Lead Design Engineer

At Cadence, we hire and develop leaders and innovators who want to make an impact on the world of technology. Analog Mixed-Signal Lead Design Engineer (T3) – SerDes Position Summary We are seeking an Analog Mixed-Signal Lead Design Engineer (T3) to develop high-speed, low-power SerDes transceivers for data-center, networking, AI, and high-performance computing applications. The engineer will translate system requirements into silicon-ready circuit architectures and collaborate with the architecture, digital, layout, verification, signal integrity, and post-silicon teams. Key Responsibilities • Design and verify high-speed SerDes blocks, including TX drivers, serializers, RX front ends, CTLEs, samplers, comparators, ADCs, DACs, PLLs, DLLs, clock dividers and distribution networks, regulators, bias circuits, and calibration loops. • Translate link-level requirements into circuit specifications and optimize performance across PVT, mismatch, aging, and extracted parasitics. • Develop behavioral models and support mixed-signal and top-level verification. • Collaborate with layout and signal-integrity teams on physical implementation, channel/package effects, and post-layout signoff. • Support tapeout, silicon bring-up, characterization, debug, and production release. • Document results and participate in technical design reviews. Required Qualifications • B.S. in Electrical Engineering or a related field with 3+ years of relevant experience, or an M.S. with 1+ years. • Strong analog CMOS, noise, jitter, feedback, signal-integrity, and data-converter fundamentals. • Hands-on transistor-level design experience with high-speed SerDes circuits. • Excellent command of Cadence Virtuoso, Spectre, Spectre RF, ADE, parasitic extraction, and mixed-signal verification flows. • Strong analytical, communication, collaboration, and engineering judgment. Preferred Qualifications • Experience with PAM4/NRZ SerDes, advanced CMOS or FinFET technologies, and standards such as Ethernet, PCIe, or CXL. • MATLAB or C for architecture development; SystemVerilog or Verilog-A for functional modeling; and Perl or Python for automation. • Experience using AI-assisted engineering tools responsibly for design exploration, verification, debugging, documentation, and workflow automation. • Custom analog layout experience is a plus. • Lab characterization experience is a plus, along with experience taking mixed-signal IP from architecture through tapeout and silicon validation. Success in This Role The ideal candidate combines strong circuit intuition, disciplined verification, ownership, and clear communication to deliver reliable, power-efficient SerDes solutions. We’re doing work that matters. Help us solve what others can’t.