Austin, United States
Sr. SOC/ASIC Physical Design Engineer - Silicon Engineering
SpaceX · Austin · United States
Posted: 5/26/2026 · Last checked: 10/12/2026
Job description
Quoted in full from SpaceX's job posting. Gavroche does not edit it.
SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars.
SR. SOC/ASIC PHYSICAL DESIGN ENGINEER (SILICON ENGINEERING)
At SpaceX we’re leveraging our experience in building rockets and spacecraft to deploy Starlink, the world’s most advanced broadband internet system. Starlink is the world’s largest satellite constellation and is providing fast, reliable internet to millions of users worldwide. We design, build, test, and operate all parts of the system – thousands of satellites, consumer receivers that allow users to connect within minutes of unboxing, and the software that brings it all together. We’ve only begun to scratch the surface of Starlink’s potential global impact and are looking for best-in-class engineers to help maximize Starlink’s utility for communities and businesses around the globe.
We are seeking a motivated, proactive, and intellectually curious engineer who will work alongside world-class cross-disciplinary teams (systems, firmware, architecture, design, validation, product engineering, ASIC implementation). In this role, you will be developing cutting-edge next-generation silicon for deployment in space and ground infrastructures around the globe. These chips are enabling connectivity in places it has previously not been available, affordable or reliable. Your efforts will help deliver cutting-edge solutions that will expand the performance and capabilities of the Starlink network.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Perform partition synthesis and physical implementation steps (e.g. synthesis, floorplanning, power/ground grid generation, place and route, timing, noise, physical verification, electromigration, voltage drop, logic equivalency and other signoff checks)
- Develop/improve physical design methodologies and automation scripts for various implementation steps
- Closely collaborate with the ASIC design team to drive architectural feasibility studies, develop timing, power and area design targets, and explore RTL/design tradeoffs
- Resolve design/timing/congestion and flow issues, identify potential solutions and drive execution
- Run, debug, and fix signoff closure issues in static timing analysis (STA), noise, logic equivalency, physical verification, electromigration and voltage drop
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering or computer science
- 5+ years of ASIC and/or physical design flow development experience in industry
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
- Strong experience in ASIC/SOC RTL2GDSII physical design and signoff flows
- Strong experience with industry standard EDA tools including understanding of their capabilities and underlying algorithms
- Knowledge of deep sub-micron FinFET and CMOS solid state physics
- Knowledge of CMOS digital design principles, basic standard cells their functionality, standard cell libraries
- Understanding of CMOS power dissipation in deep submicron processes leakage/dynamic
- Familiar with CMOS analog circuit and physical design
- Knowledge of DFT/Scan/MBIST/LBIST and understanding of their impact on physical design flows
- Good scripting skills (csh/bash, Perl, Python, TCL, Makefile etc.)
- Self-driven individual with a can-do attitude, willing to learn, and an ability to work in a dynamic group environment
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Ability to work extended hours and weekends as needed to meet critical project milestones
ITAR REQUIREMENTS:
- To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.
SpaceX is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with SpaceX is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.
Applicants wishing to view a copy of SpaceX’s Affirmative Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out to EEOCompliance@spacex.com.
Similar roles in Austin
- Mechanical Engineer - Thermal & Environmental Enclosures · Sentient Industries, Austin
- Mechanical Engineer · Sentient Industries, Austin
- Physical Design Engineer - Timing · Tenstorrent, Austin
- Senior Mechanical Engineer - Mission Critical · DLR Group, Austin
- NVM Circuit Design Engineer - MH-US-50021294 · Cirrus Logic, Austin
- Physical Design Engineer - PnR · Tenstorrent, Austin
200 open roles like this one; at most three per employer shown.
What mechanical engineer adverts in the United States state
Middle half: 125,000 – 179,650 USD a year; median 155,000 USD.
From 564 adverts by 118 employers that state a salary, annualised.
How mechanical engineer roles in the United States are worked
0% fully remote · 7% hybrid · 93% do not say
Of 205 adverts. An advert that does not state a work mode is counted as not saying, not as on-site.
New openings in Austin, by week
- 7/20/2026 84
- 7/27/2026 64
- 8/3/2026 65
- 8/10/2026 42
- 8/17/2026 89
- 8/24/2026 97
- 8/31/2026 112
- 9/7/2026 92
- 9/14/2026 115
- 9/21/2026 132
- 9/28/2026 168
- 10/5/2026 188
- 10/12/2026 3
1,251 openings over 12 weeks, by the week they were published.
Other roles at SpaceX
- Application Software Engineer · Cape Canaveral
- Application Software Engineer · Palo Alto
- Application Software Engineer · Hawthorne
- Application Software Engineer · Redmond
- Application Software Engineer - Applied AI · Hawthorne
- Application Software Engineer - Applied AI · McGregor
2230 open.