Physical Design Engineer

The job

LIVE Live feed (private-sector employer) Source: The Muse public API · Data: listed 2026-10-31

Job description

Hudson River Trading (HRT) is seeking a Physical Design Engineer with a broad, versatile skillset to join our growing Hardware team. In this role, you will help deliver performance-critical ASICs and advance our physical design methodologies on leading-edge process nodes.

The Hardware team at HRT builds high-performance compute engines using FPGA and ASIC technology to drive low-latency trading decisions on global markets. We create custom solutions across the full spectrum of speed and sophistication, from bespoke circuits to world-class machine learning accelerators.

Responsibilities

• Drive design-for-test (DFT) methodologies and implementation 
• Contribute to physical implementation, from RTL handoff through GDSII on advanced process nodes 
• Partner on floorplanning and physical optimization for high-performance, latency-critical designs
• Close timing across multiple modes and corners while optimizing power, performance, and area (PPA)
• Diagnose and resolve physical design issues such as timing bottlenecks, congestion, and IR/EM violations
• Build, maintain, and improve repeatable, automated physical design flows
• Develop scripts and tooling to improve productivity, robustness, and insight into design behavior
• Collaborate closely with RTL, architecture, and other hardware engineers to influence design decisions early

Qualifications

• Experience working in high-performance ASIC design environments
• Strong fundamentals in digital logic, circuit design, and process technology
• Familiarity with DFT concepts and testing methodologies
• Strong scripting and automation skills (Python, Tcl, shell), including parsing and analyzing tool outputs
• Ability to design robust methodologies, diagnose complex failures, and improve physical design flows
• Applied use of statistics in analyzing timing, power, or design data (preferred)
• Hands-on experience with static timing analysis and timing closure methodologies
• Expertise using industry-standard physical design and signoff tools (e.g., Innovus, PrimeTime)

This job is accepting ongoing applications and there is no application deadline.

The estimated base salary range for this position is 200,000 to 300,000 USD per year (or local equivalent). The base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

This role will also be eligible for discretionary performance-based bonuses and a competitive benefits package which includes medical, dental, vision, basic life insurance, and enrollment in our company’s retirement savings plans. Employees will receive sick and parental leave, as well as other paid time off (including 20 vacation days and 10 paid holidays in the US). Please note that benefits and time off policies will vary across non-US locations.

In any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.

Culture

Hudson River Trading (HRT) brings a scientific approach to trading financial products. We have built one of the world's most sophisticated computing environments for research and development. Our researchers are at the forefront of innovation in the world of algorithmic trading.

At HRT we welcome a variety of expertise: mathematics and computer science, physics and engineering, media and tech. We’re a community of self-starters who are motivated by the excitement of being at the cutting edge of automation in every part of our organization—from trading, to business operations, to recruiting and beyond. We value openness and transparency, and celebrate great ideas from HRT veterans and new hires alike. At HRT we’re friends and colleagues – whether we are sharing a meal, playing the latest board game, or writing elegant code. We embrace a culture of togetherness that extends far beyond the walls of our office.

Feel like you belong at HRT? Our goal is to find the best people and bring them together to do great work in a place where everyone is valued. HRT is proud of our diverse staff; we have offices all over the globe and benefit from our varied and unique perspectives. HRT is an equal opportunity employer; so whoever you are we’d love to get to know you.

You can review our Global Applicant Privacy Notice, which explains how we process applicant information.

Explore around this job

Field: Engineering, Construction and Energy Sub-niche: Manufacturing and hardware engineering All jobs at Hudson River Trading Jobs in Texas Jobs in Austin, TX Austin city guide Texas state guide Travis County economy

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About the role

This is a Mid Level role in the Engineering, Construction and Energy field (Manufacturing and hardware engineering) at Hudson River Trading. Mid-level roles usually expect some years of relevant experience and the ability to work with limited supervision.

We could not match this job title to one occupation in the official wage statistics, so no pay estimate is shown. Pay is not in the source listing; ask the employer for the range and compare in the 240 job niches.

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How to prepare and behave

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• Read the whole description and match your examples to its requirements; use the same words the posting uses where they are true for you.
• Research the employer before the interview: what it does, who its customers are and recent news; prepare two or three questions about the work.
• Arrive early (or log in early for a video call), dress one step above the daily dress code, and test your camera and audio beforehand.
• Answer with short stories: the situation, what you did and the result. Give numbers when you have them and never invent them.
• Be honest about gaps; say what you did to learn and how fast you can close them.
• Ask about the team, the first 90 days, how success is measured and the schedule; do not open with salary and time off.
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The city

The job is in Austin, TX. Below is what the official statistics say about living and working there.

How Austin compares. Among the 120 largest places in Texas, Austin is #4 by population, #5 for remote work (#1 = most), #111 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #13 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Travis County, is #5 of 254 counties for average pay ($96,267).

The place in numbers

Austin has 979,539 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 3.2% of the population of Texas. It covers 326 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 3,001 people per square mile. The median age is 34.7, about the same as the state median (34.7 against 35.6).

Housing

The median gross rent is $1,729 a month (rent plus utilities), 23% above the state median ($1,729 against $1,403). Over a year that is 22.2% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $555,300, which is 5.9 times the median household income ($93,658); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 43.5% of households own their home, 31% below the state average (43.5% against 62.6%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.

Work and pay

The Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX metropolitan area has 1,293,690 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $56,950 a year, 12% above the national median ($56,950 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (159,340 jobs, median $47,770); management (133,950 jobs, median $129,060); food preparation and serving related (120,570 jobs, median $33,280). The area is most specialised in computer and mathematical (1.9 times) and architecture and engineering (1.5 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($129,060) and computer and mathematical ($114,350). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Travis County was 3.6%. 75.1% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Travis County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.

Getting around

Among workers, 56.0% drive alone, 2.0% use public transit, 2.5% walk, 30.7% work from home. 10.2% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 40% below the state average (10.2% against 16.9%). Remote work is more common than in the state as a whole, which widens the set of employers a resident can work for without moving.

People and education

59.6% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 76% above the state share (59.6% against 33.8%). 18.7% of residents were born outside the United States, 7% above the state share (18.7% against 17.6%). The poverty rate is 12.0%, 13% below the state rate (12.0% against 13.8%).

Climate

The warmest month is Aug, averaging 86°F (30.1°C), and the coolest is Jan at 49°F (9.3°C). About 841 mm (33 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (111 mm) and Feb the driest (45 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.

Nearby cities to compare

Closest cities in this guide: Pflugerville (14 miles, rent 12% higher); Cedar Park (15 miles, rent 7% higher); Round Rock (17 miles, similar rent); Leander (20 miles, rent 12% higher). Rent differences are against Austin; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.

Full guide to Austin →Texas guideAll jobs in Austin

Official links for Austin

• Official website of Austin: austintexas.gov
• Census Bureau data profile for Austin
• Official state website: texas.gov
• BLS Economy at a Glance: Texas

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Where to live

CITY Official statistics Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year (via Census Reporter) · Data: ACS 2020–2024

Places within 50 miles (straight line) of Austin, TX that have a guide, with what living there costs. No pay estimate is shown because the title did not match one occupation.

Career paths

We could not match this title to one occupation, so here are the other sub-niches in Engineering, Construction and Energy, where your skills may carry over:

Construction and field engineering (189) Energy and utilities (394)

Distances

CITY Calculation (straight line) Source: U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer (coordinates) · Data: 2024

How far Austin, TX is from the 20 largest US cities, in straight-line miles (not driving distance). Click a column to sort.

Nearby cities with open jobs (within 120 miles)

The employer

Hudson River Trading is the employer in this listing. See all its open jobs here →

We do not hold headcount or revenue for this employer. Check its careers site and, if it is listed on a stock exchange, its public filings (SEC EDGAR search).

What it is like to work at a company (culture, schedules, benefits) is not in the source data, so we do not describe it. Read the description and ask the questions under "How to prepare".

Other open jobs at Hudson River Trading

Similar jobs

Same sub-niche: Manufacturing and hardware engineering

More jobs in Austin, TX

All Manufacturing and hardware engineering jobs → · All Engineering, Construction and Energy sub-niches →

FAQ

What is the Physical Design Engineer job at Hudson River Trading?

A mid level role in engineering, construction and energy (manufacturing and hardware engineering) listed 8 days ago. The full description is on this page and on The Muse.

Where is this job?

Austin, TX.

How do I apply?

Use the "View this job and apply on The Muse" button. AtiveSite does not receive applications.

How much does it pay?

The listing does not publish pay, and we could not match the title to one official occupation.

What is the cost of living there?

Median rent in Austin is $1,729 a month and median household income $93,658 (ACS 2020–2024).

How old is this listing?

It was posted on 2026-10-31 (8 days ago). Jobs older than 90 days are not shown.

Are there similar jobs?

Yes: browse manufacturing and hardware engineering jobs in Texas.

Sources and terms

• Job data: The Muse public API (listing dated 2026-10-31). The job disappears from this site when it disappears from the source.
• Wages and projections: BLS OEWS (May 2025) and Employment Projections 2025–35.
• City and county figures: Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024, BEA, BLS QCEW and LAUS, NASA POWER climatology; distances from Census Gazetteer coordinates.

AtiveSite is not affiliated with or endorsed by The Muse, the employer or any government agency, and does not process applications. Verify every detail with the employer before acting.

Sources

• BLS OEWS (wages and employment by occupation, May 2025)
• BLS Employment Projections 2025–35
• BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics
• BLS JOLTS
• BLS State and Metro Area Employment
• Census Bureau American Community Survey (via Census Reporter)
• BEA GDP by state and Regional Price Parities
• IRS 2026 tax adjustments
• U.S. Department of Labor, minimum wage by state
• Tax Foundation state income tax rates 2026
• USAJOBS
• USCIS
• U.S. Department of State, visas
• NASA POWER climatology
• GeoNames / Census Gazetteer (coordinates)