Silicon Design Manager at Waymo

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Silicon Design Manager

Company: Waymo

Location: Bangalore, Karnataka

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Hardware Engineering - Silicon Design

Date Posted: 2025-06-08T06:57:53

Experience Level: 6+ years of management experience, 5+ years of industry experience

Remote Status: Hybrid

🎨 Role Summary

Lead and grow a new team of silicon design engineers focused on advanced hardware for autonomous vehicles.
Provide hands-on technical leadership across the full digital design and verification lifecycle, from specification to bring-up.
Drive the adoption of best practices and methodologies to ensure high-quality, high-performance silicon development within tight timelines.
Facilitate cross-functional collaboration with distributed teams in the U.S. and Taiwan to align on architecture, design, and verification efforts.

📝 Enhancement Note: While this role is primarily in hardware engineering (silicon design), the focus on performance, architecture, and the full design cycle implies a strong need for collaboration with software and potentially even system-level user experience considerations for autonomous driving. The emphasis on leadership also suggests a focus on building a high-performing technical team.

🖼️ Primary Responsibilities

Manage, mentor, and develop a new team of silicon design engineers in Bangalore, fostering a culture of innovation and technical excellence.
Actively participate in the technical architecture, detailed design, and rigorous verification of complex IP blocks critical for autonomous driving compute platforms.
Recruit, interview, and onboard top-tier silicon design talent to build a high-performing team at the new Bangalore site.
Establish and refine silicon development methodologies, design flows, and verification strategies to optimize for performance, power, and latency targets.
Coordinate seamlessly with global silicon design and verification teams, as well as partner teams, to ensure cohesive development and integration efforts.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of technical depth and team leadership. The focus on "hands-on technical leadership" indicates that this is not purely a managerial role but requires significant personal technical contribution and guidance to the team's design and verification activities.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Typically requires a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field, with a strong foundation in digital logic design and VLSI principles.

Experience: Minimum of 6 years of experience managing ASIC or SoC development teams, coupled with at least 5 years of hands-on industry experience in high-performance digital design using Verilog/SystemVerilog. Demonstrated experience in prioritizing resources across multiple concurrent projects with demanding schedules is essential.

Required Skills:

Proven experience in leading and managing high-performing silicon design or verification teams.
Deep technical expertise across the entire digital ASIC/SoC design flow, including specification, architecture, RTL design (Verilog/SystemVerilog), synthesis, static timing analysis, and formal verification.
Extensive experience with functional verification methodologies, including test planning, testbench development, simulation, and coverage analysis.
Strong understanding of hardware/software co-design considerations and system-level performance optimization.
Demonstrated ability to effectively manage project timelines, resources, and technical risks in a fast-paced R&D environment.

Preferred Skills:

Experience with advanced verification methodologies such as Constrained Random Verification (CRV) and Universal Verification Methodology (UVM).
Proficiency in scripting and high-level programming languages like Python or C++ for automation and tool development.
Experience with power and performance validation techniques at both IP and system levels.
Familiarity with FPGA prototyping or hardware emulation platforms for pre-silicon validation.
Knowledge of automotive silicon standards (e.g., ISO 26262) and safety-critical design considerations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The preferred skills section provides valuable insights into the specific technical areas where candidates can differentiate themselves. Experience with UVM and scripting languages is a strong indicator of a modern verification environment, while automotive standards highlight the domain-specific requirements of this role.

🎨 Portfolio & Creative Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

While a traditional design portfolio isn't applicable to this hardware role, candidates should be prepared to present detailed technical case studies of complex silicon IP or SoC projects they have led or significantly contributed to.
Case studies should clearly articulate the technical challenges, architectural decisions, design methodologies employed, and verification strategies implemented.
Highlight specific examples of performance and power optimization techniques applied and the resulting impact.
Include details on how technical risks were identified and mitigated throughout the project lifecycle.

Process Documentation:

Be ready to discuss the end-to-end silicon development process you have managed, from initial requirements gathering and micro-architecture definition through RTL coding, simulation, synthesis, and place & route considerations.
Articulate your approach to verification planning, testbench development, coverage closure, and bug tracking.
Describe your experience with formal verification techniques and their application in ensuring design correctness.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a silicon design role, "portfolio" translates to demonstrable project experience and the ability to articulate technical processes and outcomes. The focus shifts from visual design to technical problem-solving, architectural thinking, and rigorous engineering practices.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: ₹8,400,000—₹10,200,000 INR per year. This range is competitive for a Silicon Design Manager role in Bangalore, India, reflecting the specialized skills and leadership experience required for this position within the autonomous vehicle industry. The estimate is based on the provided information, benchmark data for similar roles in major technology hubs in India, and the cost of living in Bangalore.

Benefits:

Participation in Waymo’s discretionary annual bonus program, rewarding contributions to company performance and goals.
Eligibility to participate in Waymo’s equity incentive plan, offering potential ownership in the company's success.
Comprehensive and generous company benefits program, which typically includes health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, and other employee wellness programs (specific details would be provided upon offer).

Working Hours: This is a full-time role, typically requiring approximately 40 hours per week. Given the hybrid nature and collaboration with global teams, some flexibility in working hours may be necessary to accommodate time zone differences for meetings and coordination.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is explicitly stated in the original job posting. The enhancement adds context regarding its competitiveness in the Bangalore market and explains the factors that influence the final offer within that range.

🎯Team & Company Context

🏢 Company & Design Culture

Industry: Autonomous Driving Technology. Waymo is a leader in developing self-driving vehicle technology, operating within the highly innovative and rapidly evolving automotive and artificial intelligence sectors. The silicon design work directly impacts the core functionality and performance of their autonomous driving system.

Company Size: 1,001-5,000 employees (LinkedIn data). This indicates a well-established, medium-to-large organization with significant resources and infrastructure, offering opportunities for impact within a specialized domain.

Founded: 2009 (as the Google Self-Driving Car Project). Waymo has a long history in the autonomous vehicle space, demonstrating a commitment to long-term R&D and innovation.

Team Structure:

This role involves building and leading a new team in Bangalore, reporting to an ASIC Design Manager.
The team will collaborate closely with existing silicon and partner teams located in the U.S. and Taiwan, requiring strong cross-site communication and coordination skills.
The Compute Team is multidisciplinary, suggesting collaboration with software engineers, system architects, and other hardware specialists.

Methodology:

The compute team focuses on architecting and creating high-performance custom silicon, implying expertise in advanced digital design flows, verification methodologies, and potentially physical design considerations.
Emphasis on system-level compute architectures suggests a focus on optimizing hardware and software together for maximum performance, power efficiency, and low latency.
Collaboration with other teams to "design and optimize hardware and software" indicates an integrated approach to system development.

Company Website: https://careers.withwaymo.com/jobs?gh_jid=6909285

📝 Enhancement Note: The company context is derived from the provided description and public information (LinkedIn). The enhancement focuses on interpreting this information through the lens of a silicon design role within a large, research-oriented technology company in the autonomous vehicle space.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Design Career Level: This is a managerial role requiring significant technical experience and leadership skills. It represents a senior position responsible for building and leading a new team, contributing to strategic technical decisions, and influencing the direction of silicon development for critical autonomous vehicle systems.

Reporting Structure: The role reports to an ASIC Design Manager, indicating a clear reporting line within the hardware engineering organization. This structure suggests opportunities for guidance and collaboration with experienced leadership in the silicon domain.

Design Impact: The silicon developed by this team is fundamental to the performance of the Waymo Driver, directly impacting the safety, efficiency, and capabilities of autonomous vehicles. The role offers the opportunity to make a significant technical contribution to a cutting-edge technology.

Growth Opportunities:

Opportunity to build and shape a new silicon design team from the ground up in a key location.
Potential for increased responsibility and scope as the Bangalore team grows and takes on more complex silicon development projects.
Exposure to advanced autonomous driving technologies and the opportunity to contribute to the next generation of compute platforms.
Potential for advancement to higher levels of technical or people management within Waymo's hardware organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: The career analysis is based on the job title, required experience level, and the context of leading a new team within a growing organization. The growth opportunities are inferred from the nature of building a new site and the strategic importance of silicon development for autonomous vehicles.

🌐 Work Environment

Studio Type: Hybrid. This role requires a combination of remote work and on-site presence in the Bangalore office. This structure aims to balance individual work flexibility with the need for in-person collaboration for complex silicon development tasks, team building, and hardware bring-up.

Office Location(s): Bangalore, Karnataka, India. This is a new site for Waymo, offering the opportunity to contribute to establishing the local office and work culture.

Design Workspace Context:

The hybrid model suggests access to dedicated office space in Bangalore, likely equipped with necessary hardware design tools, lab equipment, and collaboration spaces for silicon development and verification.
On-site presence will facilitate close interaction with the new team, enabling effective mentorship, technical discussions, and knowledge sharing.
The office environment will support collaboration with global teams through video conferencing and other communication technologies.

Work Schedule: Full-time, hybrid. The specific hybrid schedule (e.g., number of days in the office) would likely be discussed during the interview process. Flexibility may be required to align with the working hours of teams in the U.S. and Taiwan for critical coordination.

📝 Enhancement Note: The work environment details are based on the explicit mention of a hybrid role in Bangalore and the nature of silicon design work, which often requires access to specialized hardware and lab equipment. The establishment of a new site implies opportunities to shape the local work environment.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Design Interview Process:

The interview process will likely involve multiple stages, including initial screening calls, technical interviews focusing on digital design, verification, and architecture, and interviews assessing leadership and team management skills.
Expect detailed discussions about your experience managing silicon development projects, including challenges faced, technical decisions made, and outcomes achieved.
Technical interviews may involve whiteboarding sessions or coding exercises related to Verilog/SystemVerilog, digital design principles, or verification methodologies.
Interviews will also assess your ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional and geographically distributed teams.

Portfolio Review Tips:

Prepare detailed technical case studies of your most impactful silicon design and verification projects. Focus on your specific contributions and the technical challenges you addressed.
Clearly articulate the design methodology, verification strategy, and tools used for each project.
Be prepared to discuss performance and power optimization efforts and the results achieved.
Highlight your experience in leading teams and managing project execution from concept to silicon tape-out or bring-up.

Challenge Preparation:

Brush up on fundamental digital design principles, including clocking, reset, and asynchronous design.
Review advanced verification concepts, including coverage-driven verification, UVM, and formal verification.
Be prepared to discuss your approach to debugging complex hardware issues.
Think about how you would approach building and leading a new technical team, including hiring, mentoring, and performance management.

ATS Keywords: Silicon Design Manager, ASIC Design, SoC Development, Digital Design, Hardware Engineering, VLSI, Verilog, SystemVerilog, Functional Verification, UVM, Constrained Random Verification, Formal Verification, RTL Design, Synthesis, Static Timing Analysis, Power Integrity, Signal Integrity, FPGA Prototyping, Hardware Emulation, Automotive Silicon, ISO 26262, Technical Leadership, Team Management, Cross-functional Collaboration, Project Management, Resource Planning, Technical Architecture, IP Design, Verification Methodologies, Python, C++, Performance Validation, Power Validation, Bangalore, India, Autonomous Driving, Waymo, Compute Platform.

📝 Enhancement Note: The application process and interview preparation advice are based on typical hiring practices for senior technical and managerial roles in the semiconductor and hardware engineering industries, tailored to the specifics of a silicon design role at a company like Waymo.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Design Tools:

Expert proficiency in hardware description languages such as Verilog and SystemVerilog for RTL design and modeling.
Experience with industry-standard synthesis tools (e.g., Synopsys Design Compiler, Cadence Genus) for translating RTL into gate-level netlists.
Familiarity with static timing analysis tools (e.g., Synopsys PrimeTime, Cadence Tempus) to ensure design meets timing constraints.
Experience with linting and formal verification tools for design rule checking and property verification.

Collaboration & Handoff:

Experience with version control systems like Git for managing RTL code and design collateral.
Familiarity with issue tracking systems (e.g., Jira) for managing bugs and tasks throughout the design and verification process.
Experience with documentation tools for creating design specifications, verification plans, and technical reports.

Research & Testing:

Proficiency with simulation tools (e.g., Synopsys VCS, Cadence Xcelium) for functional verification.
Experience with coverage analysis tools to ensure thorough verification of design functionality.
Familiarity with debugging tools for analyzing simulation waveforms and identifying root causes of design issues.

📝 Enhancement Note: The tools and technology stack are inferred based on the standard practices in the digital silicon design and verification industry. Specific tool names are examples of commonly used software in this domain.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Design Values:

Commitment to technical excellence and delivering high-quality, reliable silicon critical for safety-critical applications like autonomous driving.
Emphasis on innovation and pushing the boundaries of performance and efficiency in compute architectures.
Value placed on rigorous verification and validation to ensure the robustness and correctness of the silicon design.
Culture of collaboration and knowledge sharing within the team and across different engineering disciplines and geographical locations.

Collaboration Style:

Collaborative approach within the team, encouraging open communication and technical discussions.
Close interaction with software engineers, system architects, and other hardware teams to optimize the overall system performance.
Regular communication and coordination with global teams to align on design decisions and project progress.

📝 Enhancement Note: The team culture and values are inferred from Waymo's mission, the nature of the autonomous driving industry (which demands high reliability and innovation), and the requirement to collaborate with distributed teams.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Design Challenges:

Building and integrating a new high-performing silicon design team in a new location while maintaining alignment with established global teams and processes.
Addressing the complex technical challenges of designing high-performance, power-efficient, and safe silicon for real-time autonomous vehicle applications.
Navigating the complexities of cross-site collaboration and ensuring effective communication and coordination across different time zones and cultures.
Keeping pace with the rapid advancements in silicon technology and autonomous driving requirements.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

Opportunity to work on cutting-edge silicon technology for a leading autonomous vehicle company.
Gain experience in building and scaling a technical team in a new location.
Exposure to the unique challenges and safety requirements of automotive-grade silicon development.
Opportunity to collaborate with world-class experts in autonomous driving, AI, and hardware engineering.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are derived from the context of building a new team, the technical complexity of autonomous driving silicon, and the requirements for global collaboration. The growth opportunities highlight the unique aspects of working at Waymo in this specific role and location.

💡 Interview Preparation

Design Process Questions:

Be prepared to walk through your experience managing the full silicon design lifecycle of a complex IP or SoC. Discuss your role in architectural decisions, design implementation, and verification strategy.
Explain your approach to managing technical risks and resolving design or verification issues within a project.
Discuss your experience with specific design methodologies (e.g., UVM, formal verification) and how you have applied them effectively.

Company Culture Questions:

Research Waymo's values and mission. Be prepared to discuss why you are interested in working specifically on silicon for autonomous vehicles at Waymo.
Think about examples of how you have demonstrated leadership, collaboration, and problem-solving skills in previous roles.
Prepare questions about the team structure, the collaboration model with global teams, and the specific technical challenges they are currently facing.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

Select 2-3 key technical projects that best showcase your experience in leading silicon design teams and your technical expertise.
For each project, clearly articulate your role, the technical problem addressed, the design and verification approach taken, and the outcomes achieved (e.g., performance metrics, power consumption, area).
Highlight your leadership contributions, including how you mentored team members, managed resources, and drove project execution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview preparation advice is tailored to the technical and managerial aspects of this role, emphasizing the need to demonstrate both deep technical knowledge and strong leadership capabilities, supported by concrete project examples.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this design position:

Submit your application through this link
Tailor your resume to highlight your experience managing silicon design or verification teams, specific technical skills (Verilog/SystemVerilog, UVM, etc.), and experience with the full digital design flow. Use relevant keywords from the ATS Keywords list.
Prepare detailed technical case studies of your key silicon projects to discuss during interviews. Focus on your leadership role, technical contributions, and the methodologies you employed.
Research Waymo's Compute Team and their focus on high-performance custom silicon for autonomous vehicles. Understand the technical challenges in this domain and be prepared to discuss your relevant experience.
Practice articulating your technical decisions and problem-solving process clearly and concisely.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and design industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

Silicon Design Manager