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Internship Chip Design Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Apple

SoC Physical Design Engineer, PnR

San Jose, CA · On-site

$159K - $164K/yr

... chip design flow, physical synthesis, floor-planning, place and route (PnR), power grid, timing ... Preferred Qualifications Previous internship/co-op, project work or relevant coursework in computer ...

Apple

SoC Physical Design Engineer, PnR

San Jose, CA · On-site

$159K - $164K/yr

... chip design flow, physical synthesis, floor-planning, place and route (PnR), power grid, timing ... Preferred Qualifications Previous internship/co-op, project work or relevant coursework in computer ...

Silimate

AI Research Intern

Mountain View, CA · On-site

... interns with significant experience with AI research (across models, algorithms, and training methodology) to help push the frontier of our AI-native tools and agent-driven workflows for chip design.

Apple

SoC Physical Design Engineer, PnR

San Jose, CA

$129K - $194K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Retirement

... chip design flow, physical synthesis, floor-planning, place and route (PnR), power grid, timing ... Preferred Qualifications Previous internship/co-op, project work or relevant coursework in computer ...

Apple

SoC Physical Design Engineer, PnR

San Jose, CA

$129K - $194K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Retirement

... chip design flow, physical synthesis, floor-planning, place and route (PnR), power grid, timing ... Preferred Qualifications Previous internship/co-op, project work or relevant coursework in computer ...

Marvell

Senior Manager, ASIC Design

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

  • Life

  • Retirement

What You Can Expect We are seeking an experienced Senior Manager, ASIC Design to lead our ASIC chip ... every stage - from internship to retirement and through life's most important moments. Our ...

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All JobsChip Design JobsInternship Chip Design JobsInternship Chip Design Jobs in California

Internship Chip Design information

What is an internship in chip design?

An internship in chip design is a temporary, practical work experience where students or recent graduates assist in the design, development, and testing of semiconductor chips, such as microprocessors or integrated circuits. Interns typically work with engineering teams, learning about electronic design automation (EDA) tools, circuit simulation, and layout design. The role offers hands-on exposure to the chip development process, from concept to testing, and is valuable for those pursuing careers in electrical engineering or related fields.

What types of projects and responsibilities can I expect during an internship in chip design?

As an intern in chip design, you can expect to work on a variety of tasks that may include assisting with schematic capture, running simulation tools, performing layout verification, and supporting senior engineers with design documentation. You will likely participate in team meetings and collaborate with both hardware and verification engineers, gaining exposure to the full chip development lifecycle. The projects assigned are typically tailored to your skill level, offering hands-on experience with industry-standard EDA tools and methodologies. This environment provides an excellent opportunity to develop technical and teamwork skills while contributing to real-world semiconductor products.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an internship chip design, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Internship Chip Design, you need a solid background in electrical engineering fundamentals, digital/analog circuit design, and a relevant academic degree in progress. Familiarity with hardware description languages (such as VHDL or Verilog), EDA tools (like Cadence or Synopsys), and simulation software is typically required. Strong analytical thinking, attention to detail, and effective teamwork are crucial soft skills in this role. These competencies are vital to ensure accurate chip functionality, efficient design cycles, and successful collaboration on complex engineering projects.

What is the difference between Internship Chip Design vs Chip Design Engineer?

AspectInternship Chip DesignChip Design Engineer
Required CredentialsEnrolled in or recent graduate of Electrical Engineering or related fieldBachelor's or Master's in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related
Work EnvironmentInternship programs, team projects, supervised tasksFull-time professional setting, independent project work
Employer & Industry UsageInternship positions in semiconductor and electronics companiesFull-time roles in chip design companies, tech firms, or semiconductor industry
Comparison Search IntentLearning about entry-level opportunities and trainingUnderstanding professional career roles and responsibilities

Internship Chip Design positions are entry-level opportunities aimed at students or recent graduates, focusing on training and skill development under supervision. Chip Design Engineers are full-time professionals responsible for designing, testing, and implementing integrated circuits independently. While internships provide foundational experience, engineers hold advanced responsibilities in the industry.

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

The most popular types of Chip Design jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Internship Chip Design jobs in California?

For Internship Chip Design jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Internship Chip Design jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Internship Chip Design jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Internship Chip Design jobs?

Cities in California with the most Internship Chip Design job openings:

Internship Chip Design jobs near you
Infographic showing various Internship Chip Design job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 50% Internship, and 50% Full Time. Highlights an 50% In-person, and 50% Hybrid job distribution.

Founding Hardware Engineer

Brahma Consulting Group

San Francisco, CA

Full-time

Re-posted 16 days ago

Job description

We’re looking for hardware engineers with hands-on experience in chip design workflows—ideally those who have contributed to real-world tapeouts at companies like Apple, NVIDIA, Etched, or leading EDA vendors such as Synopsys or Cadence. Candidates with exposure to AI-for-chip-design initiatives or a strong understanding of modern ML workflows will stand out.


Responsibilities

  • Drive direction and technical leadership across our multi-agent platform and domain-specific hardware knowledge base.
  • Bring a deep understanding of chip design workflows and help shape product roadmap with real-world context.
  • Integrate seamlessly into customer pipelines across RTL, PD, and architectural stages.
  • Track evolving trends in both semiconductor design and AI-assisted design automation.
  • Create internal benchmarks and datasets to rigorously evaluate system performance across RTL, PD, and architectural use cases.


Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related discipline (interns may be considered for their flair).
  • Hands-on experience in a semiconductor or EDA environment (e.g., NVIDIA, AMD, Intel, Synopsys, Cadence), 1+ years of full-time experience required, 3+ years preferred.
  • Proficiency in scripting (Python, Bash) and experience with automation or tooling for design verification or integration.


SPECIALTY: DI (Design Integration, RTL, Architecture)

  • Proven track record of developing architectures and RTL for hardware blocks or IP.
  • Experience with SystemVerilog, Verilog & SoC design methodologies.


SPECIALTY: PD (Physical Design)

  • Part of leading edge tapeouts (7nm or smaller). Worked on at least one of synthesis, floor planning, place-and-route, physical verification, and timing.
  • Familiar with one of Genus, Innovus, Tempus, Mentor Calibre, Synopsys IC Compiler, or other relevant EDA CAD tool (and associated TCL).


Preferred Experience

  • Experience on AI-for-chip-design initiatives (e.g., at Synopsys, NVIDIA, GoogleDeepMind).
  • Understanding of DFT, power optimization techniques, or low-power design flows.
  • Experience on an IP development team, developing PCIe, PHY, LPDOR, MemoryControllers, NoC, CPU subsystems, or similar.