Custom Circuit Design (Sr. Staff / Principal)

As a Sr. Staff/Principal Custom Circuit Design Engineer at Velaura AI, you will lead the architecture, design, and optimization of high-performance, low-power standard cell libraries and custom digital circuits for next-generation AI and high-performance computing silicon. You will drive transistor-level innovation across advanced process
technologies, collaborating closely with layout, characterization, physical design, CAD, and product engineering teams to deliver world-class PPA, robustness, and manufacturability. This is a highly visible technical leadership role where you will influence library architecture, design methodologies, and next-generation circuit solutions while mentoring engineers and shaping the future of our silicon platform.

Responsibilities

● Lead the architecture, design, and optimization of high-performance, low-power standard cells targeting advanced process technologies with a strong focus on Performance, Power, and Area (PPA).

● Design and optimize transistor-level circuits including latches, flip-flops, multiplexers, AOI/OAI, XOR/XNOR, encoders, decoders, level shifters, arithmetic cells, and other complex sequential and combinational logic.

● Architect and develop advanced arithmetic building blocks, including adders, multipliers, integer and floating-point MAC units, for high-performance compute applications.

● Develop schematics using Cadence Virtuoso and perform post-layout validation through parasitic extraction using StarRC or Quantus.

● Perform circuit verification across all PVT corners using HSPICE, PrimeSim XA, or Spectre, ensuring robust functionality, timing, and power performance.

● Drive statistical verification using Monte Carlo methodologies and advanced variation analysis with Solido, Spectre FMC, or equivalent tools.

● Own reliability sign-off activities, including electromigration (EM), IR-drop, self-heating, BTI/HCI aging analysis, while ensuring ESD and latch-up robustness.

● Drive low-power circuit innovations through multi-Vt optimization, leakage reduction, power gating, retention strategies, isolation cells, and power-intent-aware design methodologies.

● Collaborate closely with custom layout teams to optimize layouts for Layout Dependent Effects (LDE), manufacturability, coloring compliance, matching, and pin accessibility.

● Partner with Characterization, Physical Design, STA, CAD, and Product Engineering teams to ensure successful library development, silicon readiness, and production-quality deliverables.

● Drive design methodology improvements, automation initiatives, and technical best practices across the circuit design organization.

● Mentor engineers and provide technical leadership in circuit design, methodology development, and advanced technology enablement.

Required Qualifications

● 10+ years of experience in custom digital circuit design, standard cell development, or memory circuit design.

● Strong expertise in transistor-level CMOS circuit design for advanced technology nodes.

● Proven experience designing and optimizing high-performance, low-power standard cell libraries.

● Deep understanding of advanced process technologies including FinFET and Gate-All-Around (GAA).

● Extensive experience with circuit simulation tools such as HSPICE, PrimeSim XA, or Spectre.

● Experience with parasitic extraction using StarRC or Quantus.

● Strong knowledge of statistical verification, Monte Carlo analysis, and variation-aware circuit design.

● Experience performing reliability verification including EM, IR-drop, aging, self-heating, and silicon robustness analysis.

● Demonstrated ability to drive complex technical projects from concept throughsilicon.

Preferred Qualifications

● Master's or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, or a related discipline.

● Strong understanding of digital circuit architecture, standard cell design, and advanced flip-flop architectures.

● Experience with standard cell characterization using Liberate or PrimeLib, including Liberty (.lib) generation and validation.

● Good understanding of Static Timing Analysis (STA), Liberty timing models, and ASIC sign-off methodologies.

● Familiarity with complete ASIC development flows from circuit design through physical implementation and silicon validation.

● Experience developing automation using Python, Tcl, or Perl.

● Track record of leading technical initiatives and mentoring engineering teams.

● Experience with SRAM peripheral circuit design.

● Knowledge of UPF and power intent methodologies.

● Exposure to layout optimization techniques including LDE, coloring, matching, and pin accessibility.

● Familiarity with silicon bring-up, characterization, and production support.

● Experience driving design methodology improvements and EDA automation.

● Strong technical leadership, mentoring, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.

● Passion for innovation and delivering high-quality silicon under aggressive product schedules.

● Background in custom digital CMOS circuit design; standard cell library architecture, design, and optimization; arithmetic circuit design, including adders, multipliers, comparators, and MAC units; low-power circuit design and
optimization; advanced-node technologies including FinFET and GAA; library characterization and timing model development; or cross-functional silicon development in advanced semiconductor environments.