Lead I/O Design Engineer

Job Summary:

We are seeking an experienced IO Circuit Design Engineer with 5-8 years of expertise in designing and validating high-performance I/O circuits for advanced semiconductor SoCs. The role involves developing GPIO, LVDS, DDR, SerDes support circuits, ESD protection, level shifters, buffers, and termination circuits using advanced CMOS technologies. The candidate will be responsible for transistor-level design, signal integrity analysis, layout reviews, silicon bring-up, and cross-functional collaboration to deliver robust, production-ready IO IP solutions. Strong hands-on experience with Cadence Virtuoso, SPICE simulation, ESD methodologies, and high-speed interface standards is essential.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and develop custom IO circuits including: GPIO
• LVDS
• LVCMOS
• SSTL
• HSTL
• DDR Interfaces
• High-speed SerDes support circuits
• Perform transistor-level design and simulation using advanced CMOS technology nodes.
• Develop and optimize: ESD protection circuits
• Level shifters
• Input buffers
• Output drivers
• On-chip termination circuits
• Conduct pre-layout and post-layout simulations for functionality, timing, power, noise, and reliability.
• Perform signal integrity analysis including: IBIS model generation
• Package-aware simulations
• Crosstalk and reflection analysis
• Drive layout reviews and work closely with physical design teams to ensure design quality and performance targets.
• Support silicon bring-up, characterization, debugging, and production ramp activities.
• Collaborate with system, package, reliability, and product engineering teams.
• Develop and maintain design documentation, specifications, and verification reports.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electronics Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Microelectronics, or related field.
• 5-8 years of experience in Analog/Mixed-Signal or IO Circuit Design.
• Strong understanding of: CMOS device physics
• Analog circuit design fundamentals
• IO architectures and standards
• ESD design methodologies
• Hands-on experience in custom circuit design using Cadence Virtuoso.
• Expertise in SPICE-based simulators such as Spectre, HSPICE, or FineSim.
• Experience with advanced technology nodes (16nm/7nm/5nm preferred).
• Good knowledge of LVS, DRC, EMIR, and reliability checks.
• Familiarity with process corners, Monte Carlo analysis, and yield optimization techniques.

Preferred Skills

• Experience with DDR4/DDR5, LPDDR, USB, PCIe, MIPI, or Ethernet interfaces.
• Knowledge of package modeling and SI/PI analysis tools.
• Understanding of ESD standards such as HBM, CDM, and IEC.
• Experience in silicon validation and lab characterization.
• Scripting skills in Python, Perl, Tcl, or SKILL.
• Familiarity with IBIS and IBIS-AMI model generation.

Desired Competencies

• Strong analytical and debugging skills.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration.
• Ability to lead technical discussions and mentor junior engineers.
• Proven track record of delivering silicon successfully from specification to production.
• Self-driven with strong problem-solving abilities.

Nice to Have

• Experience in automotive, AI/ML, networking, mobile, or data center SoCs.
• Exposure to functional safety and reliability requirements.
• Prior ownership of complete IO IP development cycle.

This role is ideal for an engineer who has hands-on experience in IO circuit design, ESD, signal integrity, and silicon validation, and is looking to contribute to next-generation semiconductor products.

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