Power Integrity Engineer

Project

Work done for a product or program.

• Build static and dynamic IR drop models of the power grid using RedHawk-SC or Voltus with realistic switching activity.
• Generate vectorless and vector-based dynamic power scenarios from VCD and FSDB stimulus to find worst-case droop.
• Analyse electromigration on signal, clock, and power nets and size wires and via arrays to meet the lifetime target.
• Design and optimise the power grid stripe pitch, layer allocation, and via stack to balance IR drop against routing resource.
• Model decoupling capacitance requirements and place decap cells to control transient droop and resonance.
• Co-analyse chip-package-system power delivery impedance with package and board teams.
• Feed voltage-drop-aware timing derates back to the STA team and validate the combined margin stack.
• Identify and fix power-grid weak spots, missing straps, and floating rail connections before signoff.
• Define power integrity signoff criteria and thresholds per product family and operating mode.
• Correlate predicted droop with silicon measurements from on-die voltage monitors and refine models.

Function

Work that keeps the discipline running: methods, tools, suppliers and people.

• Maintain implementation flows, scripts and sign-off checklists.General
• Work with EDA vendors and the CAD team to fix tool issues and improve results.General
• Feed lessons from each tapeout back into flows and guidelines.General

Project

1. Produce and hand over the role's key deliverables
   • Static and dynamic IR drop signoff reports per power domain
   • Electromigration signoff report with lifetime assessment
   • Power grid specification and decap placement plan
   • Voltage-drop-aware timing derate table for STA
   • Chip-package power delivery impedance co-analysis
2. Implement the layoutGeneral
   • Floorplan and plan the power grid
   • Place, build the clock tree and route
   • Run extraction and analysis
3. Close sign-offGeneral
   • Close timing at every corner
   • Clear DRC and LVS
   • Complete the sign-off checklist

Function

1. Maintain the flowGeneral
   • Update scripts and flow settings
   • Qualify new tool versions
2. Share knowledgeGeneral
   • Document fixes for recurring issues
   • Train newer engineers on the flow