Staff/ Principal Physical Design STA Engineer

Role Overview

Astera Labs is establishing a strategic R&D center in Israel to drive the development of complex semiconductor chips that solve the critical 'data bottlenecks' enabling the future of AI at scale. As we expand our presence in Israel, we're seeking a highly skilled Static Timing Analysis (STA) Engineer to join our local engineering powerhouse from the ground up.

This is a unique opportunity to take on meaningful technical ownership in a new site, executing the sign-off methodology for chips that power the world's most advanced AI clusters. As an STA Engineer, you will be deeply involved in the STA activities from chip partition and time budgeting through to final sign-off. You will bridge the gap between Architecture, Design, DFT, and Physical Design to ensure our high-performance silicon meets the aggressive timing targets required for next-generation connectivity.

Key Responsibilities

• Execute the STA flow and sign-off methodologies, ensuring our products meet rigorous timing criteria for the most demanding data center environments
• Collaborate closely with Architecture, Design, DFT, and Backend teams, participating in timing reviews and working with block owners to navigate the path to sign-off convergence
• Develop, optimize, and manage complex SDC constraints, ensuring they are accurate and robust across multi-scenario environments
• Analyze and resolve challenges related to cross-chip clock distribution networks and apply sophisticated margining techniques to ensure robust silicon across all process corners
• Participate in design methodology improvements and tool automation, utilizing both industry-standard EDA tools and custom scripts to make our sign-off process faster and more efficient

Basic Qualifications

• B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering
• 6+ years of hands-on experience in Static Timing Analysis (STA) at semiconductor companies, specifically working on advanced process technologies. (Note: Adjust years of experience based on the exact level you are targeting)
• Deep expertise in multi-scenario STA, as well as timing and SDC constraint development and verification at the block and subsystem levels
• Solid understanding of advanced margining methodologies, including OCV, AOCV, and POCV, from synthesis through to final sign-off
• Solid knowledge of physical design flows (Synthesis, P&R, Physical Verification) and how they intersect with timing closure

Preferred Experience

• Experience developing and validating constraints using industry-standard tools like Timing Constraints Manager (Synopsys) or TimeVision (Ausdia)
• Proven track record of executing STA on complex Macro-level designs and supporting Full-Chip timing integration
• Strong background in scripting (Tcl, Python, Perl) and automation to enhance timing closure efficiency