Senior Physical Design Engineer Jobs in California

Senior Physical Design Engineer jobs in California represent one of the most active markets in the country, concentrated in the semiconductor, consumer electronics, and fabless chip design sectors that define California's technology economy. The heaviest hiring is in San Jose, San Diego, and Santa Clara, where companies like Qualcomm, Apple, and NVIDIA maintain large physical design teams at every level from associate through principal engineer. The most consistently in-demand specialties are place-and-route, static timing analysis, and physical verification for advanced process nodes. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

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Overview

Open roles15
Top employerSpaceX
Top citySan Jose, CA
Cities hiring9
Work type50% On-site
Top industryElectronics

Showing 5 of 15+ Senior Physical Design Engineer jobs

NVIDIA
Senior ASIC Physical Design Engineer, Cache Coherent Interconnects
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NVIDIA
Added 3d ago
Senior ASIC Physical Design Engineer, Cache Coherent Interconnects
NVIDIA
Santa Clara, California
Cloud & DevOps
Cloud Engineering
DevOps
Solutions Engineering & Architecture
$136k - $265k/yr
Master's degree
10,000+

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Eximietas Design
Senior ASIC physical design engineer
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Eximietas Design
Added 5d ago
Senior ASIC physical design engineer
Eximietas Design
San Diego, California
Specialized Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Engineering (Non-Software)
Hybrid
Master's

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Capgemini
Senior Physical Design Engineer
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Capgemini
Added 1w ago
Senior Physical Design Engineer
Capgemini
Santa Clara, California
Specialized Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering
Engineering (Non-Software)
Manufacturing Engineering
$82k - $193k/yr
On-Site
None
10,000+

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L
Sr. Physical Design Engineer
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L
Added 1mo ago
Sr. Physical Design Engineer
LUMILENS
San Jose, California
Cloud & DevOps
Cloud Engineering
DevOps
Solutions Engineering & Architecture
Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering

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K2 Space
Senior ASIC Physical Design Engineer
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K2 Space
Added 1mo ago
Senior ASIC Physical Design Engineer
K2 Space
Los Angeles, California
Engineering (Non-Software)
Project Management
Technical Program Management
$170k - $250k/yr
Remote (US)
Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering

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See All 15 Senior Physical Design Engineer Jobs in California

Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

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Senior Physical Design Engineer Jobs by City in California

Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.

San Jose
4 jobs
Santa Clara
3 jobs
Cupertino
2 jobs
Irvine
1 job
Saratoga
1 job
San Diego
1 job
Sunnyvale
1 job
Los Angeles
1 job
San Francisco Bay Area
1 job

Senior Physical Design Engineer Job Market in California

A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.

Who's Hiring

SpaceX
SpaceX2 open roles
Amazon Web Services
Amazon Web Services2 open roles
Cisco
Cisco1 open role

Top Industries Hiring

  • Electronics & Hardware
  • Technology & Software
  • Aerospace & Defense
  • Distribution & Wholesale
  • Consulting & Professional Services

What California Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in senior physical design engineer jobs across California.

  • Bachelor's or master's degree in electrical engineering or computer engineering required
  • Five or more years of hands-on place-and-route experience at advanced process nodes
  • Proficiency with industry-standard EDA tools such as Cadence Innovus or Synopsys ICC2
  • Demonstrated experience with static timing analysis, power integrity, and signal integrity closure
  • Strong understanding of DRC, LVS, and physical verification flows for leading-edge foundries
  • Experience taping out complex SoC or custom digital designs at 7nm or below preferred

Senior Physical Design Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a senior physical design engineer in California?

The most direct path is a bachelor's or master's degree in electrical engineering or computer engineering, followed by several years of progressively complex physical design work. California does not require a state-issued license for this role. Hiring teams at California semiconductor companies typically look for candidates who have contributed to a full tapeout cycle, can demonstrate closure experience at advanced nodes, and are familiar with the EDA tool flows those specific teams use.

How much do senior physical design engineers make in California?

Senior physical design engineers in California earn a median of about $185,180 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $126,590 for the lowest 10% to over $281,210 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.

Which companies hire senior physical design engineers in California?

Employers hiring senior physical design engineers in California right now include SpaceX, Amazon Web Services, and Cisco, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. California's concentration of fabless semiconductor companies and large consumer electronics hardware teams means hiring is sustained across the state's major tech corridors year-round.

Which California cities have the most senior physical design engineer jobs?

The cities with the most senior physical design engineer openings in California are San Jose, Santa Clara, and Cupertino. The distribution follows California's semiconductor and consumer electronics footprint, with the Silicon Valley corridor anchoring the largest share of roles because of the dense cluster of fabless chip companies and major hardware-focused technology headquarters concentrated there.

Are there remote senior physical design engineer jobs in California?

Yes, but they're relatively limited. Physical design work involves close collaboration with timing, verification, and foundry teams, and many California employers expect on-site or hybrid presence for tapeout-critical phases. About 50% of senior physical design engineer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of August 2026. The tasks most suited to remote work are timing analysis reviews, scripting, and flow development rather than active closure work.

How can I get hired as a senior physical design engineer in California with little or no experience?

The most realistic entry point is a master's degree program at a California university with a strong VLSI curriculum, which many California semiconductor companies actively recruit from through on-campus programs. Pursuing entry-level physical design or design verification roles at mid-size fabless companies in San Jose or San Diego is a concrete first step, as those teams often grow associates into full place-and-route contributors. Building a portfolio that includes a completed tapeout project, even from an academic or open-source context, gives candidates a clear edge over those without demonstrated tool experience.

Where can I find and apply to senior physical design engineer jobs in California?

You can find and apply to senior physical design engineer jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings. Find the roles that fit your experience and apply directly.

See All 15 Senior Physical Design Engineer Jobs in California

Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

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