-chip level across DRC, LVS, ERC, antenna, density, fill, and top-level integration.

* Debug complex PV violations across layout, routing, macros, IP, power grid, rule decks, and tool or setup issues, and fix violations directly in layout using Innovus.

* Build a repeatable, tapeout-ready PV methodology with clean runs, waiver discipline, version control, triage, and final signoff reviews.

You may be a good fit if you have

* 10+ years of previous experience with chip planning, top level PD, floorplanning

* Experience with top-level and full-chip closure on advanced process nodes (5nm and below)

* Experience with Cadence (Innovus, Genus) or Synopsys (Fusion Compiler) automated RTL-to-GDSII flows

* Experience with Synopsys PrimeTime and Cadence Tempus for timing signoff

* Experience with Pegasus or Calibre for physical verification signoff

* Experience with hierarchical timing budgeting, constraint management, and ECO closure

* Experience with Cadence Innovus for top-level assembly, routing, and layout fixes

* Deeply creative and able to think from first principles