{"id":4132904,"url":"https://alion.io/job/lightmatter-sr-physical-design-flow-methodology-engineer","title":"Sr. Physical Design Flow & Methodology Engineer","company":{"id":16141,"name":"Lightmatter","domain":"lightmatter.co","url":"https://alion.io/company/lightmatter-co","size_band":"201-500","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Greenhouse","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":80,"open_postings":52,"ghost_share":0.327,"stale_share":0,"repost_share":0.019,"time_to_fill_p50_days":50,"computed_at":"2026-11-11T05:49:22Z"}},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","seniority":"senior","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"hybrid","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Boston, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":154000,"max":175000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":175000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":5,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":true,"technologies":[{"name":"HPC","optional":false},{"name":"LLM","optional":false},{"name":"Python","optional":false},{"name":"Cadence Pegasus","optional":true},{"name":"CI/CD","optional":true},{"name":"Git","optional":true},{"name":"KLayout","optional":true},{"name":"Siemens Calibre","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-11-12T00:37:26Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-11-12","last_verified_at":"2026-11-12T03:12:48Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":0,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":0},"description":"Lightmatter is leading the revolution in AI data center infrastructure, enabling the next giant leaps in human progress. The company invented the world’s first 3D-stacked photonics engine, Passage™, capable of connecting thousands to millions of processors at the speed of light in extreme-scale data centers for the most advanced AI and HPC workloads.\nLightmatter raised $400 million in its Series D round, reaching a valuation of $4.4 billion. We will continue to accelerate the development of data center photonics and grow every department at Lightmatter!\nIf you're passionate about tackling complex challenges, making an impact, and being an expert in your craft, join our team of brilliant scientists, engineers, and accomplished industry leaders.\nLightmatter is (re)inventing the future of computing with light!\nWe’re looking for a Physical Design Flow & Methodology Engineer to help build the tools, flows and automation our physical design teams use to tape out high-performance ASICs and mixed-signal chips. You’ll write production Python, use AI and LLM-based tools to make our flows smarter and faster, and evaluate new EDA capabilities before they reach our implementation teams. You’ll also work with a team of world-class scientists and engineers on design problems that are new to the photonics industry. If you like writing code that makes other engineers more productive, and you want to shape how next-generation chips get built, we’d like to hear from you.\nResponsibilities\nDevelop, maintain and extend our physical design flows from synthesis through signoff (place-and-route, CTS, STA, power integrity, DRC/LVS), mostly in Python and TCL.\nUse AI and LLM-based tools to automate flow tasks such as report triage, debug, constraint checking, DRC/LVS analysis, run monitoring and QoR prediction.\nResearch and prototype new flow capabilities, EDA tool features and methodologies, then turn the successful ones into production flows.\nBuild tools for regression testing, QoR tracking and dashboards so flow changes are measurable and safe.\nSupport the implementation teams by debugging flow problems, reproducing tool issues and working with EDA vendors on fixes.\nRun blocks through the flow as needed to validate methodology changes, including timing closure, ECOs and DRC/LVS cleanup.\nWrite clear documentation and train the PD team on new flows and tools.\nQualifications \nBachelor’s in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or Computer Science, plus at least 5 years of related industry experience.\nHas contributed to at least one ASIC or mixed-signal chip through tapeout.\nSolid understanding of the RTL-to-GDS flow, including synthesis, place-and-route, clock tree synthesis, static timing analysis and physical verification.\nStrong Python skills (maintainable, tested, version-controlled code) and working knowledge of TCL and shell scripting.\nPractical experience using AI coding assistants or LLM-based tools to automate engineering work, or a strong interest in learning to.\nStrong teamwork skills, with the ability to work with PD, RTL, verification, CAD and photonics teams.\nComfortable with ambiguity and changing priorities in a fast-paced research-driven environment.\nPreferred Qualifications \nMaster’s degree with at least 3 years of experience in physical design OR PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or Computer Science\nHands-on experience with Cadence tools (Genus, Innovus, Tempus, Voltus, Pegasus) and/or Siemens Calibre.\nExperience developing or owning a production PD flow, or contributing to CAD and methodology infrastructure.\nFamiliarity with advanced process nodes (FinFET or newer).\nExperience with software engineering practices: Git, CI/CD, unit and regression testing, code review.\nExperience with LLM APIs, agent frameworks or ML techniques applied to EDA problems.\nExperience with layout data formats and tools (GDS/OASIS, LEF/DEF, KLayout scripting).\nInterest in silicon photonics and in custom or photonic layout automation.\nWe offer competitive compensation. The base salary range for this role determined based on location, experience, educational background, and market data.\nSalary Range: total compensation goes beyond base salary, it also includes a new hire equity grant, annual performance-based equity, and other rewards that recognize your impact and contribution.\n$154,000—$175,000 USD\nBenefits\nComprehensive Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)\nRetirement Savings Matching Program\nLife Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)\nGenerous Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)\nPaid Family Leave\nShort Term & Long Term Disability\nTraining & Development\nCommuter Benefits\nFlexible, hybrid workplace model\nEquity grants (applicable to full-time employees)\nBenefits eligibility may vary depending on your employment status and location. Lightmatter recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law.\nExport Control\nCandidates should have capacity to comply with the federally mandated requirements of U.S. export control laws.","description_format":"text","description_chars":5165,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":5,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Equity","Life insurance","Parental leave"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["AI Chips & Accelerators","Optics & Photonic Components"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-11-12T03:12:48Z"}],"visa":[{"country":"US","licensed_sponsor":true,"adverts_offering_sponsorship_24m":0,"sanctioned_now":false,"evidence":"H-1B filings in 12 months: 27 · green card filings: 1","filings_12m":27,"filings_prev_12m":14,"green_card_filings_12m":1,"median_offered_wage_usd":177679,"route":null,"cap_exempt":false,"checked_at":"2026-11-11T07:38:50+00:00","sources":["US Department of Labor: LCA disclosure data (H-1B, H-1B1, E-3)","US Department of Labor: PERM disclosure data (green cards)"],"filings_for_role_12m":0}],"liveness":{"score":86,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":1,"p_active":0.86,"p_room":1,"age_days":0,"expected_fill_days":50,"reasons":["conf:1","win:early"],"computed_at":"2026-11-12T04:26:36Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":175000,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/lightmatter-sr-physical-design-flow-methodology-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/lightmatter-sr-physical-design-flow-methodology-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-11-12T04:26:36Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":9641,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-13T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.1,"usd":0.01,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":16141},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=16141"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Flightmatter-sr-physical-design-flow-methodology-engineer"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":2,"usd":0.2},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Flightmatter-sr-physical-design-flow-methodology-engineer"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.1,"usd":0.01},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Flightmatter-sr-physical-design-flow-methodology-engineer"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/lightmatter-sr-physical-design-flow-methodology-engineer\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Flightmatter-sr-physical-design-flow-methodology-engineer"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":4132904}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"lightmatter.co","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":4132904},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. 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