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Vlsi Design Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Physical Design Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$159K - $164K/yr

Company Description Insilico is an End-to-End specialized VLSI, Embedded Design & Software services ... Job Title: Physical Design Engineer Location: San Jose, CA Experience: 5- 8 Years Duration: 12 ...

Physical Design Engineer

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

$159K - $164K/yr

Job Title: Physical Design Engineer Location:Sunnyvale, CA OR Austin,TX Duration: Long term ... The ideal candidate will be responsible for various aspects of the backend VLSI design flow ...

Physical Design Engineer

San Jose, CA

$159K - $164K/yr

Company Description Insilico is an End-to-End specialized VLSI, Embedded Design & Software services ... Job Title: Physical Design Engineer Location: San Jose, CA Experience: 5- 8 Years Duration: 12 ...

A basic understanding of mosfet device behavior, CMOS layout, and VLSI design. * Excellent ... If you're a creative and autonomous engineer with a real passion for technology, we want to hear ...

A basic understanding of mosfet device behavior, CMOS layout, and VLSI design. * Excellent ... If you're a creative and autonomous engineer with a real passion for technology, we want to hear ...

A basic understanding of mosfet device behavior, CMOS layout, and VLSI design. * Excellent ... If you're a creative and autonomous engineer with a real passion for technology, we want to hear ...

Design Verification Engineer Compensation up to $225K DOE + strong benefits + long-term project stability. What You Need (All Roles) * 8+ years of pre-silicon ASIC / VLSI experience * Strong ...

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Vlsi Design Engineer information

See California salary details

$40K

$87K

$156.4K

How much do vlsi design engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 7, 2026, the average yearly pay for vlsi design engineer in California is $86,995.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $67,100.00 and $97,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

Are VLSI Design Engineers in demand?

VLSI Design Engineers are in high demand due to the growth of semiconductor technology, consumer electronics, and data centers. Skills in hardware description languages like VHDL or Verilog, along with experience in ASIC or FPGA design, increase employability in this field.

How much do VLSI design engineers get paid?

VLSI design engineers typically earn between $80,000 and $150,000 annually, depending on experience, location, and company size. Entry-level engineers may start at lower salaries, while experienced professionals with specialized skills in hardware description languages and EDA tools can earn higher compensation.

What is the difference between Vlsi Design Engineer vs Digital IC Design Engineer?

AspectVlsi Design EngineerDigital IC Design Engineer
Required SkillsVLSI design, HDL (Verilog/VHDL), circuit simulationDigital circuit design, HDL, FPGA/ASIC design
Work EnvironmentSemiconductor companies, chip design firmsIntegrated circuit design firms, semiconductor industry
CertificationsVLSI design certifications, FPGA designASIC/FPGA design certifications

Both roles focus on digital circuit design within the semiconductor industry, often overlapping in skills like HDL and circuit simulation. However, Vlsi Design Engineers typically work on the entire chip design process, while Digital IC Design Engineers focus more specifically on digital integrated circuit implementation. Understanding these nuances helps in choosing the right career path or job search focus.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a VLSI design engineer?

To thrive as a VLSI Design Engineer, you need a strong background in electronics, digital logic design, and semiconductor physics, typically supported by a degree in electrical or electronics engineering. Proficiency with hardware description languages (such as Verilog or VHDL), EDA tools (like Cadence or Synopsys), and knowledge of ASIC/FPGA design flows is essential. Attention to detail, problem-solving abilities, and effective teamwork are vital soft skills that set top engineers apart. These competencies are crucial for designing reliable, efficient integrated circuits and collaborating effectively throughout the complex chip development lifecycle.

What is a VLSI design engineer?

VLSI Design Engineers are professionals who design and develop integrated circuits (ICs) using Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) technology. They work on creating complex microchips that can contain millions or even billions of transistors on a single chip. Their responsibilities include circuit design, verification, testing, and optimization to ensure reliable and efficient performance. VLSI Design Engineers play a crucial role in advancing electronics used in computers, smartphones, automotive systems, and various other digital devices.

What are some common challenges faced by VLSI design engineers when working on large-scale chip projects?

VLSI Design Engineers often encounter challenges related to managing complexity, ensuring design accuracy, and meeting stringent performance and power requirements. Coordinating across multidisciplinary teams—such as verification, physical design, and testing—requires strong communication and collaboration skills. Additionally, keeping up with evolving EDA tools and rapidly changing semiconductor technologies can be demanding, but these challenges also provide opportunities to learn and grow within the field.
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What cities in California are hiring for Vlsi Design Engineer jobs? Cities in California with the most Vlsi Design Engineer job openings:
Infographic showing various Vlsi Design Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 76% Full Time, 17% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 85% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $86,995 per year, or $41.8 per hour.

Applied AI Engineer - VLSI Design

Nvidia

Santa Clara, CA • Hybrid

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.

Join NVIDIA's custom RAM design team, where we are pushing the boundaries of memory technology to power the next generation of AI and accelerated computing. Our team operates at the intersection of innovative circuit design and scalable CAD infrastructure, tackling some of the most complex memory design challenges in the industry. We are looking for dedicated Software Engineers to work on developing and deploying AI agents that leverage machine learning models to solve complex problems in VLSI design. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in computer science, electrical engineering, or related field, with experience in machine learning, deep learning, and software development. The successful candidate will work closely with our team of experts in VLSI design, machine learning, and software engineering to create and integrate machine learning-based solutions that enhance the efficiency, productivity, and quality of our VLSI design flows.

What you'll be doing:

  • Play a key role in design, development, and deployment of AI applications using LLMs, internal and external Agentic frameworks, and other related technologies.

  • Drive impact by designing and building the needed infrastructure to deploy LLM-powered solutions for engineering assistants and multi-turn, multi-modal dialogue systems.

  • Develop agentic AI solutions that help solve complex VLSI engineering problems, fine tune & integrate them with CAD flow systems.

  • Make a difference by using AI technologies to help solve complex problems in chip design more efficiently.

  • Build and maintain design databases and dashboards that may use agentic and deterministic retrieval mechanisms to fetch pertinent engineering data expediting circuit design closure.

  • Collaborate with circuit design, layout, technology, and 3rd party EDA vendor teams distributed across geographies and time zones.

What we need to see:

  • Master's or PhD degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science/Engineering or equivalent experience.

  • 5+ years of proven industry experience in a related field.

  • Proficiency in rapid prototyping using Python with strong foundational knowledge of data structures, algorithms, and software engineering principles.

  • Experience with fine-tuning large language models, building advanced multi-agent systems, RAG pipelines and vector databases.

  • Strong analytical, communication, and interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to thrive in dynamic, product-focused, and distributed teams.

  • A proactive approach to problem-solving and a willingness to acquire new skills and knowledge as needed to achieve results.

Ways to stand out from the crowd:

  • Experience with Large Language Models (LLMs) and their applications in software and AI development

  • Proficiency in standard methodologies for software development, including version control, testing, and CI/CD.

  • Deeply interested in learning disparate concepts and putting them together in innovative new ways.

  • Prior experience with circuit design, HW design is a plus.

Widely considered to be one of the technology world's most desirable employers, NVIDIA offers highly competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package. As you plan your future, see what we can offer to you and your family www.nvidiabenefits.com/

#LI-Hybrid

Your base salary will be determined based on your location, experience, and the pay of employees in similar positions. The base salary range is 136,000 USD - 218,500 USD for Level 3, and 168,000 USD - 264,500 USD for Level 4.

You will also be eligible for equity and benefits.

Applications for this job will be accepted at least until July 18, 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

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom


Nvidia logo

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