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Physical Design Engineer Intern Jobs in Needham, MA

Physical Design Engineer

Westford, MA · On-site

$141K - $145K/yr

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 ...

Physical Design Engineer

Westford, MA

$141K - $145K/yr

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 · 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 ...

Your Impact As a Physical Design Engineer with Acacia, you will focus on the technical execution of high-performance ASIC designs. Working as an individual contributor, you will lead the RTL-to-GDSII ...

ASIC Physical Design Engineer

Maynard, MA · On-site

$128K - $184K/yr

Your Impact As a Physical Design Engineer with Acacia, you will focus on the technical execution of high-performance ASIC designs. Working as an individual contributor, you will lead the RTL-to-GDSII ...

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 ...

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 ...

SoC Physical Design Engineer, PnR

Waltham, MA · 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 ...

SoC Physical Design Engineer, PnR

Waltham, MA · 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. What you will be doing: * Drive the micro-architecture ...

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 ...

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 ...

Substation Physical Engineer

Framingham, MA · On-site

$101K - $129K/yr

Candidates will be expected to use knowledge of digital logic design, AC and DC circuits to design ... Engineer Intern ("EI" or "EIT") professional certification. * Professional Engineer ("PE") License.

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Physical Design Engineer Intern information

See Needham, MA salary details

$12

$21

$32

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

As of Aug 6, 2026, the average hourly pay for physical design engineer intern in Needham, MA is $21.04, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $17.55 and $22.79 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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 a physical design engineer intern?

A physical design engineer intern is a student or entry-level professional gaining hands-on experience in the physical implementation of integrated circuits, including tasks like floorplanning, placement, routing, and timing analysis. They typically work with electronic design automation (EDA) tools and collaborate with engineering teams to optimize chip performance and manufacturability.

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 job categories do people searching Physical Design Engineer Intern jobs in Needham, MA look for? The top searched job categories for Physical Design Engineer Intern jobs in Needham, MA are:
What cities near Needham, MA are hiring for Physical Design Engineer Intern jobs? Cities near Needham, MA with the most Physical Design Engineer Intern job openings:
Infographic showing various Physical Design Engineer Intern job openings in Needham, MA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 73% Full Time, 22% Part Time, 1% Temporary, 2% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 97% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 2% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $43,765 per year, or $21 per hour.

Physical Design Engineer

Nvidia Corporation

Westford, MA • On-site

$141K - $145K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 5 days ago


Nvidia rating

9.6

Company rating: 9.6 out of 10

Based on 17 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

8th of 242 rated software companies


Job description

NVIDIA has been transforming computer graphics, PC gaming, and accelerated computing for more than 25 years. It's a unique legacy of innovation that's fueled by great technology-and amazing people. Today, we're tapping into the unlimited potential of AI to define the next era of computing. An era in which our GPU acts as the brains of computers, robots, and self-driving cars that can understand the world. Doing what's never been done before takes vision, innovation, and the world's best talent. As an NVIDIAN, you'll be immersed in a diverse, supportive environment where everyone is inspired to do their best work. Come join the team and see how you can make a lasting impact on the world.
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, delivering the highest throughput and lowest latency! Come and take a part in crafting our groundbreaking and innovating chips, enjoy working in a meaningful, growing and professional environment where you make a significant impact in a technology-focused company.
What you'll be doing:
  • You will lead all aspects of physical design and implementation of SOC devices targeted at the networking markets.
  • Work will be at the partition level.
  • As a member of a team, you will participate in establishing physical design methodologies, flow automation, chip floorplan, power/clock distribution, chip assembly and P&R, timing closure.
  • Daily work involves all aspects of physical chip development (RTL2GDS) - trial synthesis, power and clock distribution, place and route, timing closure, power and noise analysis and physical verification.

What we need to see:
  • BSEE / MSEE or equivalent experience.
  • 3+ years of experience in VLSI physical design implementation on 5nm, 4nm and 3nm technology.
  • Able to assist in design flow development and debugging, including application of ML/AI solutions.
  • Already a validated strong power user of P&R, Timing Analysis, Physical Verification, IR Drop Analysis, CAD tools from Synopsys (ICC2/DC/PT/STAR/ICV), Cadence (Genus/Innovus/Tempus) and other major EDA companies.
  • Confirmed prior experience in timing closure, clock/power distribution and analysis, RC extraction and correlation, place/ route and tapeout solutions.
  • To be successful you should possess strong analytical and debugging skills.
  • Proficiency using Python, Perl, Tcl, Make scripting is helpful.
  • Great teammate

NVIDIA is widely considered to be the leader of AI computing, and one of the technology world's most desirable employers. We have some of the most forward-thinking and hardworking people in the world working for us. If you're creative and autonomous, we want to hear from you
Your base salary will be determined based on your location, experience, and the pay of employees in similar positions. The base salary range is 116,000 USD - 189,750 USD for Level 2, and 136,000 USD - 218,500 USD for Level 3.
You will also be eligible for equity and benefits.
Applications for this job will be accepted at least until June 2, 2026.
This posting is for an existing vacancy.
NVIDIA uses AI tools in its recruiting processes.
NVIDIA is committed to fostering an inclusive work environment and proud to be an equal opportunity employer. As we highly value diversity in our current and future employees, we do not discriminate (including in our hiring and promotion practices) on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status or any other characteristic protected by law.

What Nvidia employees say

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About Nvidia

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

NVIDIA has been transforming computer graphics, PC gaming, and accelerated computing for more than 25 years. It's a unique legacy of innovation that's fueled by great technology--and amazing people. Today, we're tapping into the unlimited potential of AI to define the next era of computing. An era in which our GPU acts as the brains of computers, robots, and self-driving cars that can understand the world. Doing what's never been done before takes vision, innovation, and the world's best talent.

Industry

Computer and electronic product manufacturing

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Santa Clara, CA, US

Year founded

1993