SoC Top-Level Physical Design Engineer
Content + Source + Freshness • 13 Dec 2025 • 95% confidence
Offer value
Valuable opportunity given the role's impact on AI and CPU SoC design, competitive salary offerings, and potential for technical influence.
- Salary range of $100k - $500k/year
- Engagement in complex AI hardware projects
- Opportunity to drive chip design innovations
- Requires deep expertise in physical design strategies
Pros
- Direct involvement in advanced physical design projects
- Competitive compensation package
- Collaboration across multiple disciplines in chip design
Cons
- Requires significant experience (8+ years)
- Complexity of designs may pose challenges
- Aggressive timelines for project completion
Who it's for
Mid to Senior • Hybrid / office-based
Good fit
- Senior physical design professionals
- Engineers with a collaborative mindset
- Individuals eager to work on advanced hardware technology
Not recommended for
- Entry-level engineers without relevant experience
- Professionals resistant to dynamic work environments
- Those looking for minimal interaction with other teams
Motivation fit
Key skills
About the job
Tenstorrent is leading the industry on cutting-edge AI technology, revolutionizing performance expectations, ease of use, and cost efficiency. With AI redefining the computing paradigm, solutions must evolve to unify innovations in software models, compilers, platforms, networking, and semiconductors. Our diverse team of technologists have developed a high performance RISC-V CPU from scratch, and share a passion for AI and a deep desire to build the best AI platform possible. We value collaboration, curiosity, and a commitment to solving hard problems. We are growing our team and looking for contributors of all seniorities.
Tenstorrent is seeking an exceptional Senior-level SoC Physical Design Engineer to drive top-level implementation of our complex AI and CPU SoC designs. You'll orchestrate cross-disciplinary collaboration, implementing sophisticated floorplans, power grids, and clock networks while ensuring design closure at the chip level. If you excel at managing the complexity of full-chip physical design and want to deliver next-generation AI hardware, we need your expertise.
This role is hybrid, based out of Santa Clara, CA; Austin, TX; or Ft. Collins, CO.
We welcome candidates at various experience levels for this role. During the interview process, candidates will be assessed for the appropriate level, and offers will align with that level, which may differ from the one in this posting.
Who You Are
- A seasoned physical design engineer who thrives on complex, full-chip implementation challenges.
- Expert at collaborating across disciplines, working effectively with architecture, RTL, and packaging teams.
- Passionate about optimizing chip-level implementations for power, performance, and area.
- Detail-oriented professional who drives design closure while maintaining quality and meeting aggressive schedules
What We Need
- 8+ years of top-level SOC physical design experience on complex, multi-million gate designs.
- Deep expertise in hierarchical floorplanning, fabric implementation, power grid design, and global clock distribution.
- Proven track record with bump planning, RDL implementation, and multi-voltage domain designs.
- Mastery of timing closure, EM/IR analysis, and physical verification at the chip level.
What You Will Learn
- How to implement cutting-edge AI accelerators and high-performance CPUs at the SOC level.
- Advanced techniques for chiplet integration and next-generation packaging co-design.
- Strategies for optimizing massive designs with complex power domains and clock architectures.
- Methods for driving successful chip-level closure through effective cross-functional collaboration.
Compensation for all engineers at Tenstorrent ranges from $100k - $500k including base and variable compensation targets. Experience, skills, education, background and location all impact the actual offer made.
Tenstorrent offers a highly competitive compensation package and benefits, and we are an equal opportunity employer.
This offer of employment is contingent upon the applicant being eligible to access U.S. export-controlled technology. Due to U.S. export laws, including those codified in the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (EAR), the Company is required to ensure compliance with these laws when transferring technology to nationals of certain countries (such as EAR Country Groups D:1, E1, and E2). These requirements apply to persons located in the U.S. and all countries outside the U.S. As the position offered will have direct and/or indirect access to information, systems, or technologies subject to these laws, the offer may be contingent upon your citizenship/permanent residency status or ability to obtain prior license approval from the U.S. Commerce Department or applicable federal agency. If employment is not possible due to U.S. export laws, any offer of employment will be rescinded.
