Ic Design Engineer Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
IC design engineers rank among the most consistently sponsored roles in the U.S. semiconductor industry. Employers filing H-1B visa and O-1 petitions for this role require a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering or a closely related field, and most petitions cite specialty occupation without issue. For detailed occupation requirements, see the O*NET profile.
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Get Access To All JobsCompany:
Qualcomm Atheros, Inc.
Job Area:
Engineering Group, Engineering Group > RFIC Design
General Summary:
We are seeking a highly skilled RF/Analog IC Design Engineer with working knowledge of Machine Learning to join our team in Santa Clara. This role is ideal for candidates with strong hands-on RFIC / analog circuit design expertise who also have practical experience applying ML techniques to engineering problems. The work involves designing and developing complex radio frequency integrated circuits in complex SoC’s and discrete RFIC’s. Perform radio signal path and circuit topology analysis and detailed transistor-level design of highly integrated transceivers and associated blocks for wireless applications, 4G, 5G, WLAN, BT and GPS standards using advanced process technologies. Utilize complex analysis, simulation, engineering, science and mathematical principles to compose ML algorithm structures to solve problems. Debug and assess performance of algorithms in actual application hardware.
This position requires expertise in both RFIC design and ML to be considered. While RF/Analog IC design is the primary focus of this role, the ability to leverage ML for design optimization, modeling, analysis, and automation is essential.
The responsibilities of this role include:
- Working under some supervision and providing some guidance to others.
- Taking responsibility for own work and making decisions with limited impact; impact of decisions is readily apparent; errors made typically only impact timeline (i.e., require additional time to correct).
- Using verbal and written communication skills to convey basic, routine factual information about day-to-day activities to others who are fully knowledgeable in the subject area.
- Working within prescribed budget and resources.
- Having a moderate amount of influence over key organizational decisions (e.g., is consulted by senior leadership to provide input on key decisions).
- Completing most tasks with multiple steps which can be performed in various orders; some planning and prioritization must occur to complete the tasks effectively.
- Exercising creativity to draft original documents, imagery, or work products within established guidelines.
- Using deductive and inductive problem solving; multiple approaches may be taken/necessary to solve the problem; often information is missing or incomplete; intermediate data analysis/interpretation skills may be required.
- May be solicited during strategic planning period.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering with 3+ years of experience with designing RF/Analog circuits for wireless products (e.g., LNA's, PLL's) and 2+ years of ASIC design, verification, or related work experience.
OR
Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field and 2+ years of ASIC design, verification, or related work experience.
OR
PhD in Electrical Engineering or related field.
- 2+ years of academic or professional experience using two or more of the following software: CADENCE, Virtuoso, ADS.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities:
RF / Analog IC Design (Primary Focus)
- Define, design, and develop complex RF and analog integrated circuits for highly integrated SoCs and discrete RFICs.
- Perform transistor-level design, signal-path analysis, and circuit topology development for wireless applications (4G, 5G, WLAN, BT, GPS).
- Independently derive circuit-level specifications from system-level requirements.
- Develop and analyze RF architecture and critical building blocks using advanced RFIC design methodologies.
- Run and analyze complex simulations across PVT, mismatch, and stress conditions.
- Collaborate closely with layout engineers on floor planning, layout review, and physical verification.
- Review test plans, analyze silicon/test results, and drive root-cause analysis and fixes.
- Contribute to next-generation RFIC architecture and technology direction discussions.
Machine Learning (Required)
- Apply machine learning techniques to RF/analog design problems such as modeling, prediction, optimization, or design-space exploration.
- Develop or use ML models (e.g., regression models, neural networks, decision trees, autoencoders, or related approaches) for circuit performance prediction or analysis.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate ML-driven insights into RFIC design workflows.
- Analyze datasets generated from simulations, measurements, or silicon to improve design decisions.
- Document ML methodologies and clearly communicate results to RF and system design teams.
Required for this Role
- Master’s or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a closely related field.
- Strong, proven experience in RF/Analog IC circuit design (this is mandatory).
- Working knowledge of machine learning, demonstrated through practical application to engineering problems.
- Proficiency with RFIC design tools and simulation environments.
- Proficiency in Python and familiarity with common ML frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow, or equivalent).
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and debugging skills.
- Ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly in both written and verbal form.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience applying ML to circuit design, modeling, optimization, or EDA workflows.
- Exposure to hardware-aware or resource-constrained ML models.
- Experience working with real silicon data and closing the loop between ML predictions and measured results.
- Familiarity with industry trends in ML-assisted circuit design or automation.
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:
$139,400.00 - $209,200.00
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 Atheros, Inc.
Job Area:
Engineering Group, Engineering Group > RFIC Design
General Summary:
We are seeking a highly skilled RF/Analog IC Design Engineer with working knowledge of Machine Learning to join our team in Santa Clara. This role is ideal for candidates with strong hands-on RFIC / analog circuit design expertise who also have practical experience applying ML techniques to engineering problems. The work involves designing and developing complex radio frequency integrated circuits in complex SoC’s and discrete RFIC’s. Perform radio signal path and circuit topology analysis and detailed transistor-level design of highly integrated transceivers and associated blocks for wireless applications, 4G, 5G, WLAN, BT and GPS standards using advanced process technologies. Utilize complex analysis, simulation, engineering, science and mathematical principles to compose ML algorithm structures to solve problems. Debug and assess performance of algorithms in actual application hardware.
This position requires expertise in both RFIC design and ML to be considered. While RF/Analog IC design is the primary focus of this role, the ability to leverage ML for design optimization, modeling, analysis, and automation is essential.
The responsibilities of this role include:
- Working under some supervision and providing some guidance to others.
- Taking responsibility for own work and making decisions with limited impact; impact of decisions is readily apparent; errors made typically only impact timeline (i.e., require additional time to correct).
- Using verbal and written communication skills to convey basic, routine factual information about day-to-day activities to others who are fully knowledgeable in the subject area.
- Working within prescribed budget and resources.
- Having a moderate amount of influence over key organizational decisions (e.g., is consulted by senior leadership to provide input on key decisions).
- Completing most tasks with multiple steps which can be performed in various orders; some planning and prioritization must occur to complete the tasks effectively.
- Exercising creativity to draft original documents, imagery, or work products within established guidelines.
- Using deductive and inductive problem solving; multiple approaches may be taken/necessary to solve the problem; often information is missing or incomplete; intermediate data analysis/interpretation skills may be required.
- May be solicited during strategic planning period.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering with 3+ years of experience with designing RF/Analog circuits for wireless products (e.g., LNA's, PLL's) and 2+ years of ASIC design, verification, or related work experience.
OR
Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field and 2+ years of ASIC design, verification, or related work experience.
OR
PhD in Electrical Engineering or related field.
- 2+ years of academic or professional experience using two or more of the following software: CADENCE, Virtuoso, ADS.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities:
RF / Analog IC Design (Primary Focus)
- Define, design, and develop complex RF and analog integrated circuits for highly integrated SoCs and discrete RFICs.
- Perform transistor-level design, signal-path analysis, and circuit topology development for wireless applications (4G, 5G, WLAN, BT, GPS).
- Independently derive circuit-level specifications from system-level requirements.
- Develop and analyze RF architecture and critical building blocks using advanced RFIC design methodologies.
- Run and analyze complex simulations across PVT, mismatch, and stress conditions.
- Collaborate closely with layout engineers on floor planning, layout review, and physical verification.
- Review test plans, analyze silicon/test results, and drive root-cause analysis and fixes.
- Contribute to next-generation RFIC architecture and technology direction discussions.
Machine Learning (Required)
- Apply machine learning techniques to RF/analog design problems such as modeling, prediction, optimization, or design-space exploration.
- Develop or use ML models (e.g., regression models, neural networks, decision trees, autoencoders, or related approaches) for circuit performance prediction or analysis.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate ML-driven insights into RFIC design workflows.
- Analyze datasets generated from simulations, measurements, or silicon to improve design decisions.
- Document ML methodologies and clearly communicate results to RF and system design teams.
Required for this Role
- Master’s or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a closely related field.
- Strong, proven experience in RF/Analog IC circuit design (this is mandatory).
- Working knowledge of machine learning, demonstrated through practical application to engineering problems.
- Proficiency with RFIC design tools and simulation environments.
- Proficiency in Python and familiarity with common ML frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow, or equivalent).
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and debugging skills.
- Ability to communicate complex technical concepts clearly in both written and verbal form.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience applying ML to circuit design, modeling, optimization, or EDA workflows.
- Exposure to hardware-aware or resource-constrained ML models.
- Experience working with real silicon data and closing the loop between ML predictions and measured results.
- Familiarity with industry trends in ML-assisted circuit design or automation.
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:
$139,400.00 - $209,200.00
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.
See all 69+ Ic Design Engineer jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Ic Design Engineer roles.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Visa Sponsorship as an Ic Design Engineer
Align your degree to the role explicitly
USCIS scrutinizes whether your degree field directly maps to IC design. A degree in electrical engineering, microelectronics, or computer engineering is straightforward. Physics or applied mathematics degrees require a stronger portfolio and supporting documentation to establish specialty occupation.
Highlight proprietary tool experience in your resume
Cadence, Synopsys, and Mentor Graphics proficiency signals genuine specialization to both employers and USCIS officers reviewing H-1B petitions. Generic VLSI experience is less compelling than demonstrated expertise in specific EDA toolchains tied to the role's technology node.
Target fabless companies and semiconductor-focused employers
Companies like Qualcomm, NVIDIA, AMD, and Broadcom have established H-1B sponsorship infrastructure and legal teams familiar with IC design petitions. Smaller fabless startups often sponsor too, but their processes are less standardized and timelines can be less predictable.
Apply before the H-1B registration window in March
H-1B registration opens each March for an October 1 start date. IC design roles at large employers often begin hiring six to nine months before that window. Starting your search in late summer or fall gives you the lead time to secure an offer in time.
Document project-level contributions, not just responsibilities
Strong H-1B petitions include letters of support detailing your specific technical contributions. Describing your role in tapeout, analog IP development, or timing closure is far more effective than listing job duties. Ask your manager early if they can provide a detailed reference letter.
Consider O-1A if you have publications or patents
IC design engineers with peer-reviewed publications, patents, or conference presentations at venues like ISSCC or DAC may qualify for O-1A extraordinary ability status. O-1A bypasses the lottery entirely and can be filed at any time of year, making it a strong alternative.
Ic Design Engineer jobs are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Ic Design Engineer JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Is IC design engineer considered a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Yes. IC design engineering consistently qualifies as a specialty occupation because the role requires at minimum a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, microelectronics, or a directly related field. USCIS has a long record of approving H-1B petitions for this title. Approval is most straightforward when the job description specifically references degree-level knowledge in circuit design, analog or digital layout, or semiconductor physics, rather than generalist engineering duties.
Does my degree have to be in electrical engineering specifically?
Not necessarily, but the closer the match, the simpler the petition. Electrical engineering, microelectronics, and computer engineering degrees are accepted without question. Degrees in physics, applied mathematics, or computer science can support an H-1B petition if your coursework and work history demonstrate direct relevance to IC design. Your employer's immigration attorney will typically assess whether a credential evaluation or additional documentation is needed to bridge any gap.
How competitive is H-1B sponsorship for IC design engineers at large semiconductor firms?
Large semiconductor employers file H-1B petitions regularly for IC design roles and are well-prepared to sponsor. The main constraint is the annual lottery, where overall selection rates have hovered around 20 to 25 percent in recent years. Some large employers have enough volume that they sometimes file at cap-exempt institutions or structure roles to qualify. Australians may want to explore the E-3 visa, which bypasses the lottery entirely for this type of role.
Can I find IC design engineer jobs that offer visa sponsorship on Migrate Mate?
Yes. Migrate Mate focuses specifically on roles open to visa sponsorship, so you can browse IC design engineer positions without filtering through listings that exclude international candidates. The platform is built for job seekers who need an employer willing to file an H-1B, E-3, or other work visa petition, which is the default assumption for most listings in this category.
Does a three-year bachelor's degree from India or Australia qualify for H-1B sponsorship in IC design?
It can, but it requires a credential evaluation. USCIS does not automatically recognize three-year degrees as equivalent to a U.S. four-year bachelor's degree. A credential evaluation from a recognized agency can establish equivalency, particularly if you also hold a postgraduate degree or have significant work experience. Many Indian and Australian engineers in this field pair a three-year undergraduate degree with a master's, which resolves the issue cleanly.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Ic Design Engineer jobs?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.
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