Physical Design Engineer Jobs
Physical Design Engineer jobs are open across semiconductor, consumer electronics, automotive, and defense industries, from entry-level to principal and staff engineer, with specializations in floorplanning, timing closure, and power integrity. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 312+ Physical Design Engineer jobs
Company:
Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.
Job Area:
Engineering Group, Engineering Group > ASICS Engineering
General Summary:
As a leading technology innovator, Qualcomm pushes the boundaries of what's possible to enable next-generation experiences and drives communication and data processing transformation to help create a smarter, connected future for all. As a Qualcomm ASIC Engineer, you will define, model, design (digital and/or analog), optimize, verify, validate, implement, and document IP (block/SoC) development for a variety of high performance, high quality, low power world class products. Qualcomm Engineers collaborate with cross-functional groups to determine product execution path.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Science, Engineering, or related field and 2+ years of ASIC design, verification, validation, integration, or related work experience.
OR
- Master's degree in Science, Engineering, or related field and 1+ year of ASIC design, verification, validation, integration, or related work experience.
OR
- PhD in Science, Engineering, or related field.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Master's degree in Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Computer Science.
- 3+ years of ASIC design, verification, validation, integration, or related work experience.
- 2+ years of experience with architecture and design tools.
- 2+ years of experience with scripting tools and programming languages.
- 2+ years of experience with design verification methods.
Principal Duties & Responsibilities:
- Applies ASIC knowledge and experience to define, model, design (digital and/or analog), optimize, verify, validate, implement, and document IP (block/SoC) development for a variety of high performance, high quality, low power products.
- Creates architectures, circuit specifications, logic designs, and/or system simulations based on system-level requirements.
- Collaborates across teams (e.g., software architecture, hardware architecture) to develop and execute an implementation strategy that meets system requirements and customer needs.
- Evaluates all aspects of process flow from high-level design to synthesis, place and route, timing and power use, and verification or similarly for custom circuit design/layout flow.
- Utilizes tools/applications (e.g., RTL to GDS Flow, Virtuoso) to execute and enable architecture and design of an individual block/SoC or IC Package.
- Writes detailed technical documentation for EDA/IP/ASIC projects.
Level of Responsibility:
- Works independently with minimal supervision.
- Decision-making may affect work beyond immediate work group.
- Requires verbal and written communication skills to convey information. May require basic negotiation, influence, tact, etc.
- Has a moderate amount of influence over key organizational decisions (e.g., is consulted by senior leadership to make key decisions).
- Tasks require multiple steps which can be performed in various orders; some planning, problem-solving, and prioritization must occur to complete the tasks effectively.
Qualcomm is an equal opportunity employer. If you are an individual with a disability and need an accommodation during the application/hiring process, rest assured that Qualcomm is committed to providing an accessible process. You may e-mail disability-accomodations@qualcomm.com or call Qualcomm's toll-free number found here. Upon request, Qualcomm will provide reasonable accommodations to support individuals with disabilities to be able participate in the hiring process. Qualcomm is also committed to making our workplace accessible for individuals with disabilities. (Keep in mind that this email address is used to provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. We will not respond here to requests for updates on applications or resume inquiries).
To all Staffing and Recruiting Agencies: Our Careers Site is only for individuals seeking a job at Qualcomm. Staffing and recruiting agencies and individuals being represented by an agency are not authorized to use this site or to submit profiles, applications or resumes, and any such submissions will be considered unsolicited. Qualcomm does not accept unsolicited resumes or applications from agencies. Please do not forward resumes to our jobs alias, Qualcomm employees or any other company location. Qualcomm is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes/applications.
EEO Employer: Qualcomm is an equal opportunity employer; all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or any other protected classification.
Qualcomm expects its employees to abide by all applicable policies and procedures, including but not limited to security and other requirements regarding protection of Company confidential information and other confidential and/or proprietary information, to the extent those requirements are permissible under applicable law.
Pay range and Other Compensation & Benefits:
- $140,000.00 - $210,000.00
The above pay scale reflects the broad, minimum to maximum, pay scale for this job code for the location for which it has been posted. Even more importantly, please note that salary is only one component of total compensation at Qualcomm. We also offer a competitive annual discretionary bonus program and opportunity for annual RSU grants (employees on sales-incentive plans are not eligible for our annual bonus). In addition, our highly competitive benefits package is designed to support your success at work, at home, and at play. Your recruiter will be happy to discuss all that Qualcomm has to offer – and you can review more details about our US benefits at this link.
If you would like more information about this role, please contact Qualcomm Careers.
Company:
Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.
Job Area:
Engineering Group, Engineering Group > ASICS Engineering
General Summary:
As a leading technology innovator, Qualcomm pushes the boundaries of what's possible to enable next-generation experiences and drives communication and data processing transformation to help create a smarter, connected future for all. As a Qualcomm ASIC Engineer, you will define, model, design (digital and/or analog), optimize, verify, validate, implement, and document IP (block/SoC) development for a variety of high performance, high quality, low power world class products. Qualcomm Engineers collaborate with cross-functional groups to determine product execution path.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Science, Engineering, or related field and 2+ years of ASIC design, verification, validation, integration, or related work experience.
OR
- Master's degree in Science, Engineering, or related field and 1+ year of ASIC design, verification, validation, integration, or related work experience.
OR
- PhD in Science, Engineering, or related field.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Master's degree in Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Computer Science.
- 3+ years of ASIC design, verification, validation, integration, or related work experience.
- 2+ years of experience with architecture and design tools.
- 2+ years of experience with scripting tools and programming languages.
- 2+ years of experience with design verification methods.
Principal Duties & Responsibilities:
- Applies ASIC knowledge and experience to define, model, design (digital and/or analog), optimize, verify, validate, implement, and document IP (block/SoC) development for a variety of high performance, high quality, low power products.
- Creates architectures, circuit specifications, logic designs, and/or system simulations based on system-level requirements.
- Collaborates across teams (e.g., software architecture, hardware architecture) to develop and execute an implementation strategy that meets system requirements and customer needs.
- Evaluates all aspects of process flow from high-level design to synthesis, place and route, timing and power use, and verification or similarly for custom circuit design/layout flow.
- Utilizes tools/applications (e.g., RTL to GDS Flow, Virtuoso) to execute and enable architecture and design of an individual block/SoC or IC Package.
- Writes detailed technical documentation for EDA/IP/ASIC projects.
Level of Responsibility:
- Works independently with minimal supervision.
- Decision-making may affect work beyond immediate work group.
- Requires verbal and written communication skills to convey information. May require basic negotiation, influence, tact, etc.
- Has a moderate amount of influence over key organizational decisions (e.g., is consulted by senior leadership to make key decisions).
- Tasks require multiple steps which can be performed in various orders; some planning, problem-solving, and prioritization must occur to complete the tasks effectively.
Qualcomm is an equal opportunity employer. If you are an individual with a disability and need an accommodation during the application/hiring process, rest assured that Qualcomm is committed to providing an accessible process. You may e-mail disability-accomodations@qualcomm.com or call Qualcomm's toll-free number found here. Upon request, Qualcomm will provide reasonable accommodations to support individuals with disabilities to be able participate in the hiring process. Qualcomm is also committed to making our workplace accessible for individuals with disabilities. (Keep in mind that this email address is used to provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. We will not respond here to requests for updates on applications or resume inquiries).
To all Staffing and Recruiting Agencies: Our Careers Site is only for individuals seeking a job at Qualcomm. Staffing and recruiting agencies and individuals being represented by an agency are not authorized to use this site or to submit profiles, applications or resumes, and any such submissions will be considered unsolicited. Qualcomm does not accept unsolicited resumes or applications from agencies. Please do not forward resumes to our jobs alias, Qualcomm employees or any other company location. Qualcomm is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes/applications.
EEO Employer: Qualcomm is an equal opportunity employer; all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or any other protected classification.
Qualcomm expects its employees to abide by all applicable policies and procedures, including but not limited to security and other requirements regarding protection of Company confidential information and other confidential and/or proprietary information, to the extent those requirements are permissible under applicable law.
Pay range and Other Compensation & Benefits:
- $140,000.00 - $210,000.00
The above pay scale reflects the broad, minimum to maximum, pay scale for this job code for the location for which it has been posted. Even more importantly, please note that salary is only one component of total compensation at Qualcomm. We also offer a competitive annual discretionary bonus program and opportunity for annual RSU grants (employees on sales-incentive plans are not eligible for our annual bonus). In addition, our highly competitive benefits package is designed to support your success at work, at home, and at play. Your recruiter will be happy to discuss all that Qualcomm has to offer – and you can review more details about our US benefits at this link.
If you would like more information about this role, please contact Qualcomm Careers.
Top Cities Hiring Physical Design Engineers
Explore physical design engineer openings in the cities hiring most right now.
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Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Physical Design Engineer JobsPhysical Design Engineer Job Market
Who's Hiring
- Apple121
- Qualcomm23
- Intel16
- Tenstorrent11
- Amazon9
Top Industries Hiring
- Electronics & Hardware213
- Technology & Software50
- Consulting & Professional Services26
- Retail15
- Telecommunications15
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in physical design engineer jobs.
- Experience with industry-standard EDA tools such as Synopsys IC Compiler or Cadence Innovus
- Hands-on work with advanced process nodes at 7nm, 5nm, or below
- Proficiency in static timing analysis and timing closure methodologies
- Strong scripting skills in Tcl, Python, or Perl for flow automation
- Bachelor's or master's degree in electrical engineering or computer engineering
- Familiarity with physical verification tools including DRC and LVS sign-off
Tips for Your Physical Design Engineer Job Search
Tailor your resume to the node
List the specific process nodes you have worked on, whether 7nm, 5nm, or 28nm, because hiring managers filter instantly on this. A resume that buries node experience in a summary rather than a skills section will get passed over.
Quantify your timing closure wins
Recruiters and engineers reviewing your resume want to see that you closed timing on a real tapeout, not just ran scripts. State the block size, frequency target, and number of violations you resolved to give your experience concrete weight.
Target openings by tool stack match
Physical design roles frequently require specific EDA tools like Synopsys IC Compiler, Cadence Innovus, or Mentor Calibre. Match your application to postings where your tool experience overlaps at least two of the listed requirements to improve your callback rate.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists physical design engineer openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match your node and tool experience and apply directly to each listing.
Prepare for a hands-on design exercise
Many physical design interviews include a whiteboard or take-home exercise on floorplanning constraints or clock tree synthesis. Practice explaining your design decisions out loud, because interviewers care as much about your reasoning as your final answer.
Negotiate using tapeout ownership not years
When discussing compensation, anchor your case to the number of tapeouts you owned end-to-end and the complexity of blocks you closed, not total years of experience. Ownership of a full chip flow at an advanced node carries more leverage than seniority alone.
Physical Design Engineer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most physical design engineers?
The companies hiring the most physical design engineers right now include Apple, Qualcomm, and Intel, with the largest share of openings in California, Texas, and Oregon, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of June 2026. Demand is concentrated at companies running active tapeout programs at advanced nodes.
How many physical design engineer jobs are remote?
About 21% of physical design engineer openings are fully remote or hybrid as of June 2026, though on-site roles remain dominant given the tool licensing, server access, and lab proximity the work often requires. Sub-areas like script development, methodology, and flow automation tend to have the highest share of remote-eligible postings.
How do you become a physical design engineer?
Start with a bachelor's degree in electrical or computer engineering, with coursework in VLSI design, digital circuits, and semiconductor devices. Build hands-on skills in at least one major EDA tool through coursework, internships, or personal projects. Move into an entry-level role focused on place-and-route or physical verification, then progress toward owning full blocks and eventually full chip tapeouts across successive projects.
Can you get a physical design engineer job with little experience?
Entry-level physical design engineer roles exist, but you need demonstrable tool exposure to get past the first screen. A senior design project, university chip fabrication program, or an internship where you ran place-and-route on even a small block gives you something concrete to discuss. Roles labeled associate or junior engineer are the most accessible starting points and often provide structured mentorship on a running tapeout team.
What does the physical design engineer interview process look like?
Most processes include an initial recruiter screen, a technical phone interview covering fundamentals like clock tree synthesis, timing constraints, and floorplanning, and then one or more on-site or virtual rounds with senior engineers. Expect at least one design exercise or case study where you walk through a physical implementation decision. Final rounds often include a hiring manager conversation focused on tapeout ownership and cross-functional collaboration.
Where can I find and apply to physical design engineer jobs?
You can find and apply to physical design engineer jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States in one place. Find roles that match your node experience, tool skills, and seniority level, then apply directly to each listing that fits.
See All 312+ Physical Design Engineer Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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