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Entry Level Physical Design Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Baya Systems

Physical Design Engineer

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

$159K - $164K/yr

Physical Design Engineer Location: Santa Clara, CA About the role: We are seeking a seasoned Physical Design Engineer with a strong background in all aspects of Physical Design and Implementation ...

Futran Solutions

Physical Design Engineer

Alameda, CA · Hybrid

$157K - $162K/yr

Physical Design Engineer (PD/PnR) Location: Bay Area / Austin (Hybrid Job Summary Seeking a Physical Design Engineer with strong hands-on experience in block-level and top-level Place & Route using ...

New

Futran Solutions

Physical Design Engineer

Hayward, CA · Hybrid

$155K - $160K/yr

Physical Design Engineer (PD/PnR) Location: Bay Area / Austin (Hybrid Job Summary Seeking a Physical Design Engineer with strong hands-on experience in block-level and top-level Place & Route using ...

New

Futran Solutions

Physical Design Engineer

Sunnyvale, CA · Hybrid

$161K - $166K/yr

Physical Design Engineer (PD/PnR) Location: Bay Area / Austin (Hybrid Job Summary Seeking a Physical Design Engineer with strong hands-on experience in block-level and top-level Place & Route using ...

New

Futran Solutions

Physical Design Engineer

San Mateo, CA · Hybrid

$154K - $159K/yr

Physical Design Engineer (PD/PnR) Location: Bay Area / Austin (Hybrid Job Summary Seeking a Physical Design Engineer with strong hands-on experience in block-level and top-level Place & Route using ...

New

Futran Solutions

Physical Design Engineer

Santa Rosa, CA · Hybrid

$148K - $153K/yr

Physical Design Engineer (PD/PnR) Location: Bay Area / Austin (Hybrid Job Summary Seeking a Physical Design Engineer with strong hands-on experience in block-level and top-level Place & Route using ...

New

Futran Solutions

Physical Design Engineer

Mundelein, IL · Hybrid

$138K - $142K/yr

Physical Design Engineer (PD/PnR) Location: Bay Area / Austin (Hybrid Job Summary Seeking a Physical Design Engineer with strong hands-on experience in block-level and top-level Place & Route using ...

New

Futran Solutions

Physical Design Engineer

San Jose, CA · Hybrid

$159K - $164K/yr

Physical Design Engineer (PD/PnR) Location: Bay Area / Austin (Hybrid Job Summary Seeking a Physical Design Engineer with strong hands-on experience in block-level and top-level Place & Route using ...

New

Futran Solutions

Physical Design Engineer

San Francisco, CA · Hybrid

$160K - $164K/yr

Physical Design Engineer (PD/PnR) Location: Bay Area / Austin (Hybrid Job Summary Seeking a Physical Design Engineer with strong hands-on experience in block-level and top-level Place & Route using ...

New

Futran Solutions

Physical Design Engineer

Santa Clara, CA · Hybrid

$158K - $163K/yr

Physical Design Engineer (PD/PnR) Location: Bay Area / Austin (Hybrid Job Summary Seeking a Physical Design Engineer with strong hands-on experience in block-level and top-level Place & Route using ...

New

Futran Solutions

Physical Design Engineer

Fremont, CA · Hybrid

$148K - $153K/yr

Physical Design Engineer (PD/PnR) Location: Bay Area / Austin (Hybrid Job Summary Seeking a Physical Design Engineer with strong hands-on experience in block-level and top-level Place & Route using ...

New

Futran Solutions

Physical Design Engineer

Sonoma, CA · Hybrid

$152K - $156K/yr

Physical Design Engineer (PD/PnR) Location: Bay Area / Austin (Hybrid Job Summary Seeking a Physical Design Engineer with strong hands-on experience in block-level and top-level Place & Route using ...

New

Apple

Physical Design Engineer

Cupertino, CA

$126K - $220K/yr

Description As a Physical Design engineer you will contribute to all phases of physical design of high performance PHY design from RTL to delivery of our final GDSII.","responsibilities":"Generate ...

Apple

Physical Design Engineer

Cupertino, CA

$126K - $220K/yr

Description As a Physical Design engineer you will contribute to all phases of physical design of high performance PHY design from RTL to delivery of our final GDSII. Your responsibilities include ...

Etched

Physical Design Engineer

Cupertino, CA · On-site

$2K/mo

Physical Design Engineer Etched is looking for exceptional PD engineers to join our team. The candidate will be responsible for working with 3rd party design services to implement and verify physical ...

Apple

Physical Design Engineer

Cupertino, CA

$126K - $220K/yr

Description As a Physical Design engineer you will contribute to all phases of physical design of high performance PHY design from RTL to delivery of our final GDSII. Your responsibilities include ...

Etched

Physical Design Engineer

Cupertino, CA

$2K/mo

Physical Design Engineer Etched is looking for exceptional PD engineers to join our team. The candidate will be responsible for working with 3rd party design services to implement and verify physical ...

Mirafra Technology

Physical Design Engineer

San Diego, CA · On-site

$144K - $148K/yr

Job Overview: The Graphics team is looking for Experienced Physical Design Engineers to work on Adreno Graphics cores in the area of Physical Implementation. Responsibilities: The Physical ...

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All JobsEntry Level Physical Design Engineer Jobs

Entry Level Physical Design Engineer information

See salary details

$30K

$69.4K

$118K

How much do entry level physical design engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 15, 2026, the average yearly pay for entry level physical design engineer in the United States is $69,362.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $51,500.00 and $78,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does an Entry Level Physical Design Engineer do?

An Entry Level Physical Design Engineer works on the layout and implementation of integrated circuits (ICs), specifically focusing on translating logical circuit designs into physical layouts that can be manufactured. Their responsibilities often include tasks such as floorplanning, placement, routing, timing analysis, and design rule checking using specialized software tools. They collaborate with other engineers to ensure that the chip meets performance, power, and area requirements. Entry-level engineers are typically involved in supporting more experienced team members while learning industry-standard design flows and tools. This role plays a crucial part in bringing new electronic products to market.

What are some common challenges Entry Level Physical Design Engineers face when transitioning from academic projects to industry roles?

Entry Level Physical Design Engineers often find that real-world projects are larger in scale and complexity compared to academic assignments. Adapting to industry-standard tools like Cadence or Synopsys, managing strict deadlines, and collaborating within multidisciplinary teams can be challenging at first. Additionally, understanding and following established workflows, as well as dealing with the nuances of process technology and design constraints, require a steep learning curve. However, many companies provide mentorship and training to help new engineers integrate smoothly and develop their expertise.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Entry Level Physical Design Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Entry Level Physical Design Engineer, you need a solid background in electrical engineering, digital logic design, and VLSI concepts, typically supported by a relevant bachelor’s or master’s degree. Familiarity with industry-standard tools like Cadence, Synopsys, or Mentor Graphics for layout, synthesis, and verification, as well as scripting languages such as TCL or Python, is essential. Strong problem-solving, teamwork, and attention to detail are standout soft skills for this role. These skills ensure the efficient translation of circuit designs into manufacturable layouts, driving successful chip development and collaboration in complex engineering environments.

What is the difference between Entry Level Physical Design Engineer vs Digital IC Design Engineer?

AspectEntry Level Physical Design EngineerDigital IC Design Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's in Electrical Engineering or Computer EngineeringBachelor's or Master's in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering
Work EnvironmentDesign teams, CAD tools, chip fabrication facilitiesDesign teams, simulation tools, hardware labs
Industry UsageFoundries, semiconductor companies, EDA firmsSemiconductor companies, integrated circuit design firms
Common Search IntentEntry level, physical implementation, chip layoutDigital logic, circuit design, RTL coding

Entry Level Physical Design Engineers focus on translating digital circuit designs into physical layouts, ensuring manufacturability and performance. Digital IC Design Engineers primarily work on designing digital circuits at the RTL level. While both roles require a background in electrical engineering and involve working with semiconductor companies, physical design emphasizes layout and fabrication, whereas digital design emphasizes circuit functionality and logic.

More about Entry Level Physical Design Engineer jobs
What cities are hiring for Entry Level Physical Design Engineer jobs? Cities with the most Entry Level Physical Design Engineer job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Physical Design Engineer jobs? The most popular types of Physical Design Engineer jobs are:
What states have the most Entry Level Physical Design Engineer jobs? States with the most job openings for Entry Level Physical Design Engineer jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Entry Level Physical Design Engineer jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Entry Level Physical Design Engineer jobs are:
Entry Level Physical Design Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Entry Level Physical Design Engineer job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $69,362 per year, or $33.3 per hour.

Physical Design Engineer

Baya Systems

Santa Clara, CA • On-site

$159K - $164K/yr

Other

Posted 23 days ago

Job description

Job Title: Physical Design Engineer
 
Location: Santa Clara, CA
 
About the role: We are seeking a seasoned Physical Design Engineer with a strong background in all aspects of Physical Design and Implementation flows. The ideal candidate will play a key role in shaping our technology portfolio, bringing expertise and creativity to our solutions
 
Responsibilities:
 
Own RTL to GDS physical implementation flows for synthesis, floor-planning, place and route, clock tree synthesis, timing & power closure, EM/IR, PDV and final PD sign off
Own physical design & implementation of high-performance designs from block level to system level components
Deep collaboration with Micro-architects to explore performance, power and area trade-offs for high performance and low power designs
Physical implementation feasibility studies and design recommendations for best PPA
Develop methodologies and recipes for various stages of physical implementation
Perform various physical design validation (PDV) flows for Timing, Power, EM/IR, etc. to ensure physical design quality
Perform design rule checking (DRC), (LVS) checks, and other physical verification tasks
Qualifications:
 
BS, MS in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering or related degree
Experience in all aspects of physical design including synthesis, floor planning, place & route, timing & power closure, EM/IR, physical design validation, etc
Experience with synthesis, place & route, static timing analysis and PDV tools
Experience in implementing clock trees and power grids
Experience with scripting for physical design flow automation
Experience with Synopsys Design Compiler, Prime Time, ICC, Fusion Compiler etc.
Good knowledge of high-performance and low-power microarchitecture and logic design principles
Understanding of modern (sub 7nm) sub-micron technology nodes and device physics
Basic knowledge of System/SoC Architecture and System Verilog RTL coding
Strong communication and collaboration skills

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