CPU STA/Timing Engineer (Lead/Staff/Sr Staff)

Company:

Qualcomm India Private Limited

Job Area:

Engineering Group, Engineering Group > Hardware Engineering

General Summary:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Engineering, or related field and 2+ years of Hardware Engineering or related work experience.
OR
Master's degree in Computer Science, Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Engineering, or related field and 1+ year of Hardware Engineering or related work experience.
OR
PhD in Computer Science, Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Engineering, or related field.

Job Overview:

As a CPU Physical Design Timing (STA) Engineer, you will be a key contributor to high‑performance CPU core and uncore designs, working closely with CPU microarchitecture, RTL, CAD, and physical design teams.
You will drive timing analysis and closure for complex, multi‑GHz CPU designs across block, cluster, and full‑chip hierarchies, ensuring aggressive frequency and power targets are met.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Work closely with CPU microarchitecture, RTL, and DFT teams to understand CPU pipelines, critical paths, and performance goals, and to define, implement, and validate timing constraints.

• Perform STA for high‑performance CPU designs at block, cluster, and SoC/top‑level hierarchies across multiple modes, corners, and scenarios.

• Analyze timing on frequency‑critical CPU paths (core, cache, interconnect, clocking) and collaborate with RTL and DFT teams to drive logic and micro‑architectural fixes.

• Provide actionable timing feedback to block‑level and top‑level physical design engineers to enable CPU frequency and timing closure.

• Partner with CAD and methodology teams to develop, deploy, and enhance CPU‑specific timing flows and infrastructure.

• Generate and review timing ECOs (logic and physical) to close setup, hold, noise, and cross‑talk violations in CPU designs.

• Contribute to CPU timing methodology definition, best practices, and documentation for consistent signoff quality.

Preferred Qualifications

• MS degree in Electrical Engineering with ~6+ years of hands‑on experience in STA and timing closure.

• Strong experience with STA and timing closure for high‑performance CPU or processor‑class SoCs.

• Expertise in multi‑clock, multi‑domain CPU designs with aggressive frequency targets.

• Experience in deep sub‑micron technology nodes and advanced process technologies.

• Proven experience performing STA on large CPU/SoC designs with multi‑scenario and signoff‑quality closure.

• Hands‑on knowledge of timing ECO techniques and their implementation for CPU frequency closure.

• Solid understanding of standard cell libraries, CPU‑critical path optimization, and timing trade‑offs.

• Familiarity with circuit modeling, transistor fundamentals, and worst‑case corner selection for CPU timing signoff.

• Strong understanding of industry‑standard synthesis, place & route, and tape‑out flows.

• Excellent communication skills to work effectively with CPU architects, RTL designers, PD, and CAD teams.

• In‑depth knowledge of timing effects such as noise, cross‑talk, OCV/variation, and their impact on CPU designs.

• Working knowledge of CPU/SoC architecture and HDL languages such as