Entry Level Physical Design Engineer Jobs
New grad physical design engineer jobs are open to recent graduates and entry level candidates with zero to two years of experience, where strong internship work or a portfolio of tape-out projects can matter more than a long resume. Most openings are on-site roles across Electronics & Hardware, Technology & Software, and Consulting & Professional Services, with employers like Apple, Qualcomm, and Mesa Associates hiring at this level now.
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Showing 5 of 16+ Entry Level Physical Design Engineer jobs
SUMMARY
Imagine what you can do here. Apple is a place where extraordinary people gather to do their lives best work. Together we create products and experiences people once couldn't have imagined, and now, can't imagine living without. It's the diversity of those people and their ideas that inspires the innovation that runs through everything we do.
DESCRIPTION
APPLE INC has the following available in Cupertino, California and various unanticipated locations throughout the USA. Working with logic design team to understand partition architecture and drive physical aspects early in design cycle; Completing netlist to GDS2 implementation for partition(s) meeting schedule and design goals; Timing, physical & electrical verification, driving the signoff closure for the partitions; and Resolving design and flow issues related to physical design, identify potential solutions and drive execution. 40 hours/week. At Apple, base pay is one part of our total compensation package and is determined within a range. This provides the opportunity to progress as you grow and develop within a role. The base pay range for this role is between $150,400 - $225,300/yr and your base pay will depend on your skills, qualifications, experience, and location.
PAY & BENEFITS: Apple employees also have the opportunity to become an Apple shareholder through participation in Apple’s discretionary employee stock programs. Apple employees are eligible for discretionary restricted stock unit awards, and can purchase Apple stock at a discount if voluntarily participating in Apple’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You’ll also receive benefits including: Comprehensive medical and dental coverage, retirement benefits, a range of discounted products and free services, and for formal education related to advancing your career at Apple, reimbursement for certain educational expenses — including tuition. Additionally, this role might be eligible for discretionary bonuses or commission payments as well as relocation. Learn more about Apple Benefits: https://www.apple.com/careers/us/benefits.html. Note: Apple benefit, compensation and employee stock programs are subject to eligibility requirements and other terms of the applicable plan or program.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Master's degree or foreign equivalent in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or related field.
- Experience and/or education must include:
- Knowledge and implementation design with Innovus and Fusioning Compiler APR tools.
- Tuning flows/methodologies and improvement of the power, performance and area of designs.
- Static timing analysis and timing convergence techniques. IR/IVD analysis and violation fix techniques, LVC/DRC debug and fix skill.
- Physical design on latest technology nodes 7nm and beyond, modern CMOS technology and fabrication basic.
- Blocking level design including floorplan, placement, Clock tree synthesis, routing and ECO steps.
- Lowering power Design techniques including clock gating, power gating, multi-voltage domain design.
- Scripting language skill: Tcl, Perl, Python, automation.
- Understanding top-down and bottom-up design approach, knowledgeable handle interblock design related issue in timing and PDV related problems.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- N/A
This position is not subject to the application limits.
Apple is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusion and diversity. We seek to promote equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics. Learn more about your EEO rights as an applicant.
At Apple, we believe accessibility is a fundamental human right. You’ll find that idea reflected in everything here — in our culture, our benefits and our digital tools. By welcoming as many perspectives as possible, we help you build a career where you feel like you belong.
Apple accepts applications to this posting on an ongoing basis.
SUMMARY
Imagine what you can do here. Apple is a place where extraordinary people gather to do their lives best work. Together we create products and experiences people once couldn't have imagined, and now, can't imagine living without. It's the diversity of those people and their ideas that inspires the innovation that runs through everything we do.
DESCRIPTION
APPLE INC has the following available in Cupertino, California and various unanticipated locations throughout the USA. Working with logic design team to understand partition architecture and drive physical aspects early in design cycle; Completing netlist to GDS2 implementation for partition(s) meeting schedule and design goals; Timing, physical & electrical verification, driving the signoff closure for the partitions; and Resolving design and flow issues related to physical design, identify potential solutions and drive execution. 40 hours/week. At Apple, base pay is one part of our total compensation package and is determined within a range. This provides the opportunity to progress as you grow and develop within a role. The base pay range for this role is between $150,400 - $225,300/yr and your base pay will depend on your skills, qualifications, experience, and location.
PAY & BENEFITS: Apple employees also have the opportunity to become an Apple shareholder through participation in Apple’s discretionary employee stock programs. Apple employees are eligible for discretionary restricted stock unit awards, and can purchase Apple stock at a discount if voluntarily participating in Apple’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You’ll also receive benefits including: Comprehensive medical and dental coverage, retirement benefits, a range of discounted products and free services, and for formal education related to advancing your career at Apple, reimbursement for certain educational expenses — including tuition. Additionally, this role might be eligible for discretionary bonuses or commission payments as well as relocation. Learn more about Apple Benefits: https://www.apple.com/careers/us/benefits.html. Note: Apple benefit, compensation and employee stock programs are subject to eligibility requirements and other terms of the applicable plan or program.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
- Master's degree or foreign equivalent in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or related field.
- Experience and/or education must include:
- Knowledge and implementation design with Innovus and Fusioning Compiler APR tools.
- Tuning flows/methodologies and improvement of the power, performance and area of designs.
- Static timing analysis and timing convergence techniques. IR/IVD analysis and violation fix techniques, LVC/DRC debug and fix skill.
- Physical design on latest technology nodes 7nm and beyond, modern CMOS technology and fabrication basic.
- Blocking level design including floorplan, placement, Clock tree synthesis, routing and ECO steps.
- Lowering power Design techniques including clock gating, power gating, multi-voltage domain design.
- Scripting language skill: Tcl, Perl, Python, automation.
- Understanding top-down and bottom-up design approach, knowledgeable handle interblock design related issue in timing and PDV related problems.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- N/A
This position is not subject to the application limits.
Apple is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusion and diversity. We seek to promote equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics. Learn more about your EEO rights as an applicant.
At Apple, we believe accessibility is a fundamental human right. You’ll find that idea reflected in everything here — in our culture, our benefits and our digital tools. By welcoming as many perspectives as possible, we help you build a career where you feel like you belong.
Apple accepts applications to this posting on an ongoing basis.
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Entry Level Physical Design Engineer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an entry level physical design engineer job?
Employers hiring at the entry level look for candidates who can demonstrate hands-on exposure to place-and-route tools such as Cadence Innovus or Synopsys ICC2, even through coursework or internships. A portfolio showing floorplanning, timing closure, or physical verification work gives you a concrete edge. Applying to companies that explicitly list zero to two years of experience keeps your search focused on roles built for this stage.
Which companies hire entry level physical design engineers?
Companies hiring entry level physical design engineers right now include Apple, Qualcomm, and Mesa Associates, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. At this level, hiring tends to come from semiconductor firms, fabless chip designers, and large technology companies with dedicated silicon teams that onboard new engineers into structured rotational or mentored programs.
Are there remote entry level physical design engineer jobs?
Yes, though on-site roles remain more common at the entry level. About 7% of entry level physical design engineer openings are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the lab-dependent and collaboration-heavy nature of chip design work. Hybrid arrangements are more common at larger employers, while fully remote roles at this level are less frequent.
Are these new grad physical design engineer jobs?
Yes, the listings here include new grad, recent graduate, and junior physical design engineer roles. A posting is new-grad friendly when it welcomes candidates with zero to two years of experience, accepts internship or university project work in place of professional experience, or specifically mentions degree requirements over years on the job. Applying to these roles does not require a long work history.
Which industries hire the most entry level physical design engineers?
Entry Level physical design engineer roles concentrate in Electronics & Hardware, Technology & Software, and Consulting & Professional Services, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Those sectors drive hiring at this level because they run active silicon development programs and regularly bring on junior engineers to support growing design teams and next-generation chip programs.