Principal Engineer - Soc Clocking

Intel Intel · Semiconductors · Bangalore, India

Principal Engineer role focused on the architecture, design, and integration of SoC-wide clocking networks. Responsibilities include defining PPA trade-offs, collaborating with cross-functional teams, owning the technical roadmap, mentoring junior designers, and ensuring robust silicon correlation and yield. Requires extensive hands-on experience in SoC clocking, custom analog/digital circuit design, and timing architecture.

What you'd actually do

  1. Lead the architecture, design, and integration of SoC-wide clocking networks including clock generation (PLLs, DLLs), distribution, gating, and domain crossing strategies.
  2. Define and optimize power-performance-area (PPA) trade-offs for complex clocking and circuit topologies.
  3. Collaborate cross-functionally with RTL, physical design, verification, and DFT teams to deliver end-to-end SoC clocking and custom IP.
  4. Own the technical roadmap and methodology improvements for clocking, timing closure, and custom circuits.
  5. Mentor and technically guide a team of junior and senior designers.

Skills

Required

  • M.Tech / B.Tech / Ph.D. in Electrical/Electronics Engineering or related field
  • 15–20 years of hands-on experience in SoC clocking, custom analog/digital circuit design, and timing architecture
  • Proven expertise in clock tree synthesis (CTS), clock gating, low-power techniques, and glitch-free clock domain crossing
  • Deep experience with PLL/DLL architecture, design, and integration in SoCs
  • Strong background in transistor-level design, spice simulations, and post-layout validation
  • Familiarity with EDA tools and scripting (TCL, Perl, Python)
  • Experience leading multi-disciplinary teams and working across global sites
  • Excellent communication, documentation, and project leadership skills

Nice to have

  • Background in high-speed interface IPs, power management circuits, or custom memory design
  • Experience with Server, AI/ML, or networking SoCs
  • Exposure to Silicon bring-up, characterization, and debug
  • Previous patents or publications in the area of clocking or circuit design

What the JD emphasized

  • hands-on experience
  • clock tree synthesis (CTS)
  • PLL/DLL architecture, design, and integration
  • transistor-level design
  • multi-disciplinary teams
  • robust silicon correlation and yield