{"id":1302298,"url":"https://alion.io/job/niobium-senior-asic-physical-design-engineer","title":"Senior ASIC Physical Design Engineer","company":{"id":3781998,"name":"Niobium","domain":"niobium.co","url":"https://alion.io/company/niobium","size_band":"51-200","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"BambooHR","truth_index":null},"role":"Hardware","role_family":"Hardware","seniority":"senior","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":[],"countries":[],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":null,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":true,"technologies":[],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-07-31T00:00:00Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-15","last_verified_at":"2026-10-20T03:56:48Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":81,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":1,"flags":[],"days_open":81},"description":"About Niobium\nAt Niobium Microsystems, we develop high performance microelectronic products to enable the secure collection, processing, and distribution of critical data. We are a trusted partner of government research teams and commercial customers whose solutions require lower power, higher efficiency, and proven security.\nFounded as a 2021 spinout from Galois, Inc., a world-class security and computing systems research and development company, our team combines decades of experience in advanced semiconductor design with a record of delivering world class solutions.\nAbout This Role\nWe are seeking a highly experienced ASIC Physical Designto drive the implementation of complex SoC designs from RTL handoff through tapeout. The ideal candidate has 8+ years of hands-on experiencein advanced node physical implementation, proven ownership of multiple successful tapeouts, and the ability to lead both technically and organizationally.\nIn this role, you will partner closely with Architecture, RTL Design, Verification, DFT, and Power teams to deliver high-performance, power-efficient siliconacross cutting edge technology nodes.\nResponsibilities\nAs the Physical Design Lead, you will be responsible for:\nEnd-to-End Physical Implementation Leadership\nOwn and lead all physical design activities from RTL handoff, floorplanning, and PnR through final GDSII delivery.\nDefine execution strategy, schedules, design methodology, and quality checkpoints for the entire physical design flow.\nFloorplanning & SoC Integration\nArchitect and execute floorplanning strategies for large, hierarchical SoCs, including:IP integration and macro placement\nPhysical partitioning and hierarchy definition\nPower grid architecture and clock distribution topology\nDIE size, aspect ratio, and physical constraints\n\nCollaborate with Architecture and RTL teams to ensure physical feasibility, timing closure readiness, and area/power targets.\nPlace & Route + Timing Closure\nLead block-level and top-level PnR using industry standard EDA tools (Cadence, Synopsys).\nDrive timing convergenceacross corners, modes, voltage domains, and operating conditions.\nOwn optimization for PPA (Power, Performance, Area), congestion mitigation, and physical integrity.\nClocking, Power, and Sign-Off\nImplement CTS and drive skew, latency, and clock power optimization.\nLead IR/EM sign-off strategy, thermal analysis, and full chip physical verification (DRC/LVS/ERC).\nIntegrate and validate low power methodologies, including UPF/CPF flows.\nCross-Functional Collaboration & Quality Ownership\nPartner with DFT and PD teams to ensure scan insertion, BIST structures, and test modes are physically robust and timing clean.\nWork with Packaging and SI teams on bump planning, floorplan constraints, and package-aware timing.\nSet physical design quality standards, conduct design reviews, and ensure flawless execution through tapeout.\nLeadership & Mentorship\nProvide technical leadership to a team of junior and mid-level physical designers.\nMentor, coach, and guide engineers in methodology, debug, and best practices.\nChampion continuous improvement across flows, scripts, and design methodology.\nKey Qualifications\nEducation\nBS/MS/PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.(Advanced degree preferred for leadership roles.)\n\nRequired Technical Expertise\n8+ yearsof relevant experience in ASIC Physical Design, with a strong track record of multiple tape-outsat advanced technology nodes (16nm → 3nm preferred).\nDeep expertise in:Floorplanning\nPlace & Route\nCTS\nSTA/Timing Closure\nPhysical verification & sign-off\nLow power design and UPF\n\nStrong hands on proficiency with Cadence and/or Synopsys physical design toolchains.\nSolid understanding of RTL-to-GDS flows, design architecture trade-offs, and SoC integration complexities.\nAbility to translate product requirements into physical design goals, budgets, constraints, and deliverable plans.\nRequired General Skills\nStrong communication skills-able to articulate technical decisions across cross-functional teams.\nHighly motivated, proactive, and able to operate effectively in a distributed team environment.\nComfortable owning schedules, deliverables, and quality in a fast-moving development cycle.\nExceptional analytical, debugging, and problem-solving skills with a meticulous attention to detail.\nLocation\nNiobium is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio with additional locations in Fayetteville, Arkansas, Portland, Oregon, and Dayton, Ohio. We will not be limited by geography for the right candidate.\nBenefits\nNiobium offers a highly competitive benefits program to support employees and their families, including:\nCompetitive salaries \nEquity in the form of Incentive Stock Options (ISO)\nEmployer paid medical insurance plan\nHealth Savings Account (HSA) with employer contributions\nDental and vision reimbursement account (HRA)\n401(k) retirement plan with employer match\nFlexible work location with remote options\nFlexible time off","description_format":"text","description_chars":5000,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":null,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Equity","Flexible schedule","Flexible time off","Health insurance","Retirement plans","Stock options"],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Machine Learning","Custom Software Development"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-09-26T11:59:09Z"},{"event":"close","at":"2026-10-08T02:20:50Z"},{"event":"reopen","at":"2026-10-15T20:20:23Z"}],"visa":[{"country":"US","licensed_sponsor":true,"evidence":"H-1B filings in 12 months: 2","filings_12m":2,"filings_prev_12m":1,"green_card_filings_12m":0,"median_offered_wage_usd":167500,"route":null,"cap_exempt":false,"checked_at":"2026-10-15T11:24:14+00:00","sources":["US Department of Labor: LCA disclosure data (H-1B, H-1B1, E-3)"],"filings_for_role_12m":0}],"liveness":{"score":18,"band":"cold","label":"Long shot","p_open":1,"p_active":0.514,"p_room":0.35,"age_days":81,"expected_fill_days":36,"reasons":["conf:1","win:tail"],"computed_at":"2026-10-20T05:45:00Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/niobium-senior-asic-physical-design-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/niobium-senior-asic-physical-design-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-20T08:49:15Z","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":9694,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-21T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"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":3781998},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=3781998"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fniobium-senior-asic-physical-design-engineer"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"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%2Fniobium-senior-asic-physical-design-engineer"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"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%2Fniobium-senior-asic-physical-design-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/niobium-senior-asic-physical-design-engineer\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fniobium-senior-asic-physical-design-engineer"}]}