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Vlsi Design Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Physical Design Engineer

Sunnyvale, CA

$161.80K - $166.60K/yr

We are looking for a highly skilled Physical Design Engineer to work at block level and/or top ... The ideal candidate will be responsible for various aspects of the backend VLSI design flow ...

New

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 ...

Physical Design Engineer

Austin, TX

$134.80K - $138.70K/yr

We are looking for a highly skilled Physical Design Engineer to work at block level and/or top ... The ideal candidate will be responsible for various aspects of the backend VLSI design flow ...

New

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 ...

Physical Design Engineer

Mountain View, CA · On-site

$100K - $180K/yr

Physical Design Engineer City: Mountain View State/Province: California Posting Start Date: 5/12/26 ... The ideal candidate will be responsible for various aspects of the backend VLSI design flow ...

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Vlsi Design Engineer information

See salary details

$40.5K

$88.2K

$158.5K

How much do vlsi design engineer jobs pay per year?

As of May 29, 2026, the average yearly pay for vlsi design engineer in the United States is $88,150.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $68,000.00 and $98,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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

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 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.

What are VLSI Design Engineers?

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 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.

More about Vlsi Design Engineer jobs
What cities are hiring for Vlsi Design Engineer jobs? Cities with the most Vlsi Design Engineer job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Vlsi Design Engineer jobs? The most popular types of Vlsi Design Engineer jobs are:
What states have the most Vlsi Design Engineer jobs? States with the most job openings for Vlsi Design Engineer jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Vlsi Design Engineer jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Vlsi Design Engineer jobs are:
Infographic showing various Vlsi Design Engineer job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 88% Full Time, 9% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 95% Physical, and 5% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $88,150 per year, or $42.4 per hour.

Physical Design Engineer

Trispark Inc

Sunnyvale, CA

$161.80K - $166.60K/yr

Other

Posted 2 days ago


Job description

Job Overview:
We are looking for a highly skilled Physical Design Engineer to work at block level and/or top level for high-performance ASICs, SoCs, and custom silicon chips with strong scripting skills. The ideal candidate will be responsible for various aspects of the backend VLSI design flow, including floorplanning, placement, clock tree synthesis (CTS), routing, timing closure, and sign-off verification. The role requires expertise in EDA tools, physical verification methodologies, power optimization, and performance tuning.
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Key Responsibilities:
Block-Level Physical Design:
• Floorplanning & Partitioning – Define optimal floorplan with power grid, macro placements, and congestion analysis.
• Strong scripting experience.
• Placement & Optimization – Perform standard cell placement, legalization, and optimization to improve area, power, and timing.
• Clock Tree Synthesis (CTS) – Design and optimize low-skew, high-performance clock networks.
• Routing & DRC Closure – Ensure successful global and detailed routing, meeting design rule constraints.
• Timing Closure – Work on setup/hold timing violations, signal integrity, and cross-talk reduction using static timing analysis (STA).
• Power & IR Drop Analysis – Optimize power planning, power integrity (IR drop, EM), and leakage reduction techniques.
Top-Level Physical Design:
• Chip-Level Floorplanning & Hierarchical Design – Manage top-level layout planning, pin assignments, and cross-block optimizations.
• Strong scripting experience.
• Clock & Power Distribution – Design robust clock trees and power delivery networks (PDN).
• Integration of IP & Sub-blocks – Ensure seamless integration of IP blocks and handle complex routing challenges.
• Chip Assembly & Sign-Off – Perform final netlist-to-GDSII implementation, addressing physical and electrical verification.
• DFT Integration – Work with Design for Test (DFT) teams to ensure scan chain connectivity and testability.