Physical Design Engineer Jobs in Santa Clara, CA
Physical Design Engineer jobs in Santa Clara are concentrated in the central business corridors along Central Expressway and the Great America Parkway area, with strong demand across semiconductor IP, fabless chip design, and EDA tooling. Employers hiring right now include Apple, Qualcomm, and Tenstorrent. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
Find Physical Design Engineer JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 33+ Physical Design Engineer jobs
Company:
Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.Job Area:
Engineering Group, Engineering Group > ASICS EngineeringGeneral 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.
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 :
$134,500.00 - $201,700.00The 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 EngineeringGeneral 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.
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 :
$134,500.00 - $201,700.00The 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 .
See All 33 Physical Design Engineer Jobs in Santa Clara
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Find Physical Design Engineer JobsPhysical Design Engineer Job Market in Santa Clara
Who's Hiring
- Apple10
- Qualcomm7
- Tenstorrent6
- NVIDIA4
- AMD2
Top Industries Hiring
- Electronics & Hardware10
- Technology & Software5
- Telecommunications3
- Automotive1
Physical Design Engineer Jobs in Santa Clara: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a physical design engineer job in Santa Clara?
Focus your search on Santa Clara's dense concentration of fabless semiconductor companies, EDA vendors, and chip IP firms clustered around Great America Parkway and the Central Expressway corridor. Hands-on experience with place-and-route tools, timing closure, and low-power design gives candidates a clear edge here. Targeting companies with active tape-out pipelines and networking through local IEEE Santa Clara Valley chapter events are both practical moves in this market.
Which companies hire physical design engineers in Santa Clara?
Santa Clara physical design engineer roles are posted by Apple, Qualcomm, and Tenstorrent and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Santa Clara attracts a mix of large semiconductor corporations, mid-size fabless design houses, and EDA software companies, all with ongoing demand for physical design talent.
Are there remote physical design engineer jobs in Santa Clara?
Yes, though with limits, since physical design engineering often requires access to licensed EDA tools, secure design environments, and close collaboration during tape-out cycles. About 46% of physical design engineer openings tied to Santa Clara are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, with remote options most common in early-stage floorplanning and constraint definition rather than hands-on signoff work.
How can I get a physical design engineer job in Santa Clara with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is targeting layout or physical verification roles at mid-size fabless companies in Santa Clara, where teams are smaller and new engineers get broader exposure faster than at large corporations. Internships at EDA vendors or chip startups around the Great America Parkway area regularly convert to full-time roles. Building proficiency in Cadence Innovus or Synopsys ICC2 and contributing to academic or open-source RTL-to-GDS projects strengthens any entry-level application considerably.
Which industries hire the most physical design engineers in Santa Clara?
Most physical design engineer openings in Santa Clara sit in Electronics & Hardware, Technology & Software, and Telecommunications, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Santa Clara's role as the geographic heart of Silicon Valley means semiconductor design and EDA software development drive the bulk of local hiring, supported by a tight cluster of companies that depends on physical design expertise for every product cycle.
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See All 33 Physical Design Engineer Jobs in Santa Clara
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