As a Staff/Sr. Staff Physical Verification Engineer at Velaura AI, you will own block-level and full-chip physical verification and signoff for next-generation AI and high-performance computing silicon. You will drive physical verification from block-level implementation through full-chip integration and final tape-out, working on complex SoC designs targeting advanced process technologies.
This is a highly hands-on technical role requiring deep expertise in DRC, LVS, ERC, PERC, antenna, ESD/EOS, and reliability verification, along with the ability to identify root causes and implement physical fixes directly in Cadence Innovus and/or Synopsys Fusion Compiler.
You will work closely with Physical Design, Analog/Mixed-Signal, STA, Power Integrity, Reliability, I/O, and CAD teams to drive signoff convergence, establish robust PV methodologies, and achieve first-time-right silicon.
● Own block-level and full-chip physical verification signoff, including DRC, LVS, ERC, PERC, antenna, ESD/EOS, and related reliability checks for complex ASIC/SoC designs.
● Drive tape-out readiness and signoff closure through violation triage, root-cause analysis, waiver management, schedule tracking, and convergence to zero or signoff-acceptable violations.
● Execute and debug physical verification using industry-standard tools such as Siemens Calibre and Synopsys IC Validator (ICV), including complex connectivity, device-recognition, hierarchy, and advanced-node rule issues.
● Correlate Calibre/ICV results with Cadence Innovus and/or Synopsys Fusion Compiler implementation databases and drive physical fixes through iterative verification to closure.
● Perform hands-on physical implementation and ECO changes, including routing and via edits, metal-shape modifications, cell movement, filler/decap/endcap updates, power-grid modifications, and other layout changes required for signoff.
● Define, customize, and enhance PERC and reliability verification flows covering ESD, EOS, latch-up, point-to-point resistance, current-density constraints, and high-current paths.
● Develop Tcl and Python/Perl/Unix shell automation for violation analysis, implementation database queries, physical ECOs, PV execution, and signoff reporting.
● Drive PV closure for advanced FinFET and GAA technologies, including restrictive spacing, coloring, cut-mask, EUV/multi-patterning, and other advanced-node-specific requirements.
● Influence floorplanning, power-grid planning, and implementation methodology from a physical verification perspective to minimize downstream iterations and late-stage signoff violations.
● Support hierarchical and full-chip PV methodologies for digital-on-top, mixed-signal, and multi-voltage SoCs, including IP integration and boundary/interface verification.
● Partner with Physical Design, STA, Power Integrity, Analog, and Reliability teams to ensure PV-driven changes preserve timing, congestion, routability, signal integrity, power integrity, reliability, and design functionality.
● Develop and optimize physical verification flows for runtime, scalability, robustness, and ease of use across block and full-chip designs.
● Partner with CAD teams, foundries, and EDA vendors to qualify technology nodes and rule decks, resolve complex PV/reliability issues, and improve verification and signoff methodologies.
● Drive density, metal-fill, DFM/DFY, and pattern-matching verification while ensuring associated changes do not introduce timing, reliability, or physical verification regressions.
● Mentor engineers on physical verification methodology, advanced-node debugging, root-cause analysis, implementation fixes, and tape-out signoff best practices.
● Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, VLSI, Microelectronics, or a related field.
● Typically 8+ years of relevant experience in physical verification for complex ASIC/SoC designs, with multiple successful production tape-outs.
● Proven experience owning block-level and/or full-chip physical verification signoff for complex ASIC/SoC designs.
● Strong hands-on experience with DRC and LVS signoff, with experience or strong exposure to PERC and reliability verification.
● Experience with advanced FinFET and/or GAA technologies, including at least one production tape-out at an advanced process node.
● Strong hands-on expertise with Siemens Calibre and/or Synopsys ICV, including debugging complex DRC, LVS, antenna, connectivity, and advanced-node physical verification issues.
● Demonstrated ability to perform manual and scripted physical implementation/ECO changes in Cadence Innovus and/or Synopsys Fusion Compiler.
● Experience correlating physical verification results with implementation databases and driving physical fixes through iterative verification to signoff closure.
● Strong scripting skills in Tcl and at least one of Python, Perl, or Unix shell for PV automation, implementation database queries, ECOs, and flow development.
● Strong understanding of how PV-driven physical changes impact timing, congestion, routability, signal integrity, power integrity, reliability, and overall design closure.
● Strong debugging, problem-solving, and root-cause-analysis skills, with the ability to independently drive complex signoff issues to closure.
● Excellent communication skills and the ability to work effectively across Physical Design, Analog, STA, CAD, Reliability, Foundry, and EDA teams.
● Hands-on experience with PERC-based reliability verification for ESD, EOS, latch-up, point-to-point resistance, current-density constraints, and high-current paths, including flow setup, customization, debugging, and definition of signoff criteria.
● Experience with Cadence Virtuoso integration with Calibre/ICV for DRC, LVS, and PERC verification in analog or mixed-signal environments.
● Experience driving hierarchical and full-chip PV signoff for digital-on-top, mixed-signal, and/or multi-voltage SoCs.
● Experience with DFM/DFY, density and metal-fill strategies, pattern-matching verification, and advanced-node manufacturing checks.
● Experience qualifying foundry rule decks, new technology nodes, verification methodologies, and signoff flows.
● Experience working directly with foundries and EDA vendors on complex rule interpretation, deck, methodology, and signoff issues.
● Experience working in a fast-paced or early-stage semiconductor environment.
Velaura is building next-generation compute technology for cloud, edge, and Physical AI. Our solutions will enable robots, autonomous systems, drones, and other intelligent machines to operate efficiently in the physical world.
This is an opportunity to help build foundational technology at a time when the industry is undergoing fundamental change. You will work alongside experienced leaders, architects, engineers, and operators who have delivered industry-defining products across mobile, cloud, semiconductor, and AI platforms. If you enjoy solving difficult problems, working across disciplines, and helping shape the future of Physical AI, we would love to hear from you.
Velaura is an Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to inclusion and diversity. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status. We also take affirmative action to offer employment
opportunities to minorities, women, individuals with disabilities, and protected veterans.
Velaura is committed to working with qualified individuals with physical or mental disabilities. Applicants who would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or who need special assistance or a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process may contact us at: [email protected]. This contact
information is for accommodation requests only. Evaluation of requests for reasonable accommodation will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, VLSI, Microelectronics, or a related field
- Typically 8+ years of relevant physical verification experience for complex ASIC/SoC designs
- Multiple successful production tape-outs
- Experience owning block-level and/or full-chip physical verification signoff
- Strong hands-on DRC and LVS signoff experience
- Experience or strong exposure to PERC and reliability verification
- Experience with advanced FinFET and/or GAA technologies
- At least one production tape-out at an advanced process node
- Strong hands-on expertise with Siemens Calibre and/or Synopsys ICV
- Experience debugging complex DRC, LVS, antenna, connectivity, and advanced-node verification issues
- Ability to perform manual and scripted physical implementation and ECO changes in Cadence Innovus and/or Synopsys Fusion Compiler
- Experience correlating physical verification results with implementation databases and driving fixes to signoff closure
- Strong Tcl scripting skills and proficiency in at least one of Python, Perl, or Unix shell
- Understanding of impacts of physical verification changes on timing, congestion, routability, signal integrity, power integrity, reliability, and design closure
- Strong debugging, problem-solving, and root-cause-analysis skills
- Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills
- Hands-on PERC-based reliability verification for ESD, EOS, latch-up, resistance, current-density, and high-current paths
- Cadence Virtuoso integration with Calibre or ICV for analog or mixed-signal verification
- Hierarchical and full-chip PV signoff for digital-on-top, mixed-signal, or multi-voltage SoCs
- DFM/DFY, density, metal-fill, and pattern-matching verification experience
- Experience qualifying foundry rule decks, technology nodes, verification methodologies, and signoff flows
- Experience working directly with foundries and EDA vendors
- Experience in a fast-paced or early-stage semiconductor environment
What We Do
Velaura AI develops ultra-low-power silicon and software for AI compute infrastructure, serving cloud, edge, and physical-AI applications. Its patented, energy-efficient digital-design technology and power-optimized architectures support next-generation AI accelerators, helping compute systems scale with lower energy use. Drawing on deep semiconductor expertise, the company aims to make AI computing more efficient across data centers and intelligent devices, with performance and sustainability central to its approach.
