Tenstorrent
Physical Design CPU Methodology Engineer
About this role
Tenstorrent seeks an experienced Physical Design CPU Methodology Engineer to establish and lead RTL-to-GDS implementation methodology, automation infrastructure, and signoff processes for high-performance CPU cores on advanced nodes. The role combines deep technical expertise in physical design with cross-functional leadership to drive predictable execution, strong power-performance-area outcomes, and scalable AI/ML-enabled tooling adoption across the organization.
What you'll do
- Define and own scalable CPU physical design methodology spanning synthesis, floorplanning, power planning, place-and-route, clock tree synthesis, extraction, and signoff
- Drive automation, constraints, quality metrics, and signoff criteria to improve predictability, turnaround time, and PPA outcomes
- Explore and evaluate AI/ML-enabled EDA tooling for hotspot prediction, congestion forecasting, timing-risk classification, and flow optimization
- Partner with architecture, RTL, circuit, DFT, CAD, and EDA vendor teams to enable advanced process nodes and productize AI/ML across physical design
- Build reliable, explainable data infrastructure for feature collection, validation, and signoff integration supporting AI/ML applications
- Mentor engineers and drive methodology standards across geographically distributed teams
What they're looking for
- RTL-to-GDS physical design and signoff (timing closure, power optimization, SI, EM/IR, extraction, physical verification)
- Tcl, Python, Perl, or similar scripting languages for automation and CAD flow development
- High-performance CPU or complex digital ASIC/SoC design (10+ years experience)
- Physical design methodology and automation framework development
- AI/ML concepts applied to EDA (congestion forecasting, timing prediction, IR-drop analysis)
- Advanced process node technology and design for manufacturability
- Cross-functional collaboration and technical leadership
- EDA tool evaluation and vendor partnership management
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Tenstorrent
Tenstorrent develops advanced AI technologies and high-performance CPU chip designs, building the hardware and compiler infrastructure to support next-generation AI computing. The company is hiring hardware engineers (DFT, physical design, timing analysis, emulation) and software engineers (compiler development) to optimize chip manufacturing, performance, and AI software solutions.
- Website
- tenstorrent.com
Likely interview questions
- Describe your experience building or owning physical design methodology frameworks—what were the key automation wins and how did you measure their impact on cycle time and PPA?
- Walk us through how you would approach defining a CPU physical design methodology for a new advanced node from scratch, including signoff criteria and quality gates.