OPT Ic Design Engineer Jobs
IC design engineer jobs on OPT are available across semiconductor companies, fabless startups, and defense contractors. Most roles require STEM OPT eligibility, giving you up to three years of work authorization. Employers typically sponsor H-1B visa after OPT, making this one of the stronger visa pathways in hardware engineering.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
MaxLinear is seeking talented RF/MS IC Design Engineers at all levels to join our team and help shape the next generation of high-speed connectivity solutions.
MaxLinear is a leading provider of radio frequency (RF), analog, digital, and mixed-signal integrated circuits (ICs) and software solutions. MaxLinear’s technologies empower next-generation products across a variety of markets, including high-speed interconnect solutions in hyperscale datacenters, broadband access, connectivity, infrastructure, and industrial systems. Our Key recent Product Offerings are:
- Keystone: The first low-power 5-nm 100G PAM4 DSP SoC, optimized for active electrical and optical cables
- Sierra: A single-chip solution for 5G Open RAN radio units
- Wi-Fi 7 Solutions: The world’s first Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 7 tri-band single-chip solutions and access points
- Panther: An ultra-low latency Data Processing Unit (DPU) storage accelerator for enterprise and hyperscale data centers, delivering up to 3.2 Tbps throughput
Whether you're a recent Ph.D. graduate or an experienced industry professional, you'll have the opportunity to work on cutting-edge data center interconnects, with a strong focus on high-speed PAM4 SerDes and optical technologies. We offer a clear career growth path from staff engineer to senior roles in the design team, with increasing technical responsibilities and leadership opportunities.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Work in a collaborative team driving architecture, design, implementation, and verification of RF/mixed-signal systems for SERDES and optical networking applications
- Architect, design, simulate, and verify RF and Mixed Signal circuit IPs for high-speed SERDES and optical communication systems
- Design and implement critical circuit blocks including: PLLs, VCOs, ADCs, DACs, and high-speed transceiver components
- Debug silicon issues and collaborate with cross-functional teams to take IC to volume production
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Minimum of: BS in Electrical Engineering or related + 5 years of experience, or MS + 3 years of experience, or Ph.D.
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
MaxLinear has a Total Compensation philosophy which includes base salary and annual discretionary bonus eligibility and many positions also include stock-based compensation.
MaxLinear's good faith estimate starting base salary range is: $112,000 to $242,000 Annually
We offer competitive benefits designed to support employee health, welfare, and retirement and some highlights are: health care benefits, 401k savings plan, Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP), and paid time off.
The actual starting base salary will be determined by the match to certain role-related criteria such as educational degree(s) or equivalent, relevant work experience, skillset needed for the role, and geographic location; this is not an all-inclusive list as some roles may require unique skills or experience.
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, and will not be discriminated against based on race, sex, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status.
COMPANY OVERVIEW
MaxLinear is a global, NASDAQ-traded company (MXL) where the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well. We are a fabless system-on-chip product company, striving to improve the world’s communication networks for everyone through our highly integrated radio-frequency (RF), analog, digital, and mixed-signal semiconductor solutions for access and connectivity, wired and wireless infrastructure, and industrial and multi-market applications.
We hire the best people in the industry and engage them in some of the most exciting opportunities that connect the world we live in today. Our growth has come from innovative, bold approaches to solving some of the world’s most challenging communication technology problems in the most efficient and effective manner.
MaxLinear began by developing the world’s first high-performance TV tuner chip using standard CMOS process technology. Others said we couldn’t achieve the extremely high-performance requirements using CMOS, but we proved them wrong and achieved enduring global market leadership with our designs. Since then, we’ve developed a full line of products that drive 4G and 5G infrastructure; enable data center, metro and long-haul optical interconnects; bring 10Gbit to the home; power the IoT revolution; and enable robust and reliable communication in harsh industrial environments. Over the years, we’ve expanded through organic growth and through several acquisitions that have perfectly complemented our existing portfolio and enabled us to deliver complete end-to-end solutions in our target markets. One such example was the acquisition of Intel’s Home Gateway Platform Division that added Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and Broadband Gateway Processor SoC technology to our connected home portfolio creating a complete and scalable platform of connectivity and access solutions to fully address our customers’ needs.
Our headquarters are in Carlsbad, near San Diego, California. We also have major design centers in Irvine and San Jose, California; Valencia, Spain; Bangalore, India; Munich, Germany; Israel; and Singapore.
We have approximately 1,200 employees, a substantial majority of whom have engineering degrees and include masters and Ph.D. graduates from many of the premiere universities around the world. Our employees thrive on innovation, outstanding execution, outside-the-box thinking, nimbleness, and collaboration. Together, we form a high-energy business team that is focused on building the best and most innovative products on the market.
INTRODUCTION
MaxLinear is seeking talented RF/MS IC Design Engineers at all levels to join our team and help shape the next generation of high-speed connectivity solutions.
MaxLinear is a leading provider of radio frequency (RF), analog, digital, and mixed-signal integrated circuits (ICs) and software solutions. MaxLinear’s technologies empower next-generation products across a variety of markets, including high-speed interconnect solutions in hyperscale datacenters, broadband access, connectivity, infrastructure, and industrial systems. Our Key recent Product Offerings are:
- Keystone: The first low-power 5-nm 100G PAM4 DSP SoC, optimized for active electrical and optical cables
- Sierra: A single-chip solution for 5G Open RAN radio units
- Wi-Fi 7 Solutions: The world’s first Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 7 tri-band single-chip solutions and access points
- Panther: An ultra-low latency Data Processing Unit (DPU) storage accelerator for enterprise and hyperscale data centers, delivering up to 3.2 Tbps throughput
Whether you're a recent Ph.D. graduate or an experienced industry professional, you'll have the opportunity to work on cutting-edge data center interconnects, with a strong focus on high-speed PAM4 SerDes and optical technologies. We offer a clear career growth path from staff engineer to senior roles in the design team, with increasing technical responsibilities and leadership opportunities.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Work in a collaborative team driving architecture, design, implementation, and verification of RF/mixed-signal systems for SERDES and optical networking applications
- Architect, design, simulate, and verify RF and Mixed Signal circuit IPs for high-speed SERDES and optical communication systems
- Design and implement critical circuit blocks including: PLLs, VCOs, ADCs, DACs, and high-speed transceiver components
- Debug silicon issues and collaborate with cross-functional teams to take IC to volume production
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Minimum of: BS in Electrical Engineering or related + 5 years of experience, or MS + 3 years of experience, or Ph.D.
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
MaxLinear has a Total Compensation philosophy which includes base salary and annual discretionary bonus eligibility and many positions also include stock-based compensation.
MaxLinear's good faith estimate starting base salary range is: $112,000 to $242,000 Annually
We offer competitive benefits designed to support employee health, welfare, and retirement and some highlights are: health care benefits, 401k savings plan, Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP), and paid time off.
The actual starting base salary will be determined by the match to certain role-related criteria such as educational degree(s) or equivalent, relevant work experience, skillset needed for the role, and geographic location; this is not an all-inclusive list as some roles may require unique skills or experience.
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, and will not be discriminated against based on race, sex, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status.
COMPANY OVERVIEW
MaxLinear is a global, NASDAQ-traded company (MXL) where the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well. We are a fabless system-on-chip product company, striving to improve the world’s communication networks for everyone through our highly integrated radio-frequency (RF), analog, digital, and mixed-signal semiconductor solutions for access and connectivity, wired and wireless infrastructure, and industrial and multi-market applications.
We hire the best people in the industry and engage them in some of the most exciting opportunities that connect the world we live in today. Our growth has come from innovative, bold approaches to solving some of the world’s most challenging communication technology problems in the most efficient and effective manner.
MaxLinear began by developing the world’s first high-performance TV tuner chip using standard CMOS process technology. Others said we couldn’t achieve the extremely high-performance requirements using CMOS, but we proved them wrong and achieved enduring global market leadership with our designs. Since then, we’ve developed a full line of products that drive 4G and 5G infrastructure; enable data center, metro and long-haul optical interconnects; bring 10Gbit to the home; power the IoT revolution; and enable robust and reliable communication in harsh industrial environments. Over the years, we’ve expanded through organic growth and through several acquisitions that have perfectly complemented our existing portfolio and enabled us to deliver complete end-to-end solutions in our target markets. One such example was the acquisition of Intel’s Home Gateway Platform Division that added Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and Broadband Gateway Processor SoC technology to our connected home portfolio creating a complete and scalable platform of connectivity and access solutions to fully address our customers’ needs.
Our headquarters are in Carlsbad, near San Diego, California. We also have major design centers in Irvine and San Jose, California; Valencia, Spain; Bangalore, India; Munich, Germany; Israel; and Singapore.
We have approximately 1,200 employees, a substantial majority of whom have engineering degrees and include masters and Ph.D. graduates from many of the premiere universities around the world. Our employees thrive on innovation, outstanding execution, outside-the-box thinking, nimbleness, and collaboration. Together, we form a high-energy business team that is focused on building the best and most innovative products on the market.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as an Ic Design Engineer
Target fabless semiconductor companies
Fabless companies like Qualcomm, AMD, and Broadcom hire IC design engineers at scale and have established OPT and H-1B visa sponsorship pipelines. Their recruiting teams are familiar with F-1 work authorization requirements, which reduces friction during the hiring process.
Highlight your EDA tool proficiency
Cadence, Synopsys, and Mentor Graphics experience signals immediate productivity to hiring managers. List specific tools by name on your resume alongside the process nodes you have worked with. Sponsors want engineers who can contribute from day one without extensive onboarding.
Apply before your OPT start date
IC design roles have long interview cycles involving multiple technical rounds. Start applying three to four months before your OPT begins so you can accept an offer and start without authorization gaps. Waiting until graduation compresses your timeline significantly.
Clarify your STEM OPT eligibility upfront
Electrical engineering, computer engineering, and related programs qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension. Confirming this eligibility early reassures sponsors that you have three years of runway, which makes the investment in hiring and H-1B sponsorship worthwhile for them.
Pursue tape-out experience before graduating
Even a small chip tape-out through a university program or research project is a meaningful differentiator. Sponsors hiring for IC design roles prioritize candidates who have seen a design through to physical implementation, not just completed coursework in digital or analog circuits.
Research employer H-1B filing history
Check whether a company has sponsored IC design engineers for H-1B visas in recent years before investing time in their interview process. Consistent H-1B filing history signals genuine sponsorship intent, not just openness to OPT. This protects your time during a constrained work authorization window.
Ic Design Engineer OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Do IC design engineer roles qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
Yes. IC design engineering falls under electrical engineering, computer engineering, and related STEM fields that qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension. Combined with your initial 12-month OPT period, you get up to three years of work authorization. Your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify to support the extension, which most large semiconductor companies already are.
How common is H-1B sponsorship for IC design engineers?
H-1B sponsorship is relatively common in this field because IC design is classified as a specialty occupation requiring at least a bachelor's degree in a specific technical discipline. Semiconductor companies, defense contractors, and fabless chip designers regularly sponsor engineers for H-1B status after OPT. You can browse OPT-friendly IC design roles on Migrate Mate to identify which employers have active hiring pipelines.
Can I work on ITAR-controlled projects as an F-1 OPT student?
It depends on the project and the employer's export control compliance program. Many defense and aerospace companies require engineers to be U.S. citizens or permanent residents for ITAR-restricted work. Some commercial semiconductor roles involve no export control restrictions. Be direct with recruiters about your visa status early so both sides can assess whether the specific role is accessible to you.
What types of employers hire IC design engineers on OPT?
Fabless semiconductor companies, integrated device manufacturers, defense electronics firms, automotive chip suppliers, and consumer electronics companies all hire IC design engineers. Startups working on custom silicon for AI accelerators and networking have also been active hiring markets. Roles span analog, digital, mixed-signal, RF, and physical design, so the specific team structure matters when evaluating sponsorship practices.
What should I do if my OPT expires before the H-1B lottery result?
If you are selected in the H-1B lottery with an October 1 start date but your OPT expires before then, a cap-gap provision automatically extends your work authorization. Your OPT EAD remains valid through September 30 of the lottery year if your employer files the H-1B petition before your OPT expires. Confirm your employer's timeline and work with your DSO to document the extension correctly.