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Physical Design Engineer Intern Jobs in San Rafael, CA

Apple

System Design Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$117K - $161K/yr

In this role, you will own and drive the electrical and physical design of multi-layer boards for prototype systems, developing reference designs that meet stringent area, cost, and performance ...

Apple

System Design Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$117K - $161K/yr

In this role, you will own and drive the electrical and physical design of multi-layer boards for prototype systems, developing reference designs that meet stringent area, cost, and performance ...

Eliyan

PD - Principal, Physical Design

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$140 - $170/hr

As an Eliyan Principal Physical Design Engineer, you will be working at a fast-paced early-stage startup creating technologies that fuel tomorrow's chiplet based systems with best-in-class power ...

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All JobsPhysical Design Engineer Intern JobsPhysical Design Engineer Intern Jobs in San Rafael, CA

Physical Design Engineer Intern information

See San Rafael, CA salary details

$12

$21

$32

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

As of Aug 11, 2026, the average hourly pay for physical design engineer intern in San Rafael, CA is $21.53, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $17.93 and $23.32 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 are popular job titles related to Physical Design Engineer Intern jobs in San Rafael, CA? For Physical Design Engineer Intern jobs in San Rafael, CA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What cities near San Rafael, CA are hiring for Physical Design Engineer Intern jobs? Cities near San Rafael, CA with the most Physical Design Engineer Intern job openings:
Physical Design Engineer Intern jobs near you
Infographic showing various Physical Design Engineer Intern job openings in San Rafael, CA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 72% Full Time, 23% Part Time, 1% Temporary, 2% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 98% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $44,783 per year, or $21.5 per hour.

Propulsion Engineer Intern (Fall 2026)

Astranis

San Francisco, CA • On-site

$29/hr

Full-time, Internship

Re-posted 12 days ago

Job description

Astranis builds advanced satellites for high orbits, expanding humanity's reach into the solar system. Today, Astranis satellites provide dedicated, secure networks to highly-sophisticated customers across the globe- large enterprises, sovereign governments, and the US military. With five satellites on orbit and many more set to launch soon, the company is servicing a backlog of more than $1 billion of commercial contracts.
Astranis is the preferred satellite communications partner for buyers with stringent requirements for uptime, data security, network visibility, and customization. Astranis has raised over $750 million from some of the world's best investors, from Andreessen Horowitz to Blackrock and Fidelity, and employs a team of 450 engineers and entrepreneurs. Astranis designs, builds, and operates its satellites out of its 153,000 sq. ft. headquarters in Northern California, USA.
Propulsion Engineer - Intern (Fall 2026)
Internships at Astranis typically last for twelve weeks, and are hourly roles designed for students who are currently enrolled at a four-year university.
As an Intern, you will have an amazing opportunity to work on hard problems - we pride ourselves on giving everyone at Astranis a chance to do meaningful work on complex projects, no matter their seniority. Many past interns have designed and tested hardware/software that is heading to space on our first satellite, and many of them are now full-time employees at Astranis.
If you have already graduated from a four-year university, please apply to be an Associate Engineer.
Role
  • Make an impact on the Propulsion team by designing, analyzing, building, and testing propulsion system hardware
  • Take on interdisciplinary projects with other teams to support Propulsion and company initiatives
  • Learn how to apply your academic experience to real world situations and develop team skills to fuel you academic and professional careers
Requirements
  • Currently pursuing a B.S. in a technical discipline (e.g. Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering, Physics)
  • Understanding of spacecraft systems and operation demonstrated through course work or student organizations
  • Demonstrated ability to personally design, build, and test hardware from scratch
  • Don't meet them all? Not a problem. Please apply even if you do not meet all these criteria.
Bonus
  • Familiarity with spacecraft design with a focus on chemical and/or electrical propulsion for spacecraft
  • Experience with Python
  • Test experience with spacecraft propulsion systems

The base pay for this position is $29.00 per hour.
Base Hourly Pay
$29-$29 USD
U.S. Citizenship, Lawful Permanent Residency, or Refugee/Asylee Status Required
(To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the United States, or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3))
Our mission and our products are meant to connect the world and everyone in it, regardless of gender, race, creed, or any other distinction. We believe in a diverse and inclusive workplace, and we encourage all people to join our team and bring their unique perspective to help make us stronger.

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