About the job
About Etched
Etched builds the first AI inference system tailored for transformers, delivering over 10x higher performance with lower cost and latency than conventional approaches. The company’s ASIC technology powers advanced products, from real-time video generation to sophisticated reasoning agents. Backed by leading investors and staffed by top engineers, Etched is focused on reshaping the infrastructure that supports the fast-moving AI sector.
Role Overview
The Senior Physical Design Engineer will play a central role in block-level implementation and verification. This position focuses on driving timing closure and optimizing power, performance, and area (PPA). The engineer will oversee third-party design partners and help refine internal workflows to accelerate design cycles.
What You Will Do
- Develop a deep understanding of physical design challenges and solutions
- Run physical design flows to achieve block closure, improve ASIC infrastructure, and automate design steps
- Work closely with RTL designers, offering feedback to improve PPA
- Create dashboards to monitor project convergence in physical design
- Refine tool flows and collaborate with EDA vendors to adopt new technologies
- Take responsibility for achieving block-level closure
- Manage relationships with third-party physical design service providers
Who We’re Looking For
- 5 to 10+ years of hands-on experience in physical design
- Strong background in tools, flows, and methodologies from RTL synthesis through GDSII sign-off
- Proven track record in back-end design and timing closure on advanced nodes (5nm and below)
- Familiarity with Cadence (Innovus, Genus) or Synopsys (ICC2, Fusion Compiler) automated RTL-to-GDSII flows
- Experience using sign-off tools such as PrimeTime, Tempus, Voltus, and similar
- Knowledge of UPF-based low power design, power verification, synthesis, scan insertion/ATPG, formal verification, floorplanning, placement, CTS, routing, IR drop, and EM/antenna analysis
- Creative thinker with strong problem-solving skills
Location
Austin

