Physical Design Engineer at Altera

San Jose, California, United States

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Not SpecifiedCompensation

Mid-level (3 to 4 years), Senior (5 to 8 years)Experience Level

Full TimeJob Type

UnknownVisa

Semiconductors, FPGAIndustries

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field with 6+ years of experience in hands-on digital/SoC physical design (synthesis through P&R and sign-off)
Experience with industry-standard EDA tools (e.g., Synopsys IC Compiler/Fusion, Cadence Innovus/Encounter, PrimeTime, STAR-RCX, Calibre) for high-speed digital ASIC/SoC implementation
Scripting/programming skills (TCL, Python, Perl, shell) for flow automation and productivity enhancement
Knowledge of physical design flow: floorplanning, CTS, placement, routing, power domain gating, clock domain crossing, multi-power domain design, timing closure, ECOs, and DRC/LVS/DFM resolution
Experience with power/IR analysis, signal/power integrity reporting, and corrective action planning
Experience interfacing with front-end teams (RTL, architecture), CAD/EDA tool teams, and manufacturing/packaging teams
Preferred Qualifications
Experience with advanced process nodes (7nm, 5nm or smaller) or FPGA/programmable logic device flows
Familiarity with FPGA architecture: routing fabrics, programmable logic blocks (PLBs), on-chip networks, I/O rings, static/dynamic reconfiguration
Expertise in low-power design methodologies, power grid design, power gating, multi-voltage domain implementation, and power sign-off flows
Prior exposure to full-chip integration flows (block-to-chip convergence) and high-frequency (1 GHz+) timing closure
Experience in high-volume manufacturing environments, including yield and DFM/DFY considerations
Experience mentoring or leading small physical design sub-teams or owning major P&R blocks

Responsibilities

Execute physical design implementation tasks (floorplanning, power planning, placement, clock tree synthesis (CTS), routing, engineering change orders (ECO), extraction, sign-off preparation) from netlist to GDSII
Apply PPA optimization techniques (performance/timing closure, power reduction, area efficiency) across block-level and full-chip hierarchies
Collaborate with front-end design, architecture, and CAD/EDA tool teams to ensure physical design constraints, timing budgets, power budgets, and DFT insertions are met
Develop and enhance physical design flows, methodologies, scripts, and automation frameworks (TCL, Python, Perl) to accelerate turnaround, improve QoR, and reduce manual intervention
Participate in timing, power, EM/IR integrity, signal/power noise, and DRC/LVS/ERC verification for sign-off readiness
Integrate FPGA-specific physical design aspects: configurable logic block placement, fabric routing, I/O ring optimization, power domains for programmable regulation, and yield optimization
Debug physical design issues and interact with CAD tool vendors and internal tool teams to drive tool enhancements or workarounds

Skills

Physical Design

Floorplanning

Placement

Clock Tree Synthesis

Routing

Timing Closure

Power Optimization

TCL

Python

Perl

GDSII

DRC

LVS

FPGA

PPA Optimization

ECO

Altera

Develops digital human agents for AI

About Altera

Altera develops digital human agents that mimic human traits like empathy, friendship, and fun. Their primary product allows users to interact with an AI agent while playing Minecraft, creating a friendly and engaging experience. Altera's agents are designed to be interoperable and capable of long-term autonomy, making them suitable for both individual users and businesses. Unlike many competitors, Altera focuses on advancing research and scaling technology to deliver unique, human-like AI products. The company's goal is to redefine AI agents, enhancing their versatility and human-like qualities.

San Francisco, CaliforniaHeadquarters

2023Year Founded

$10.7MTotal Funding

SEEDCompany Stage

Consumer Software, AI & Machine LearningIndustries

11-50Employees

Risks

Priest-led cults in Altera's Minecraft simulation may cause ethical concerns.

Managing 1,000 autonomous AI agents poses safety and ethical challenges.

Creating believable digital humans may lead to misuse in deceptive AI applications.

Differentiation

Altera specializes in digital human agents with traits like empathy and friendship.

Their first product offers a unique Minecraft experience with interactive AI agents.

Altera's focus on human-like AI agents sets them apart in the AI sector.

Upsides

Altera raised $9M in May 2024, showing strong investor confidence.

AI-driven gaming experiences are gaining popularity, benefiting Altera's Minecraft product.

The rise of AI companions in mental health indicates a market for empathetic agents.

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