Director of SoC Implementation / Physical Design

About the job

We are seeking a highly experienced leader to head SoC Implementation / Physical Design for advanced semiconductor products. This role will own end-to-end physical design execution across complex SoCs, driving delivery from RTL to silicon for cutting-edge technology nodes.

The ideal candidate combines deep technical expertise with strong organizational leadership, capable of managing large global teams and delivering high-quality silicon on aggressive schedules.

Key Responsibilities

1. End-to-End Physical Design Ownership

• Lead complete SoC physical design execution including floorplanning, synthesis, place & route, CTS, routing, STA, PDN, PDV and signoff.
• Drive timing, power, IR/EM, and physical verification closure to achieve tapeout readiness.
• Deliver optimized PPA (Power, Performance, Area) across complex designs.
• Aligns with internal expectations of implementing designs on silicon with optimal quality, PPA, and cost efficiency

2. Program & Execution Leadership

• Own planning, tracking, and execution of physical design programs from specification through tapeout.
• Manage risks, dependencies, and schedules across multi-site global teams.
• Drive cross-functional alignment across RTL, DFT, STA, verification, and packaging teams.
• Ensure delivery to aggressive project timelines and quality metrics.

3. Team Leadership & Organization Development

• Build and lead high-performing global physical design teams.
• Drive hiring, mentoring, and career development across technical leads and engineers.
• Establish execution discipline, review mechanisms, and performance tracking.
• Interface with senior leadership for status reporting, escalation, and decision-making.

4. Technical Strategy & Innovation

• Define and deploy next-generation physical design methodologies.
• Drive automation, flow optimization, and tool innovation.
• Lead adoption of advanced node technologies (5nm and beyond).
• Improve scalability, productivity, and design quality through methodology enhancements.

5. Cross-Functional & Ecosystem Engagement

• Collaborate with architecture, RTL, verification, and product teams to ensure design convergence.
• Interface with EDA vendors and IP providers for tool and flow optimization.
• Support post-silicon bring-up, yield improvement, and production ramp activities.

Core Technical Expertise

• Full RTL-to-GDSII implementation flow
• Floorplanning, synthesis, PNR, CTS, routing
• STA and signoff methodologies
• EM/IR, PDN design, signal integrity
• Physical verification (DRC/LVS/ERC)
• Advanced node implementation (≤ 16nm / 5nm)
• Low power design (UPF/CPF)
• System-level integration (package, IO, board)

These responsibilities reflect core physical design tasks such as floorplanning, PNR, STA, verification, and optimization defined in internal role descriptions

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s in Electrical / Electronics Engineering or related field
• 17+ years of experience in ASIC / SoC physical design
• Proven experience leading large-scale SoC programs
• Strong knowledge of industry EDA tools (Synopsys, Cadence flows)
• Demonstrated success in advanced node implementations
• Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in automotive or high-reliability SoCs
• Expertise in PDN / EMIR / SI closure at chip-level
• Experience with global team leadership across geographies
• Exposure to AI-driven design methodologies and automation

More information about NXP in the United States...

NXP is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer regardless of age, color, national origin, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital status, status as a disabled veteran and/or veteran of the Vietnam Era or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. In addition, NXP will provide reasonable accommodations for otherwise qualified disabled individuals.

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