STEM OPT CAD Designer Jobs
CAD Designer roles in engineering, manufacturing, and architecture regularly qualify for STEM OPT's 24-month extension, provided your degree falls under an eligible CIP code and your employer is enrolled in E-Verify. A signed I-983 training plan connects your design work directly to your STEM field of study.
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INTRODUCTION
Interested in how Apple designs the world’s most advanced silicon? Want to write software that helps create the next generation of processors and enables the next astonishing Apple innovation? There's no telling what you could accomplish at Apple! We’re looking for an engineer who will bring passion for hardware and strong programming skills to our team of CAD engineers. You’ll develop, maintain and enhance custom analog power intent methodology and circuit ERC solutions for transistor level analysis on Analog, RF and mixed-signal designs.
In this role, you will have the opportunity to directly influence the circuit design on various technology nodes and develop CAD flows for circuit recognition, topology identification, netlist tracing, power domain interactions, and analyze electrical rule checks. Your contributions will be instrumental in the analog, mixed-signal, and RF circuit design teams. You will lead and oversee efforts in developing and validating custom circuit checker flows, enhancing the custom design environment, validating checks, and conducting results analysis. As you collaborate with layout design, technology, and third-party EDA tool vendors, your expertise will be invaluable in driving innovation and ensuring the success of these initiatives.
The successful candidate will excel in dynamic, collaborative working environments and exhibit a hands-on, enthusiastic, self-motivated approach, with a strong drive to succeed in challenging settings. If you are eager to tackle challenges with innovative solutions, deliver exceptional user experiences, and pay meticulous attention to detail, this role may be the perfect fit for you. As a member of our team, your contributions will directly impact the experiences of millions of Apple customers in delivering state of the art processors to the wide range of Apple products.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
In this highly visible role, your primary responsibilities will include:
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Developing innovative solutions on Circuit ERC (Electric Rules checks) or Power Intent analysis leveraging expertise on circuits and programming.
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Actively involving yourself in supporting ERC/Power Intent on voltage domain interactions like supply gating mechanisms, isolation controls, level shifting, switch supplies, virtual domain interactions, power integrity etc.
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Closely collaborating with diverse design teams, including Custom Analog, Mixed-Signal, Digital, RF and more, to understand their needs and requirements on circuit ERC and power flows. Applying advanced techniques to address these requirements across multiple products and reduce duplicate design work.
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Working in tandem with other domain in CAD, Power, Technology teams to validate their ML-based applications, implement enhancements, and evaluate external vendor packages and solutions from EDA (Electronic Design Automation) providers and open-source.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
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Experience in Electric Rules Checks (ERC), circuit tracing and/or experience on custom power intent tools, flows and methodology.
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Relevant internship, research position or industry experience.
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Experience leading industry electrical engineering-focused software development project. Programming/scripting skills in Perl, Python, TCL, SKILL language, C++ or Shell. Ability to provide automations for rapid and dynamic design needs.
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Good written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to collaborate well with cross-functional teams.
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BS degree and 3+ years of relevant industry experience.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
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Experience in understanding on the operating principles of common Analog, Digital/SRAM blocks, Spice Modeling in Nano CMOS technologies. Experience with custom Schematic/Layout tracing via SPICE/Open Access, power gating techniques, biasing, circuit topologies (power switches, level-shifter, iso), virtual/derived/multi-power domains, standard-cells would be helpful.
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Hands on experience with SVRF, TCL, Liberty/.lib, UPF - IEEE1801, CPF formats with exposure on power intent domain and methodology is a plus.
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Exposure to industry low power tools, Siemens Calibre PERC; Cadence Conformal LEC, Virtuoso Power Manager, Innovus; Synopsys Library compiler, VCLP, Low Power verification is desirable.
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Knowledge of Cadence Virtuoso Framework with experience on front end Schematic composer will helpful. Background in SPICE simulation, SOA, device operating conditions, and knowledge of Post-layout extraction is a plus.
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Ability to drive a software development team to develop novel and complex applications.
PAY & BENEFITS
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 and $225,300, and your base pay will depend on your skills, qualifications, experience, and location.
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.
Note: Apple benefit, compensation and employee stock programs are subject to eligibility requirements and other terms of the applicable plan or program.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization as a CAD Designer
Verify your CIP code before applying
Check that your degree's Classification of Instructional Programs code appears on the STEM Designated Degree Program List. Mechanical engineering, industrial design, and computer science degrees commonly support CAD Designer roles, but architecture degrees sometimes require closer review.
Confirm E-Verify enrollment before accepting offers
Ask hiring managers to confirm their E-Verify company ID before you sign anything. Employers must be actively enrolled, not just registered, so request a screenshot of their E-Verify participation status if there's any uncertainty.
Build an I-983 training plan around design deliverables
Your training plan must map specific CAD tasks, such as parametric modeling or tolerance analysis, to learning objectives tied to your STEM degree. Vague plans get rejected by your DSO, so align each objective to a named engineering or design competency.
Target employers with active engineering LCA filings
Search Migrate Mate to filter CAD Designer openings by employers whose DOL Labor Condition Application filing history confirms they've sponsored STEM roles before. Prior LCA filings in engineering occupation codes signal familiarity with OPT and E-Verify obligations.
Use O*NET to justify your role's STEM connection
Pull the O*NET occupation profile for CAD Designer or Mechanical Drafter and reference its listed STEM knowledge domains in your I-983. This documentation strengthens your DSO's approval and preempts any employer skepticism about whether the role qualifies.
Time your OPT start date around project cycles
USCIS allows you to choose your OPT start date within a defined window after graduation. Aligning that date with your employer's onboarding schedule, rather than the earliest possible date, reduces gaps and gives you more of your 36-month authorization during active employment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a CAD Designer role qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
It depends on your degree, not just the job title. CAD Designer positions typically qualify when the employer can document that the role requires and applies knowledge from your STEM degree, such as mechanical engineering or computer science. Your I-983 training plan must establish that direct connection. Roles at companies primarily using CAD for non-engineering drafting, such as interior decoration, are harder to justify without a relevant degree match.
What does the I-983 training plan need to include for a CAD Designer?
Your I-983 must identify specific learning objectives tied to your STEM field, not generic job duties. For a CAD Designer, that means naming technical competencies like finite element analysis, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, or parametric modeling, and linking each to your degree's curriculum. Both you and your employer supervisor must sign it, and your DSO must approve it before your STEM OPT extension begins. USCIS can audit these plans, so vague descriptions of 'using software' are insufficient.
How do I confirm my employer is enrolled in E-Verify?
Ask your employer directly for their E-Verify company ID number, which confirms active enrollment rather than just past registration. E-Verify enrollment is mandatory for all STEM OPT employers, and your DSO will verify this before approving your extension. If an employer hesitates to provide the ID, that's a signal to clarify before accepting an offer, since working for a non-enrolled employer violates your STEM OPT terms.
What happens to my STEM OPT authorization if my H-1B is selected in the lottery?
If your employer files an H-1B visa petition on your behalf and it's selected in the lottery with an October 1 start date, cap-gap protection automatically extends your STEM OPT work authorization through September 30 if your OPT EAD would otherwise expire before then. You can continue working as a CAD Designer during this period without a new EAD. USCIS issues updated I-20 documentation reflecting cap-gap status, which you should carry with your existing EAD.
Where can I find CAD Designer jobs with employers already familiar with STEM OPT?
Migrate Mate lists CAD Designer openings filtered by employers with documented E-Verify enrollment and engineering LCA filing history, so you're not guessing whether a company has sponsored STEM roles before. Targeting employers with prior filings in relevant occupation codes reduces the friction of explaining STEM OPT requirements from scratch and shortens the time between offer and your I-983 approval.