Design Engineer II

At Cadence, we hire and develop leaders and innovators who want to make an impact on the world of technology.

Job Opportunity: Foundry PDK Design Enablement Engineer

Experience Level: 2–4 Years
Department: Methodology & Flow Enablement Group
Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electronics, Electrical Engineering, VLSI, Microelectronics, Semiconductor Technology, or a related field

Position Overview

We are seeking a highly motivated Foundry Process Technology, PDK & DTCO Engineer with 2–4 years of experience to join our process technology group. In this role, you will bridge the gap between process technology and design, driving next-generation semiconductor technology through cutting-edge path-finding methodologies. The ideal candidate possesses a strong foundation in PDK enablement, physical verification decks, process/design interaction electrical studies, Spice model understanding and design automation.

Key Responsibilities

• PDK Enablement: Validate, deploy, and maintain foundational PDK components specifically tailored for advanced technology nodes.
• Technology Study Activities: Conduct rigorous standard cell, SRAM, and custom circuit benchmarking alongside interconnect optimization to maximize power, performance, and area (PPA).
• Automation & Methodology: Design, develop, and maintain robust scripts and automated execution flows for PDK enablement/validation and PDK analysis.
• Collaborative Path-Finding: Partner closely with internal DTCO groups to turn advanced device architectures into reality.

Required Qualifications & Technical Skills

• Industry Experience: 2–4 years of hands-on experience in semiconductor technology analysis, foundry PDK enablement, and the co-optimization of PDK components like LVS, DRC, Parasitic Extraction, spice models. Strong understanding of PDK design enablement flows. Exposure to multiple foundry & nodes is a plus.
• Device Physics: Strong fundamental understanding of CMOS device physics, including advanced architectures like GAA (Gate-All-Around), FinFETs, and planar MOSFETs.
• Physical Verification & EDA: Deep knowledge of Layout Versus Schematic (LVS), Design Rule Checking (DRC), Parasitic Extractions, and Spice models at transistor level. Cadence based tool knowledge is a plus.
• Tooling Familiarity: Direct experience or high proficiency with Cadence-based tool suites is highly advantageous.
• Team Collaboration: Proven experience interfacing with core PDK development teams, technology enablement units, or advanced technology benchmarking groups.

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