How to Be Physical Design Automation Engineer - Job Description, Skills, and Interview Questions

Dec 30, 2022 / 6 Minutes Read / By Albert

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The rise of physical design automation engineering has had a profound impact on the semiconductor industry. With its ability to reduce development costs, reduce time to market, and improve product quality, it has become an increasingly sought after technology. As a result, the demand for experienced physical design automation engineers has grown exponentially.

This has led to an increase in wages and job opportunities for those with the skills to take advantage of this technology. Furthermore, it has allowed companies to produce more complex and sophisticated products by taking advantage of the automation capabilities available. This has further enabled them to remain competitive in the ever-changing semiconductor market.

Steps How to Become

Earn a Bachelor's Degree. The first step to becoming a physical design automation engineer is to earn a bachelor's degree in a related field, such as computer engineering or electrical engineering. Many employers prefer that applicants have a degree in one of these fields, as the job requires a strong knowledge of engineering principles and concepts.
Develop Relevant Skills. Physical design automation engineers should have a strong knowledge of computer programming and software development. Additionally, they need to have an understanding of digital and analog circuits, as well as computer-aided-design (CAD) software.
Gain Professional Experience. Many employers prefer that applicants have some professional experience in the field before applying for physical design automation engineering positions. Applicants may gain this experience through internships or entry-level positions in an engineering or computer science department.
Pursue Advanced Degrees and Certifications. Although not required, some employers prefer that applicants have advanced degrees in electrical or computer engineering. Additionally, obtaining certification from organizations such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) may increase applicants chances of getting hired.
Stay Up-to-Date. Physical design automation engineers should stay up-to-date on new technologies and software related to their field. Additionally, they should be familiar with industry standards and regulations, as well as current best practices in their field.

In order to stay ahead and capable in Physical Design Automation Engineering, it is important to stay up to date with the latest advances and trends in the industry. This includes taking part in webinars, conferences, seminars and other events, as well as reading industry publications, blogs and white papers. having a good knowledge of the tools and technologies used in the field is essential, and investing in courses to stay ahead of the curve will allow engineers to be competitive.

Lastly, cultivating relationships with other professionals in the field can help build a network of experts that can provide valuable insights and advice. By staying informed, up-to-date, and connected, engineers can stay ahead and capable in physical design automation engineering.

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Job Description

Design and develop physical implementation automation flows for advanced technology nodes
Develop and maintain scripts to automate designs and implementation tasks for large-scale integrated circuits
Analyze custom layout designs for manufacturability and performance optimization
Develop physical verification and design rule checking flows
Establish test benches, develop scripts to debug and analyze physical design issues
Design and develop physical synthesis flows including physical synthesis, clock tree synthesis and placement
Create timing constraints and develop static timing analysis flows
Develop floorplanning strategies for various types of designs
Optimize power/ground networks, design and develop power planning flows
Work closely with logic designers to debug timing related issues

Skills and Competencies to Have

Strong knowledge in logic design and implementation.
Expertise in the development of custom physical design tools.
Proficiency in scripting languages such as Python, Perl, Tcl, Bash, and/or other scripting languages.
Ability to develop concurrent algorithms for timing closure and place-and-route.
Good understanding of manufacturing process and design for manufacturability principles.
Knowledge of electrical engineering principles, such as signal integrity, power integrity, and electromigration.
Experience in physical design layout and verification.
Ability to develop physical design flows and methodologies.
Experience with leading EDA tools (Synopsys ICC, Cadence Encounter, Mentor Calibre).
Ability to debug complex physical design issues.
Understanding of VLSI design constraints and methodology.
Excellent problem solving and analytical skills.

Physical design automation engineers are responsible for developing, maintaining, and improving the physical design of integrated circuits. Their expertise is essential to ensuring the quality, reliability, and performance of modern electronic products. To be successful in this role, engineers must possess a strong technical foundation in electrical engineering, computer science, mathematics, physics, and other related disciplines.

they must be skilled in the use of computer-aided design (CAD) software and other design automation tools. Furthermore, these professionals must be detail-oriented, possess excellent problem-solving and analytical skills, and be able to effectively collaborate with other engineers, designers, and manufacturing personnel. With these skills, physical design automation engineers can create reliable integrated circuits that are capable of meeting their customer's needs.

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Frequent Interview Questions

What experience do you have in physical design automation?
How have you optimized physical design flows to reduce turnaround time?
What tools have you used to analyze and improve physical design implementation?
How have you managed physical design data and databases?
How have you applied power-aware and clock-gating techniques in physical design flows?
How have you used scripting languages to automate complex tasks in physical design?
Describe your experience with tape-out and sign-off processes for physical design.
How have you managed client expectations when dealing with physical design challenges?
What strategies have you employed to minimize the risk of errors during physical design implementation?
How have you communicated and collaborated with other teams in physical design implementations?

Common Tools in Industry

Cadence Innovus. A physical design implementation and sign-off tool used to create physical implementation of integrated circuits. (eg: Used to route chips on a PCB board)
Synopsys Design Compiler. A logic synthesis tool used to generate optimized netlists from HDL source code. (eg: Used to generate the logic design of an FPGA)
Mentor Graphics Calibre. A set of design verification tools used to verify the correctness of a design. (eg: Used to check for signal integrity issues in a printed circuit board)
Magma Blast Fusion. A physical synthesis tool used to perform floor planning and placement of cells in an integrated circuit design. (eg: Used to optimize the placement of cells on an IC layout)
Synopsys IC Compiler. A physical synthesis tool used to route and stitch together the various components of a chip. (eg: Used to create connections between the components on an IC layout)

Professional Organizations to Know

Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
International Society for Optical Engineering (SPIE)
Design Automation Conference (DAC)
Synopsys User Group (SNUG)
Asia and South Pacific Design Automation Conference (ASP-DAC)
International Symposium on Physical Design (ISPD)
IEEE Computer Society's Technical Committee on Design Automation (TECHDAC)
International Conference on Computer-Aided Design (ICCAD)
International Conference on VLSI Design (VLSID)

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Common Important Terms

Place and Route. Place and route is the process of taking a schematic design and creating a physical layout that conforms to the design rules and constraints.
Physical Design Verification. Physical design verification is the process of ensuring that the layout of a design is correct and matches what is expected from the schematic.
Design Rules Check (DRC). A design rule check (DRC) is a set of rules used to verify that a physical design conforms to its design constraints.
Layout Versus Schematic (LVS). Layout versus schematic (LVS) is a process of verifying that the physical layout of a design matches its schematic description.
Timing Analysis. Timing analysis is the process of verifying that a design meets its timing constraints.
Static Timing Analysis (STA). Static timing analysis (STA) is the process of verifying that a design meets its timing constraints without considering the effects of power or temperature.
Power Analysis. Power analysis is the process of verifying that a design meets its power requirements.
Thermal Analysis. Thermal analysis is the process of verifying that a design meets its thermal constraints.
Signal Integrity Analysis. Signal integrity analysis is the process of verifying that signals in a design meet their integrity requirements.
Design for Testability (DFT). Design for testability (DFT) is the process of ensuring that a design is testable prior to fabrication.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a Physical Design Automation Engineer do?

A Physical Design Automation Engineer designs, develops, and tests physical design automation tools and methods for the implementation of integrated circuits. They create circuit layouts, generate masks, simulate electrical performance, and perform other tasks to produce integrated circuits.

What qualifications are needed to become a Physical Design Automation Engineer?

To become a Physical Design Automation Engineer, one should have a Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field. Familiarity with VLSI design tools and scripting languages such as Verilog, VHDL, C/C++, and TCL is also required.

What type of environment does a Physical Design Automation Engineer work in?

A Physical Design Automation Engineer typically works in an office environment, but may also need to travel to various locations to conduct tests or meet with clients.

What skills are important for a Physical Design Automation Engineer?

A Physical Design Automation Engineer should possess strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills. They should also be proficient in software engineering and computer programming, as well as have a deep understanding of integrated circuit design principles.

How much does a Physical Design Automation Engineer typically earn?

The average salary for a Physical Design Automation Engineer is around $90,000 USD per year. Salaries can vary depending on the individual's experience and location.

Web Resources

Automation Engineer NC State Continuing and Lifelong Education mckimmoncenter.ncsu.edu
Applied Manufacturing Engineering: Design and Automation jsu.edu
Automation: An Engineer's Perspective - MIT workofthefuture.mit.edu