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Freelance Physical Design Engineer Jobs in California

Altera Corporation

Physical Design Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$100K - $110K/yr

You will work alongside experienced physical design engineers and collaborate with RTL, timing, DFT, verification, and CAD teams to support implementation, analysis, optimization, and signoff ...

search-tactics

Physical Design Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$70 - $80/hr

Physical Design Engineer Location: San Jose, CA Hybrid Duration: 12 Months VISA: H-1, GC, USC is okay C2C Position Overview We are seeking an experienced Physical Design Engineer to support the ...

Search Tactics LLC

Physical Design Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$159K - $164K/yr

Position: Physical Design Engineer Location: San Jose, CA Hybrid Duration: 12 Months VISA: H-1, USC Position Overview We are seeking an experienced Physical Design Engineer to support the ...

Apple

Physical Design Engineer

Cupertino, CA · On-site

$167K - $172K/yr

We have an opportunity for a forward-thinking and unusually hardworking Physical Design Engineer. As a member of our wide-ranging group, you will have the rare and great opportunity to craft upcoming ...

Apple

Physical Design Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$160K - $164K/yr

We have an opportunity for a forward-thinking and unusually hardworking Physical Design Engineer. As a member of our wide-ranging group, you will have the rare and great opportunity to craft upcoming ...

Apple

Physical Design Engineer

Cupertino, CA · On-site

$167K - $172K/yr

We have an opportunity for a forward-thinking and unusually hardworking Physical Design Engineer. As a member of our wide-ranging group, you will have the rare and great opportunity to craft upcoming ...

Apple

Physical Design Engineer

Cupertino, CA · On-site

$167K - $172K/yr

We have an opportunity for a forward-thinking and unusually hardworking Physical Design Engineer. As a member of our wide-ranging group, you will have the rare and great opportunity to craft upcoming ...

Apple

Physical Design Engineer

Cupertino, CA · On-site

$167K - $172K/yr

We have an opportunity for a forward-thinking and unusually hardworking Physical Design Engineer. As a member of our wide-ranging group, you will have the rare and great opportunity to craft upcoming ...

Apple

Physical Design Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$160K - $164K/yr

We have an opportunity for a forward-thinking and unusually hardworking Physical Design Engineer. As a member of our wide-ranging group, you will have the rare and great opportunity to craft upcoming ...

Apple

Physical Design Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$160K - $164K/yr

We have an opportunity for a forward-thinking and unusually hardworking Physical Design Engineer. As a member of our wide-ranging group, you will have the rare and great opportunity to craft upcoming ...

Apple

Physical Design Engineer

Cupertino, CA · On-site

$167K - $172K/yr

We have an opportunity for a forward-thinking and unusually hardworking Physical Design Engineer. As a member of our wide-ranging group, you will have the rare and great opportunity to craft upcoming ...

Apple

Physical Design Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$160K - $164K/yr

We have an opportunity for a forward-thinking and unusually hardworking Physical Design Engineer. As a member of our wide-ranging group, you will have the rare and great opportunity to craft upcoming ...

Conductor

Physical Design Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$130 - $170/hr

We're looking for physical design engineers to help manage and execute the physical design process for the various dies that comprise our A-0 and A-1 systems. This will involve deciding what to do in ...

iFlow Inc

Physical Design Engineer

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

$159K - $164K/yr

Physical Design Engineer Location:Sunnyvale, CA OR Austin,TX Duration: Long term experience: 5-18 years only ( No 18+ years profile) Job Overview: We are looking for a highly skilled Physical Design ...

Altera Corporation

Physical Design Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$118K - $169K/yr

About the Role As a Physical Design Engineer at Altera, you will contribute to the physical implementation of FPGA/SoC designs, working with experienced engineers across the backend design flow from ...

Apple

Physical Design Engineer

Bodega Bay, CA

$150K - $277K/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 ...

Apple

Physical Design Engineer

Cupertino, CA

$129K - $225K/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 ...

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Freelance Physical Design Engineer information

What is a freelance physical design engineer?

Freelance Physical Design Engineers are specialized professionals who work independently, often on a contract basis, to design and implement the physical layout of integrated circuits (ICs) and chips. They are responsible for taking a digital circuit design and transforming it into a manufacturable physical layout, which includes tasks such as floorplanning, placement, routing, timing analysis, and verification. These engineers typically use electronic design automation (EDA) tools and collaborate remotely with semiconductor companies, startups, or design teams. Freelance Physical Design Engineers offer flexibility and specialized expertise for projects without requiring long-term employment commitments.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a freelance physical design engineer?

To thrive as a Freelance Physical Design Engineer, you need expertise in ASIC/FPGA physical design, knowledge of VLSI concepts, and a degree in electrical or electronics engineering. Familiarity with EDA tools such as Cadence, Synopsys, or Mentor Graphics, and experience with scripting languages like TCL or Python are typically required. Strong problem-solving, communication, and time management skills help freelancers efficiently collaborate with clients and meet project deadlines. These skills and qualities are vital for delivering high-quality chip designs and succeeding in a competitive, project-based environment.

What are some common challenges faced by freelance physical design engineers, and how can they be addressed?

Freelance physical design engineers often encounter challenges such as limited access to advanced EDA tools, variable project scopes, and the need to quickly adapt to different clients' design methodologies. To address these, it’s important to invest in personal tool licenses or partner with clients who provide access, maintain a strong network to secure consistent projects, and stay updated on industry trends and technologies. Effective communication and documentation also help ensure alignment with client expectations and avoid misunderstandings during the project lifecycle.

What is the difference between Freelance Physical Design Engineer vs Full-Time Physical Design Engineer?

AspectFreelance Physical Design EngineerFull-Time Physical Design Engineer
CredentialsTypically requires a relevant degree and industry experience; certifications are optionalRequires a degree and often certifications or ongoing training
Work EnvironmentIndependent, project-based, remote or on-siteCompany office or dedicated team environment
Employer & Industry UsageHired by multiple clients across various companies; flexible engagementsEmployed by a single company; stable employment
Work ScopeSpecific projects, often short-termOngoing responsibilities within a team or department

The main difference between a Freelance Physical Design Engineer and a Full-Time Physical Design Engineer lies in employment type, work environment, and project scope. Freelancers work independently on short-term projects for multiple clients, offering flexibility. Full-time engineers are employed by a single company, focusing on continuous, long-term responsibilities within a team.

What are the most commonly searched types of Physical Design Engineer jobs in California?

The most popular types of Physical Design Engineer jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Freelance Physical Design Engineer jobs in California?

For Freelance Physical Design Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Freelance Physical Design Engineer jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Freelance Physical Design Engineer jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Freelance Physical Design Engineer jobs?

Cities in California with the most Freelance Physical Design Engineer job openings:

Freelance Physical Design Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Freelance Physical Design Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 80% Full Time, and 20% Contract. Highlights an 96% In-person, and 4% Remote job distribution.

Physical Design Engineer

San Jose, CA • On-site

Altera Corporation
Business Management Consulting • 1 - 5K employees
Learn more about Altera Corporationexternal

$100K - $110K/yr

Full-time

This job post has expired 2 days ago. Applications are no longer accepted.

Job description

Job Details:
Job Description:
About Altera
At Altera™, our independence as the world's largest pure-play FPGA solutions provider gives us the focus, speed, and agility to innovate without compromise. With more than four decades of industry-leading FPGA expertise, our singular mission is to deliver the programmable technologies that help customers differentiate, innovate, and scale across rapidly evolving markets like AI, cloud, networking, and edge. As an independent company, we move faster, invest deeper, and partner more closely-empowering our teams to drive breakthrough innovation and shape the future of the FPGA industry.
About the Role
Altera is seeking a motivated Physical Design Engineer to join our Physical Design organization. In this role, you will support the implementation of custom IP and SoC designs from RTL through GDS, gaining hands-on experience across key stages of the physical design flow.
You will work alongside experienced physical design engineers and collaborate with RTL, timing, DFT, verification, and CAD teams to support implementation, analysis, optimization, and signoff activities for next-generation FPGA products. This role provides an opportunity to develop expertise in physical design methodologies, industry-standard EDA tools, and semiconductor design flows while contributing to real product development.
Responsibilities
  • Perform physical design implementation of custom IP and SoC designs from RTL to GDS to create a design database that is ready for manufacturing.
  • Support aspects of the physical design flow including synthesis, place and route, clock tree synthesis, floor planning, static timing analysis, power/clock distribution, reliability, and power and noise analysis.
  • Support verification and signoff activities including formal equivalence verification, static timing analysis, reliability verification, static and dynamic power integrity, layout verification, electrical rule checking, and structural design checking.
  • Analyze physical design and verification results and work with experienced engineers to identify and resolve design violations.
  • Develop knowledge of various aspects of structural and physical design, including physical clock design, timing closure, coverage analysis, multiple power domain analysis, placing, routing, synthesis, and DFT using industry standard EDA tools.
  • Support design optimization activities to improve product-level parameters such as power, frequency, and area.
  • Work with senior engineers to troubleshoot physical design, timing, placement, routing, and verification issues.
  • Participate in the development and improvement of physical design methodologies and flow automation.
  • Support the execution, documentation, and improvement of physical design flows and methodologies.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams to support successful implementation and delivery of designs.

Salary Range
The pay range below is for Bay Area California only. Actual salary may vary based on a number of factors including job location, job-related knowledge, skills, experiences, trainings, etc. We also offer incentive opportunities that reward employees based on individual and company performance.
$100,000 - $110,000 USD
We use artificial intelligence to screen, assess, or select applicants for the position. Applicants must be eligible for any required U.S. export authorizations.
#LI-MD1
Qualifications:
Minimum Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical discipline.
  • 1+ year of experience in Physical Design engineering or Physical Design flows.

Preferred Qualifications
  • Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field.
  • Experience with RTL-to-GDS physical design flows.
  • Experience with one or more physical design activities, including synthesis, floorplanning, placement, routing, clock tree synthesis, or static timing analysis.
  • Experience with industry-standard EDA tools such as Synopsys, Cadence, Siemens EDA, or equivalent.
  • Experience with static timing analysis or timing closure.
  • Exposure to physical verification activities, including DRC, LVS, ERC, or related checks.
  • Exposure to power analysis, IR drop, electromigration, signal integrity, or power integrity.
  • Exposure to DFT, scan implementation, or related design-for-test methodologies.
  • Experience with scripting languages such as Python, Tcl, Perl, or Shell.
  • Academic, internship, or co-op experience involving semiconductor physical design, ASIC/SoC implementation, VLSI, or related design flows.
  • Knowledge of digital logic design, CMOS technology, semiconductor design methodologies, and VLSI fundamentals.
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with an interest in physical implementation and semiconductor design.
  • Ability to work effectively with senior engineers and cross-functional engineering teams.

Job Type:
Regular
Shift:
Shift 1 (United States of America)
Primary Location:
San Jose, California, United States
Additional Locations:
Posting Statement:
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, religious creed, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, military and veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, gender, gender expression, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by local law, regulation, or ordinance.

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