Senior CAD Engineer

  • Phizenix
  • Santa Clara, California
  • 6mo ago
  • Full-time
  • On-site

About the Role

We’re looking for an experienced CAD Engineer to develop, enhance, and support advanced EDA environments and design automation flows for next-generation semiconductor development. In this role, you will serve as the technical bridge between Analog/AMS and Digital/ASIC Verification teams, ensuring smooth integration from schematic capture through signoff. You will own PDK integration, flow automation, compute resource optimization, and mixed-signal verification infrastructure, working closely with design engineers, IT teams, and EDA vendors to drive efficiency and silicon success.


Key Responsibilities

  • Develop, maintain, and optimize CAD and EDA environments for Analog/AMS, ASIC, Photonics, and Systems teams to ensure seamless integration and productivity.

  • Define, implement, and automate design and signoff flows for custom and digital design environments.

  • Install, configure, and manage EDA tools (Cadence, Synopsys, Siemens) and FlexLM license servers.

  • Integrate and validate PDKs, technology files, and IP libraries, collaborating with foundries and third-party vendors.

  • Oversee SLURM cluster infrastructure, including job scheduling and resource allocation to improve throughput and ROI.

  • Develop automation scripts using Python, TCL, SKILL, and Bash to streamline CAD flows and minimize manual effort.

  • Manage design repositories (Git, IC Manage) and enforce best practices for version control and configuration management.

  • Troubleshoot and optimize SPICE, DRC/LVS, PEX, and EMIR issues, supporting design teams for higher performance and reliability.

  • Monitor license utilization and compute resource metrics, recommending strategies for cost-effective scalability.

  • Collaborate with EDA vendors to resolve tool issues, influence feature development, and assess new technologies.


Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Science.

  • 10+ years of hands-on experience in CAD/EDA design automation, supporting analog/AMS and digital verification environments.

  • Strong expertise with Cadence Virtuoso, ADE Assembler/Explorer, and Spectre simulation environments.

  • Experience with signoff tools such as Pegasus, Quantus, and VoltusFI (or equivalent Calibre suites).

  • Proficiency in SKILL and Python scripting for design automation and productivity improvements.

  • Experience managing FlexLM license servers, including installation, configuration, and troubleshooting.

  • Hands-on experience with PDK integration for advanced FinFET nodes (e.g., TSMC N5).

  • Proficiency with version control systems such as Git or IC Manage (gdpxl).


Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience with Virtuoso AMS Designer and Cadence Xcelium for mixed-signal simulation and behavioral modeling.

  • Familiarity with SLURM cluster management and high-performance computing environments.

  • Understanding of Digital RTL-to-GDSII flows, including synthesis, P&R, STA, and PV.

  • Exposure to CI/CD pipelines for CAD flow release automation and regression testing.

  • Strong written and verbal communication skills with proven ability to mentor junior engineers.

California Pay Range
$175,000$215,000 USD