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Physical Design Engineer Intern Jobs in Massachusetts

Sr. Staff Physical Design Engineer

Boston, MA ยท On-site

$147K - $152K/yr

We are seeking a highly skilled Senior Physical Design Engineer to work on the implementation of complex digital blocks. In this role, you will leverage your expertise in advanced process nodes (3nm ...

ADI) is a global semiconductor leader that bridges the physical and digital worlds to enable ... As an Analog Design Engineer Intern at Analog Devices (ADI), you will have the opportunity to work ...

NVIDIA is looking for best-in-class Senior Physical Design Engineers to join our outstanding Networking Silicon engineering team, developing the industry's best high speed communication devices ...

Sr. Staff Physical Design Engineer

Boston, MA ยท On-site

$217K - $267K/yr

We are seeking a highly skilled Senior Physical Design Engineer to work on the implementation of complex digital blocks. In this role, you will leverage your expertise in advanced process nodes (3nm ...

NVIDIA is looking for best-in-class Senior Physical Design Engineers to join our outstanding Networking Silicon engineering team, developing the industry's best high speed communication devices ...

About the Role As a Mixed Signal Engineer Intern at Analog Devices (ADI), you will contribute to ... Optimize physical design in collaboration with layout engineers. * Conduct lab evaluation and debug ...

SoC Physical Design Engineer, PnR

Waltham, MA ยท On-site

$146K - $151K/yr

We are seeking a seasoned Physical Design technical leader with deep expertise in high-performance & low-power design. In this highly visible role, you will work closely with cross-functional teams ...

You will work closely with fellow design engineers, architects, verification engineers, and physical design engineers to accomplish your tasks. What you will be doing: * Drive the micro-architecture ...

SoC Physical Design Engineer, PnR

Waltham, MA ยท On-site

$146K - $151K/yr

Description In Physical Design, you will be at the center of design effort collaborating with architecture, CAD, timing and logic design teams, with a critical impact on delivering best in class ...

You will work closely with fellow design engineers, architects, verification engineers, and physical design engineers to accomplish your tasks. Whatyouwillbedoing: Drive the micro-architecture ...

SoC Physical Design Engineer, PnR

Waltham, MA ยท On-site

$134K - $249K/yr

We are seeking a seasoned Physical Design technical leader with deep expertise in high-performance & low-power design. In this highly visible role, you will work closely with cross-functional teams ...

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Physical Design Engineer Intern information

What does a physical design engineer intern do?

A Physical Design Engineer Intern assists in the process of transforming a circuit design (RTL) into a real, manufacturable layout for semiconductor chips. They work on tasks such as floorplanning, placement, routing, timing analysis, and verifying that the chip design meets all physical and electrical requirements. Interns typically use electronic design automation (EDA) tools to perform these tasks and collaborate with experienced engineers. Their work is crucial in ensuring that chips are both functional and manufacturable at scale.

What skills and qualifications are needed to thrive as a physical design engineer intern?

To thrive as a Physical Design Engineer Intern, you generally need a solid background in electrical engineering, digital circuit design, and semiconductor fundamentals, often supported by ongoing university studies in a related field. Familiarity with industry-standard EDA tools such as Cadence, Synopsys, or Mentor Graphics, as well as scripting languages like TCL or Python, is highly valuable. Attention to detail, problem-solving abilities, and effective teamwork are crucial soft skills for excelling in this role. These skills and qualifications are important because they ensure accurate chip layouts, efficient workflows, and successful collaboration within complex engineering teams.

What types of projects and tasks can a physical design engineer intern expect to work on during their internship?

As a Physical Design Engineer Intern, you will typically be involved in supporting the design and verification of integrated circuits at the physical level. Common tasks include assisting with floorplanning, placement and routing, timing analysis, and running design rule checks using industry-standard EDA tools. You may also participate in team meetings, collaborate with senior engineers, and help resolve issues related to power, performance, and area optimization. These hands-on experiences are designed to help you build practical skills and gain a deeper understanding of the physical design flow in VLSI chip development.

What is the difference between Physical Design Engineer Intern vs Digital Design Engineer Intern?

AspectPhysical Design Engineer InternDigital Design Engineer Intern
Required CredentialsTypically pursuing or holding a degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer EngineeringTypically pursuing or holding a degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering
Work EnvironmentDesigning and implementing physical chip layouts, working with EDA toolsDesigning digital logic circuits, working on HDL coding and simulation
Industry UsageFoundries, semiconductor companies, integrated circuit design firmsSemiconductor companies, integrated circuit design firms, tech companies

Physical Design Engineer Interns focus on translating digital logic designs into physical layouts for chips, working closely with EDA tools. Digital Design Engineer Interns concentrate on creating and simulating digital logic circuits using hardware description languages. Both roles are essential in chip development but differ in their specific tasks and focus areas.

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

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

What are popular job titles related to Physical Design Engineer Intern jobs in Massachusetts?

For Physical Design Engineer Intern jobs in Massachusetts, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What cities in Massachusetts are hiring for Physical Design Engineer Intern jobs?

Cities in Massachusetts with the most Physical Design Engineer Intern job openings:

Infographic showing various Physical Design Engineer Intern job openings in Massachusetts as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 79% Full Time, 16% Part Time, 1% Temporary, 2% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 98% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 1% Remote job distribution.

Sr. Staff Physical Design Engineer

Boston, MA โ€ข On-site

$147K - $152K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 8 days ago


Job description

We are seeking a highly skilled Senior Physical Design Engineer to work on the implementation of complex digital blocks. In this role, you will leverage your expertise in advanced process nodes (3nm) to drive timing closure, power integrity, and physical verification for high-performance ASICs. Beyond standard digital flows, you will have the unique opportunity. To work alongside a team of world-class scientists and engineers in defining how the system will be optimized and trailblaze problems that are new to the photonics industry! If your passion is innovation, solving challenging technical problems and doing impactful work you should join our team!

Responsibilities

  • Implement digital blocks in advanced tech nodes from synthesis through physical verification, using industry standard tools and flows
  • Drive fullchip STA signoff, review constraints, debug timing reports and implement ecos
  • Drive power analysis and optimization while balancing area and performance trade-offs
  • Drive full chip floor planning, IO placement and clock distribution
  • Understand clock details and be able to customize clock implementation for functional and test clocks
  • Debug and clean up DRC/LVSย 
  • Functional and timing ECO implementationย 
  • Work with EDA companies to resolve any tool issues
  • Write TCL, Python, or Shell scripts to automate flow or customize existing flows

Qualificationsย 

  • Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering
  • 12+ years of industry experience working as a Physical Design Engineer
  • Must have completed blocks or top level physical design for large ASICs or mixed signal chips that taped out
  • Thorough knowledge of timing closure, LVS/DRC closureย 
  • Experience in TCL and Python (or other scripting languages)
  • Strong teamwork skills with the ability to collaborate with multiple functional teams across a variety of fields
  • Ability to react to change and thrive in a fast paced environment

Preferred Qualificationsย 

  • Masters Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering with 8 years of industry experience
  • Hands-on experience with Cadence tools
  • Tape-out experience 3nm designs
  • Be willing to do manual layouts as well as willingness to learn and do silicon photonics layout
  • EM/IR analysis using standard industry signoff tools
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