Video Codec Hardware Design Engineer

Project

Work done for a product or program.

• Design RTL for codec pipeline stages such as entropy coding (CABAC), transform and quantisation, intra/inter prediction, motion compensation and in-loop filters.
• Implement motion estimation search engines with configurable search range and quality-versus-throughput modes.
• Design image signal processing blocks including demosaic, noise reduction, lens shading correction, tone mapping and HDR pipelines where the role covers ISP.
• Architect the external memory bandwidth strategy including reference frame compression, tiling and prefetch to hit DRAM bandwidth budgets.
• Balance rate-distortion quality against area and power by selecting hardware search and mode-decision simplifications with measured BD-rate impact.
• Design multi-stream and multi-instance scheduling so that several concurrent encode/decode sessions share the engine.
• Validate hardware output bit-exactly against reference decoders such as the JCT-VC or AOM reference software.
• Support driver and middleware teams on the hardware programming model, descriptor formats and error resilience behaviour.
• Analyse real-time performance for target resolutions and frame rates such as 8K60 decode or multi-stream 4K encode.

Function

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

• Ensure bitstream-level conformance to H.264, HEVC, VP9, AV1, AV2 or VVC profiles and levels using standards conformance streams.

Project

1. Produce and hand over the role's key deliverables
   • Codec pipeline RTL for owned stages
   • Bitstream conformance test results against standard streams
   • BD-rate and quality analysis versus reference software
   • Memory bandwidth budget and compression scheme specification
   • Hardware programming model and descriptor documentation
   • Real-time throughput analysis for target resolutions and profiles
2. Design the blockGeneral
   • Write or capture the design to the specification
   • Run lint, simulation or circuit checks
   • Close design reviews and their actions
3. Support integration and sign-offGeneral
   • Fix bugs found by verification
   • Support timing and physical closure
   • Deliver handoff files and documentation

Function

1. Keep design methods currentGeneral
   • Maintain coding and design standards
   • Build and maintain reusable blocks
2. Develop peopleGeneral
   • Mentor newer engineers
   • Run design reviews and knowledge sharing sessions