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imec

Senior Physical ASIC Design Implementation Engineer

On site

Leuven, Belgium

Senior

Full Time

29-10-2025

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Skills

Communication Test Research

Job Specifications

Physical Implementation engineer for full backend (P&R) projects from netlist-in to GDSII-out flow, for toplevel chips as well as blocklevel blocks in technologies ranging from N3 to 180nm. This with the full understanding of the complete Cadence Innovus Place&Route flow. Additionally, you will take up the role of technical lead in large projects, leading the rest of the backend team involved and to be the connection with the customer.

What you will do

For more than 25 years, imec has been offering an ASIC prototyping and production service to worldwide companies. Imec helps its customers to design their integrated circuits (chips) and bring them from the prototype to the production stage. Our list of customers includes more than 900 universities and companies worldwide. For the further extension of the physical digital implementation group (Back-End group) in DSRD, we are looking for a highly motivated engineer.

DSRD, as part of imec, has an extensive industrial experience, contacts with leading industrial foundries, and long-standing relationships with all the main EDA tool vendors and IP providers. This unit supports worldwide customers in the layout, prototype, fabrication and test of advanced electronic products.

As ASIC design engineer within DSRD, you will be in direct contact with our customers for future projects and as a technical lead bridge the connection to the rest of the backend team involved. You will have full understanding of the complete Cadence Innovus Place&Route flow:

Technical lead, including customer interaction
Set up the flow for the specific library set and foundry node used
Set up low power design (UPF)
Floorplanning & power grid design
Detailed Timing Driven Placement
STA & possible design optimisation for setup
Clock Tree Synthesis
Scan chain re-stitching
Detailed Timing Driven Route (incl. SI)
IPO’s (in-place optimization) to get the timing in all corners correct
Solve setup & hold violations
Sign-off extraction (SPEF/QUANTUS)
Sign-off timing (TEMPUS)
Sign-off Power analysis (VOLTUS)
Physical verification (DRC, ERC, LVS, ANT)
Logic equivalent check

For hierarchical designs you can take the lead for partitioning and split the top level SDC file into timing budget requirements/constraints of the sub-blocks. You will work directly with the Physical Design implementation team during the entire chip design cycle to drive signoff closure for tape-out, You are also the technical voice to the customer to discuss his specifications.

What we do for you

We offer you the opportunity to join one of the world’s premier research centers in nanotechnology at its headquarters in Leuven, Belgium. With your talent, passion and expertise, you’ll become part of a team that makes the impossible possible. Together, we shape the technology that will determine the society of tomorrow.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and proud of our open, multicultural, and informal working environment with ample possibilities to take initiative and show responsibility. We commit to supporting and guiding you in this process; not only with words but also with tangible actions. Through imec.academy, 'our corporate university', we actively invest in your development to further your technical and personal growth.

We are aware that your valuable contribution makes imec a top player in its field. Your energy and commitment are therefore appreciated by means of a market appropriate salary with many fringe benefits.

Who you are

You have a Master Degree in Electronics.
You have at least 10 years of experience in physical implementation in advanced nodes (12 – 3nm) and hierarchical designs.
You have experience in power reduction techniques like gated clocks, voltage domains, memory retention and switch off power domains.
You have experience in debugging any tool/flow/design issue.
You have excellent communication skills (English is a must) and can work within an international team.
You like to interact with customers.

About the Company

At imec, we shape the future by enabling nano- and digital technology innovation that enhances quality of life--together with partners from the industry, government, and academia. Our R&D is built on three core pillars: - a unique 2.5-billion-euro 300mm semiconductor pilot line - over 6,000 colleagues from around the world - an ecosystem of 600+ world-leading industry partners and a global academic network Since 1984, imec quickly made its name as the leading research hub for advanced CMOS scaling and continues to set the ... Know more