ASIC Physical Design Technical Lead

About this role

The application window is expected to close on: 10/12/2026 Job posting may be removed earlier if the position is filled or if a sufficient number of applications are received .

Meet the Team

The Common Hardware Group (CHG) creates innovative hardware platforms central to the AI era, powering Cisco’s core Switching, Routing, and Wireless products for organizations globally. Our innovations in silicon, optics, and hardware platforms—like Silicon One—are shaping the technology industry. We're a global team of creative experts, bringing our unique backgrounds and bold ideas to push boundaries and help each other grow. Because full product development—from design to qualification to production—is within our team, we’re able to think differently, experiment more, and work quickly. Join us to power the future of the digital world. 

Your Impact • Fullchip Floorplan by understanding the architecture of the design, foundry integration guidelines and IP placement constraints

• Collaborate with the system and package design teams to understand the requirements and incorporate into the fullchip floorplan

• Perform hierarchical implementation flow, including partition, pin assignment, clock plan and bump planning; Handson experience with Fullchip clock mesh and Flex-HTree methods

• RTL-to-GDSII implementation: Floorplan, Power Grid plan, place and route, static timing analysis, power integrity, physical verification and equivalence checks with a focus on performance, power and die size optimization.

• Analyze existing tool flows and methodologies, identifying efficiency gaps and implementing incremental or transformative enhancements.

• Work closely with RTL, DFT, implementation, EDA vendors, and tool/flow teams to enable best-in-class design methodology.

• Proficiency in low-power design methodologies using UPF

• Work with Foundry and standard cell IP vendors to define the signoff methodologies and validate/adjust them when you receive feedback from Post-Silicon Validation teams

• Experience in using AI tools to improve productivity

Minimum Qualifications • Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering with 8+ years of Physical Design experience or Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering with 6+ years of Physical Design experience, or PhD in Electrical Engineering with 3+ years of Physical Design experience.

• Experience working on Fullchip activities.

• Experience with RTL2GDSII flow and design tapeouts in 7nnm/5nm/3nm or below process technologies.

• Experience working with EDA tools like Innovus, Tempus/Primetime, Redhawk/Voltus or Calibre/Pegasus.

Preferred Qualifications • Experience with hierarchical design, timing closure, physical design convergence, and power integrity analysis.

• Experience with static timing analysis and concepts, defining timing constraints and exceptions, corners/voltage definitions.

• Experience in Fullchip floor-planning and power grid planning.

• Experience with custom clock (H-Tree or Mesh) at chip level.

• Experience with Python and usage of AI tools by giving accurate prompts

Why Cisco?  At Cisco, we’re revolutionizing how data and infrastructure connect and protect organizations in the AI era – and beyond. We’ve been innovating fearlessly for 40 years to create solutions that power how humans and technology work together across the physical and digital worlds. These solutions provide customers with unparalleled security, visibility, and insights across the entire digital footprint. Fueled by the depth and breadth of our technology, we experiment and create meaningful solutions. Add to that our worldwide network of doers and experts, and you’ll see that the opportunities to grow and build are limitless. We work as a team, collaborating with empathy to make really big things happen on a global scale. Because our solutions are everywhere, our impact is everywhere.  We are Cisco, and our power starts with you. 

Message to applicants applying to work in the U.S. and/or Canada:

The starting salary range posted for this position is $186,900.00 to $267,700.00 and reflects the projected salary range for new hires in this position in U.S. and/or Canada locations, not including incentive compensation*, equity, or benefits. Individual pay is determined by the candidate's hiring location, market conditions, job-related skillset, experience, qualifications, education, certifications, and/or training. The full salary range for certain locations is listed below. For locations not listed below, the recruiter can share more details about compensation for the role in your location during the hiring process.

U.S. employees are offered benefits, subject to Cisco’s plan eligibility rules, which include medical, dental and vision insurance, a 401(k) plan with a Cisco matching contribution, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability coverage, and basic life insurance. Please see the Cisco careers site to discover more benefits and perks.  Employees may be eligible to receive grants of Cisco restricted stock units, which vest following continued employment with Cisco for defined periods of time.

U.S. employees are eligible for paid time away as described below, subject to Cisco’s policies: • 10 paid holidays per full calendar year, plus 1 floating holiday for non-exempt employees

• 1 paid day off for employee’s birthday, paid year-end holiday shutdown, and 4 paid days off for personal wellness determined by Cisco

• Non-exempt employees** receive 16 days of paid vacation time per full calendar year, accrued at rate of 4.92 hours per pay period for full-time employees

• Exempt employees participate in Cisco’s flexible vacation time off program, which has no defined limit on how much vacation time eligible employees may use (subject to availability and some business limitations)

• 80 hours of sick time off provided on hire date and each January 1st thereafter, and up to 80 hours of unused sick time carried forward from one calendar year to the next

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