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Salary: USD 217,000 - 267,000 / annual
Lightmatter is a venture-backed AI infrastructure company that invented the world's first 3D-stacked photonics engine (Passage™) for next-generation data centers. The company recently raised $400M in Series D funding at a $4.4B valuation and is scaling rapidly across all departments.
You will join as a Senior Staff Physical Design Engineer, leading the physical design implementation of complex digital blocks for advanced process nodes (3nm and beyond). This is a highly technical individual contributor role with company-wide scope and influence over how digital systems are optimized for photonics-based computing.
Key responsibilities include:
- Implement digital blocks from synthesis through physical verification using industry-standard EDA tools and flows
- Drive full-chip static timing analysis (STA) signoff, constraint review, timing debug, and engineering change orders (ECOs)
- Lead power analysis and optimization while balancing area and performance trade-offs
- Own full-chip floor planning, IO placement, and clock distribution strategies
- Customize clock implementation for functional and test modes
- Debug and resolve DRC/LVS violations
- Implement functional and timing ECOs
- Collaborate with EDA vendors to resolve tool issues
- Write TCL, Python, or shell scripts to automate and customize design flows
You will work alongside world-class scientists and engineers tackling novel challenges unique to the photonics industry, with opportunities to influence system-level optimization and help define new design paradigms.
Required qualifications: Bachelor's in Electrical or Computer Engineering with 12+ years of physical design experience. Must have completed block-level or top-level physical design for large ASICs or mixed-signal chips that successfully taped out. Thorough knowledge of timing closure, LVS/DRC closure, and scripting languages (TCL, Python). Strong collaboration and adaptability in fast-paced environments.
Preferred: Master's degree with 8+ years experience; hands-on Cadence tools expertise; 3nm tape-out experience; willingness to do manual layouts and learn silicon photonics layout; EM/IR analysis experience with industry signoff tools.
Lightmatter offers competitive compensation, equity grants, comprehensive benefits (medical, dental, vision, 401k matching, life insurance, generous PTO, paid family leave, disability coverage), training and development, commuter benefits, and a flexible hybrid workplace model.
