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Physical Design Engineer Intern Jobs in Baltimore, MD

Transportation Engineering Intern

Baltimore, MD · On-site

$17.75 - $28.75/hr

Dewberry is currently seeking a T ransportation Engineer Intern for Summer 2026 to join our ... design of horizontal and vertical alignments, drainage systems, stormwater management, erosion and ...

Transportation Engineering Intern

Baltimore, MD · On-site

$17.75 - $28.75/hr

Dewberry is currently seeking a T ransportation Engineer Intern for Summer 2026 to join our ... design of horizontal and vertical alignments, drainage systems, stormwater management, erosion and ...

Graphic Design Intern

Columbia, MD · On-site

$15 - $19.75/hr

Structural Group, Inc., develops and integrates products, engineering support, repair and ... We are seeking a part-time Graphic Design Intern to join our Creative & Communications team. Our ...

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Physical Design Engineer Intern information

See Baltimore, MD salary details

$10

$19

$29

How much do physical design engineer intern jobs pay per hour?

As of May 28, 2026, the average hourly pay for physical design engineer intern in Baltimore, MD is $19.19, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $16.01 and $20.77 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Physical Design Engineer Intern, and why are they important?

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 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 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 cities near Baltimore, MD are hiring for Physical Design Engineer Intern jobs? Cities near Baltimore, MD with the most Physical Design Engineer Intern job openings:
Infographic showing various Physical Design Engineer Intern job openings in Baltimore, MD as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 87% Full Time, 11% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 95% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $39,919 per year, or $19.2 per hour.
RF Design Engineer

Other

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 15 days ago


Job description

Description

Are you passionate about providing real, immediate impact to the country's toughest national security problems?

Do you love building and testing prototype radio frequency (RF) waveforms and systems?


If so, we're looking for someone like you to join our team at APL!

We are seeking an RF engineer to develop, analyze, and optimize RF electrical aspects of sensor systems. As a member of the Sensor Systems Engineering group, you collaborate with teams of passionate engineers and scientists who build, analyze, and test systems for the Air and Missile Defense Sector. Our team strives to deliver robust solutions to address difficult problems facing the U.S. Department of Defense and the warfighter. We strive to foster an environment of collaboration and innovation!

As an RF Design Engineer, you will...

  • Build innovative hardware solutions such as antennas, custom PCBs, RF circuits and systems.
  • Apply electrical and RF engineering tools to develop and predict hardware performance.
  • Define and complete hardware test activities to assess hardware system performance.
  • Document and present work to sponsors, technical teams, and APL management.
  • Stay up-to-date on the latest RF electronics, embedded systems, and embedded software innovations.
  • Continually grow your skills in engineering, communication, and leadership.

Qualifications

You meet our minimum qualifications for the job if you...

  • Possess a B.S. in electrical engineering, computer engineering, physics, or an equivalent technical domain.
  • Have demonstrated ability with ECAD design tools such as Altium, Ki-CAD, Eagle, and/or Mentor Graphics.
  • Have familiarity using embedded software tools/ languages (i.e. Arduino, Platform.io, CMake, C, C++).
  • Have experience with MATLAB or similar computational tools.
  • Are comfortable using lab test equipment such as oscilloscopes, power supplies, signal generators, etc.
  • Have familiarity with electromagnetic and RF concepts such as transmission line theory, Maxwell's equations, power budgets.
  • Possess strong interpersonal communication skills.
  • Are able to acquire an Interim Secret level security clearance by your start date and can ultimately acquire a TS/SCI level clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the requirements for access to classified information. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship.

You'll go above and beyond our minimum requirements if you...

  • Have experience working with Navy, Army, Marine, or Air Force radar or communications systems.
  • Have experience developing RF systems or subsystems (i.e. amplifier stages, filtering, combining networks, etc.)
  • Have experience designing, manufacturing, populating, and testing custom PCBs.
  • Have familiarity writing VHDL and/or working with FPGAs.
  • Have a strong understanding of full-wave electromagnetic solvers.
  • Carry experience operating within a rapid prototyping environment.

#LI-KW1


About Us

Why Work at APL?

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) brings world-class expertise to our nation's most critical defense, security, space and science challenges. While we are dedicated to solving complex challenges and pioneering new technologies, what makes us truly outstanding is our culture. We offer a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere where you can bring your authentic self to work, continue to grow, and build strong connections with inspiring teammates.

At APL, we celebrate our differences of perspectives and encourage creativity and bold, new ideas. Our employees enjoy generous benefits, including a robust education assistance program, unparalleled retirement contributions, and a healthy work/life balance. APL's campus is located in the Baltimore-Washington metro area. Learn more about our career opportunities athttp://www.jhuapl.edu/careers.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, occupation, marital or familial status, political opinion, personal appearance, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.APL is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals of all abilities, including those with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in any part of the hiring process, please contactAccommodations@jhuapl.edu.

The referenced pay range is based on JHU APL's good faith belief at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as geographic location, work experience, market conditions, education/training and skill level with consideration for internal parity. For salaried employees scheduled to work less than 40 hours per week, annual salary will be prorated based on the number of hours worked. APL may offer bonuses or other forms of compensation per internal policy and/or contractual designation. Additional compensation may be provided in the form of a sign-on bonus, relocation benefits, locality allowance or discretionary payments for exceptional performance. APL provides eligible staff with a comprehensive benefits package including retirement plans, paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, education assistance, and training and development. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.


Minimum Rate
$85,000 Annually
Maximum Rate
$165,000 Annually