1

Freelance Ic Layout Designer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Texas Instruments is seeking an experienced Layout Designer to join our team! Responsibilities ... Associate's degree in Engineering or related field of study or program certificate in Advanced IC ...

Staff Layout Designer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$72 - $122/hr

As a Staff Layout Designer, you will develop and prepare multi-dimensional layouts. You will ... IC layout design experience with NAND, DRAM and/or SRAM * Programming skills and AI experience ...

As a Staff Layout Designer, you will develop and prepare multi-dimensional layouts. You will ... IC layout design experience with NAND, DRAM and/or SRAM * Programming skills and Leveraging ...

As a Senior Layout Designer, you will develop and prepare multi-dimensional layouts. You will ... IC layout design experience with NAND, DRAM, and/or SRAM * Programming skills and leveraging ...

Texas Instruments is seeking an experienced Layout Designer to join our team! Responsibilities ... Associate's degree in Engineering or related field of study or program certificate in Advanced IC ...

Texas Instruments is seeking an experienced Layout Designer to join our team! Responsibilities ... Associate's degree in Engineering or related field of study or program certificate in Advanced IC ...

This SkyWater Layout Principal Designer will primarily lead custom layout and Electronic Design ... Expert in custom layout design using IC EDA tool-assisted design flow such as Cadence and Siemens ...

Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate with designers and layout teams Who You Will Be Working With: IC Enable benefits include Medical, Dental, Vision and Ancillary benefits, 401K ...

Solving layout design issues and applying proactive intervention * Proactively work with design engineers to achieve efficient circuit performance * Design analog & mixed-signal layouts * Understand ...

Showing results 41-60

Freelance Ic Layout Designer information

See salary details

$14

$47

$132

How much do freelance ic layout designer jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 17, 2026, the average hourly pay for freelance ic layout designer in the United States is $47.71, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $24.28 and $61.78 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a freelance IC layout designer do?

A Freelance IC Layout Designer is responsible for creating the physical layout of integrated circuits (ICs), translating circuit schematics into manufacturable silicon chips. They use specialized electronic design automation (EDA) tools to ensure layouts meet electrical and manufacturing requirements. Freelance designers often work with clients on a project basis, providing flexibility and expertise for custom chip design needs. Their work is critical for optimizing performance, reliability, and size of electronic devices.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a freelance IC layout designer?

To thrive as a Freelance IC Layout Designer, you need expertise in integrated circuit (IC) layout, strong knowledge of semiconductor physics, and typically a degree in electrical engineering or a related field. Familiarity with industry-standard EDA tools like Cadence Virtuoso, Mentor Graphics, and experience with DRC/LVS verification processes are crucial. Excellent attention to detail, problem-solving skills, and effective communication with remote teams help set successful freelancers apart. These skills ensure precise, manufacturable designs and smooth collaboration, which are critical to meeting client specifications and project deadlines.

What are some common challenges freelance IC layout designers face when working with remote teams?

Freelance IC layout designers often collaborate with remote design engineers, project managers, and verification teams, which can make communication and coordination challenging. Misunderstandings about design specifications, project timelines, or tool compatibility may arise, so it's important to establish clear channels for regular updates and feedback. Additionally, freelancers must be proactive in managing their schedules to accommodate different time zones and maintain project momentum. Using collaborative EDA tools and maintaining detailed documentation can help overcome these challenges and ensure seamless teamwork.

What is the difference between Freelance Ic Layout Designer vs PCB Design Engineer?

AspectFreelance Ic Layout DesignerPCB Design Engineer
CredentialsKnowledge of IC design tools, electronics fundamentalsElectrical engineering degree, PCB design certifications
Work EnvironmentFreelance, remote, project-basedCorporate or consulting firms, office or remote
Industry UsageSemiconductor companies, IC manufacturersElectronics, consumer devices, industrial equipment

Freelance Ic Layout Designers focus on designing the physical layout of integrated circuits, often working independently on specific projects. PCB Design Engineers develop printed circuit boards for various electronic products, typically within a team or company setting. While both roles require electronics knowledge, their work scope, tools, and industry applications differ significantly.

More about Freelance Ic Layout Designer jobs

What cities are hiring for Freelance Ic Layout Designer jobs?

Cities with the most Freelance Ic Layout Designer job openings:

What are the most commonly searched types of Ic Layout Designer jobs?

The most popular types of Ic Layout Designer jobs are:

What states have the most Freelance Ic Layout Designer jobs?

States with the most job openings for Freelance Ic Layout Designer jobs include:

What job categories do people searching Freelance Ic Layout Designer jobs look for?

The top searched job categories for Freelance Ic Layout Designer jobs are:

Infographic showing various Freelance Ic Layout Designer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 82% In-person, and 18% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $99,230 per year, or $47.7 per hour.

IC Layout Automation Software Engineer

Rigetti Computing

Fremont, CA • On-site

$190K - $220K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 6 days ago


Job description

About the Role

Rigetti is seeking an IC Layout Automation Software Engineer to develop and maintain software systems that support the design and fabrication of superconducting quantum circuits.

This role sits at the intersection of software engineering, IC layout, and semiconductor fabrication, enabling the translation of device and process requirements into manufacturable layouts. You will work closely with cross-functional teams across design, fabrication, and research to build and evolve tools that are critical to how quantum devices are designed and produced.

This is a highly interdisciplinary role that requires strong software fundamentals alongside familiarity with IC design workflows and fabrication processes. You will play a key role in improving the reliability, usability, and scalability of layout generation and design tooling used in a cutting-edge R&D environment and over time, in shaping what that tooling becomes. 

Key Responsibilities
Software Development & Architecture
  • Design, develop, and maintain production-quality software systems for IC layout generation and design workflows

  • Refactor and improve existing codebases to increase maintainability, usability, and performance

  • Build scalable and extensible software architectures that support evolving design and fabrication requirements

  • Ensure code quality through best practices in testing, documentation, and version control

IC Design & Layout Integration
  • Translate design and fabrication requirements into layout-ready implementations

  • Work with GDSII and IC layout formats to generate, manipulate, and validate layout data

  • Develop and maintain tooling that supports layout generation, verification, and iteration

  • Integrate software workflows with existing EDA tools and design environments

Cross-Functional Collaboration
  • Partner closely with design, fabrication, and research teams to understand requirements and deliver effective solutions

  • Collaborate with stakeholders to define workflows and improve how design requests are translated into implementation

  • Support users across multiple technical domains, improving usability and reducing friction in tooling

  • Contribute to prioritization discussions across competing stakeholder needs

Tooling & Workflow Improvement
  • Improve usability and accessibility of internal design tools to reduce errors and increase efficiency

  • Identify and address gaps in current workflows, proposing more robust and user-friendly solutions

  • Support the evolution of tooling from ad hoc usage toward more structured and scalable systems

  • Balance reactive work (stabilization, bug fixing) with proactive development of new capabilities

Qualifications
  • B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, Applied Physics, Materials Science, or a related technical field.

  • Strong proficiency in Python, with experience developing and maintaining production-quality software in a real-world engineering or technical environment.

  • Proven ability to own and improve complex, long-lived codebases, including refactoring, architecture decisions, testing, documentation, and maintainability.

  • Experience working with IC layout data and formats, including GDSII.

  • Familiarity with EDA / IC layout tooling such as KLayout, gdspy, Cadence, or similar platforms.

  • Strong communication skills, with the ability to operate across teams that use different technical language and workflows.

  • Working knowledge of semiconductor fabrication workflows, with exposure to lithography processes.

  • Familiarity with lithography required; experience with e-beam lithography a strong plus.

  • Ability to translate design, fabrication, or process requirements into reliable software implementations.

  • Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally with stakeholders across software, hardware, design, fabrication, and research teams.

  • Ability to manage ambiguity, prioritize competing requests, and bring structure to evolving technical systems.

  • Comfortable working closely with cleanroom, fab, or lab-based teams in an R&D environment.

$190,000 - $220,000 a year
Base Salary
Rigetti complies with all local and state regulations in regards to displaying salary ranges. Final compensation for this role will be determined by various factors such as a candidate's relevant work experience, skills, and geographic location. Rigetti offers a full slate of benefits from competitive salaries, equity, medical, dental and vision for employees as well as a 401(k) plan, a paid parental leave program, rejuvenation days, and a vacation policy that aligns with local regulations and industry standards.

As engineering leaders, we value diversity and are committed to building a culture of inclusion to attract and engage innovative thinkers. Our technology, meant to serve all of humanity, cannot succeed if those who built it do not mirror the diversity of the communities we serve. Applications from women, minorities, and other under-represented groups are encouraged.

 

About Rigetti
Rigetti Computing is a pioneer in full-stack quantum computing. The company has operated quantum computers over the cloud since 2017 and serves global enterprise, government, and research clients through its Rigetti Quantum Cloud Services platform. The company's proprietary quantum-classical infrastructure provides ultra-low latency integration with public and private clouds for high-performance practical quantum computing. Rigetti has developed the industry's first multi-chip quantum processor for scalable quantum computing systems. The company designs and manufactures its chips in-house at Fab-1, the industry's first dedicated and integrated quantum device manufacturing facility. Rigetti was founded in 2013 and today employs more than 150 people with offices in the United States, U.K., and Australia. Learn more at www.rigetti.com.

Don't see the job you want? Apply here so we can keep in touch with you when the right role opens up in the future!

Export Licensing Compliance
Rigetti is committed to full compliance with applicable anti-discrimination laws. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We strive to create an inclusive work environment and will not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
apply for this job