Sr. Clock Distribution Engineer, AI Hardware

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Sr. Clock Distribution Engineer, AI Hardware

| Job Category | Tesla AI | | Location | Palo Alto, California | | Req. ID | 268266 | | Job Type | Full-time |

What to Expect

The Tesla AI Hardware team is at the forefront of revolutionizing artificial intelligence through cutting-edge hardware innovation. Comprising brilliant engineers and visionaries, the team designs and develops advanced AI inference chips tailored to accelerate Tesla’s machine learning capabilities. A key part of this effort is Dojo, Tesla's custom supercomputer system built to efficiently train massive neural networks on vast video data from the fleet. The work of Tesla's AI Hardware team powers the neural networks behind Full Self-Driving (FSD), and Tesla humanoid robot, Optimus, pushing the boundaries of computational efficiency and performance. By creating custom silicon and optimized architectures, the team ensures Tesla remains a leader in AI-driven automotive and energy solutions, shaping a future where intelligent machines enhance human life. Tesla's AI Hardware Team is looking for experienced, highly skilled VLSI engineers who enjoy working across the logic, circuit, methodology, and physical design levels. Our physical design team is growing to tackle a wider range of projects, building on our in-house SOC design expertise. This position entails the design, construction and integration of SOCs, IP, circuits, tool flows, and methodologies into systems using advanced technologies - from definition through characterization.

Our AI Hardware engineering team implements world-class clocking for high-performance SoCs where skew directly impacts chip performance. As a Sr. Clock Distribution Engineer, you will own the physical implementation of clock distribution networks — designing H-trees, driving floorplan-stage clock planning in Innovus, and pushing skew to the limits of what the process allows. Your work bridges clock architecture intent and physical reality.

What You’ll Do

• Design and implement H-tree clock distribution networks — plan topology, trunk routing, and branch balancing to minimize skew across the full clock domain
• Own clock planning at the floorplan stage in Innovus — place clock roots, define clock trunk paths, and establish pre-CTS constraints that guide downstream implementation
• Drive skew optimization from floorplan through CTS closure — iterate on H-tree structure, buffer placement, and load balancing to meet skew targets
• Size clock drivers and buffers — analyze drive strength requirements and validate EMIR compliance for large clock drivers under peak switching current conditions
• Evaluate EM and IR impact of high-fanout clock networks — ensure clock trunk and driver sizing meets electromigration current density limits and IR drop budgets
• Develop CTS constraints and guidelines — define skew groups, clock latency targets, and insertion delay budgets for the CTS engine
• Validate clock distribution against post-route parasitics — analyze skew degradation and drive ECO fixes to recover timing
• Implement clock shielding strategies to protect clock trunks from aggressor coupling and noise
• Analyze and optimize clock power — balance transition times, driver strengths, and switching activity for power efficiency
• Leverage agentic AI flows to automate H-tree generation, skew analysis, and EMIR validation across clock domains

What You’ll Bring

• Degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field, or equivalent work experience
• 7+ years of clock distribution implementation experience on high-performance SoCs
• Deep expertise in H-tree clock topology design and skew optimization
• Hands-on proficiency with Innovus for floorplan-stage clock planning and CTS implementation
• Strong understanding of EMIR concepts as applied to large clock drivers and high-fanout clock networks
• Experience sizing clock drivers for EM compliance under peak switching conditions
• Solid grasp of pre-CTS planning, CTS constraints, and post-route skew validation
• Ability to use agentic AI flows to automate clock distribution analysis and optimization

Compensation and Benefits

Benefits

• Along with competitive pay, as a full-time Tesla employee, you are eligible for the following benefits at day 1 of hire:

• Medical plans > plan options with $0 payroll deduction

• Family-building, fertility, adoption and surrogacy benefits

• Dental (including orthodontic coverage) and vision plans, both have options with a $0 paycheck contribution

• Company Paid (Health Savings Accounts) HSA Contribution when enrolled in the High-Deductible medical plan with HSA

• Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

• 401(k) with employer match, Employee Stock Purchase Plans, and other financial benefits

• Company paid Basic Life, AD&D

• Short-term and long-term disability insurance (90 day waiting period)

• Employee Assistance Program

• Sick and Vacation time (Flex time for salary positions, Accrued hours for Hourly positions), and Paid Holidays

• Back-up childcare and parenting support resources

• Voluntary benefits to include: critical illness, hospital indemnity, accident insurance, theft & legal services, and pet insurance

• Weight Loss and Tobacco Cessation Programs

• Tesla Babies program

• Commuter benefits

• Employee discounts and perks program

• Expected Compensation

• $128,000 - $312,000/annual salary + cash and stock awards + benefits

Pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements dependent on the position offered. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.

Tesla is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any factor, including veteran status and disability status, protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.

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