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Chip Design Jobs (NOW HIRING)

San Francisco Bay Area, CA · Hybrid · Full-time We are looking for a Chip Design Engineer who works on strategic customer engagements, developing custom IP and optimizing designs for power ...

ABOUT THE ROLE Physical design is where AI-driven chip design gets graded: every placement, clock tree, routing, and optimization our systems produce must ultimately converge to signoff-clean GDSII ...

ASIC Chip Design Lead

Saratoga, CA · On-site

$250K - $280K/yr

Position Overview We are seeking a hands-on ASIC Chip Design Lead to own chip design execution from micro-architecture through full-chip integration and timing signoff. This role sits between senior ...

Company Description Agentrys is an applied research team building the future of chip design. Chips power everything around us, and we believe AI will fundamentally transform how chips are designed.

Ricrecursive Intelligence is a frontier AI Lab focused on building self-improving systems, starting with chip design. We are reinventing chip development and closing the loop between AI and the ...

Design and develop semiconductor chips * Conduct research to improve chip performance and functionality * Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure successful chip design and production

You'll turn chip-design workflows into reliable environments for reinforcement learning and evaluation, and make it easier for researchers to run experiments and iterate on new ideas. You'll move ...

New

Agentrys Studio combines AI agents, engineering knowledge, agent-native tools, advanced models, and continuous learning to automate complex chip-design workflows. Our team brings deep experience in ...

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chip design information

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$42K

$114.5K

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How much do chip design jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 13, 2026, the average yearly pay for chip design in the United States is $114,491.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $83,500.00 and $144,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a chip design?

A Chip Design job involves creating and developing semiconductor circuits used in electronic devices. Engineers in this field work on designing, verifying, and testing integrated circuits (ICs) to ensure performance, power efficiency, and reliability. They use specialized software tools for designing hardware and optimizing functionality. Chip designers collaborate with cross-functional teams to bring new processors, memory chips, or custom ASICs from concept to production. This role is crucial in industries like computing, telecommunications, and consumer electronics.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in chip design?

To excel in Chip Design, a strong background in electrical engineering, digital and analog circuit design, and semiconductor physics is typically required, often supported by a relevant engineering degree. Familiarity with electronic design automation (EDA) tools like Cadence, Synopsys, and Mentor Graphics, as well as proficiency in hardware description languages (HDLs) such as Verilog or VHDL, are standard prerequisites. Outstanding problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and the ability to collaborate closely with cross-functional teams set candidates apart. These competencies are essential for designing efficient, reliable integrated circuits and meeting the evolving needs of the semiconductor industry.

What are the typical career progression opportunities in chip design?

Chip Design offers a clear pathway for career growth, starting from entry-level positions such as Design Engineer or Verification Engineer and progressing to roles like Lead Designer, Project Manager, or Technical Architect. As you gain experience and demonstrate expertise, opportunities often open up in specialized areas such as physical design, timing analysis, or system architecture. Many professionals also advance to leadership or managerial positions, overseeing teams or entire design projects. Additionally, working in such a fast-evolving field keeps you engaged with the latest technologies and can provide options to transition into adjacent areas like product management or application engineering.

How much do chip designers make?

Chip designers, also known as integrated circuit designers, typically earn between $80,000 and $150,000 annually, depending on experience, education, and location. Senior roles or those with specialized skills in hardware description languages and CAD tools can earn higher salaries, often exceeding $200,000.

How to get a job in chip design?

To get a job in chip design, candidates typically need a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or a related field, along with strong skills in digital and analog circuit design, hardware description languages like VHDL or Verilog, and familiarity with CAD tools. Gaining experience through internships, projects, or research can improve employability, and advanced roles may require a master's or Ph.D. in a relevant area. Certifications in specific design tools or methodologies can also enhance prospects.

Is chip design a good career?

Chip design is a specialized field within electrical engineering focused on developing integrated circuits and microprocessors. It offers high demand, competitive salaries, and opportunities for innovation, often requiring skills in hardware description languages and familiarity with CAD tools. Career growth depends on technical expertise and industry experience.

What cities are hiring for Chip Design jobs?

Cities with the most Chip Design job openings:

What are the most commonly searched types of Chip Design jobs?

The most popular types of Chip Design jobs are:

What states have the most Chip Design jobs?

States with the most job openings for Chip Design jobs include:

Infographic showing various Chip Design job openings in the United States as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 88% Full Time, 8% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 81% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 15% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $114,491 per year, or $55 per hour.

Chip Design Engineer

San Francisco, CA • On-site

Other

Posted 11 days ago


Job description

San Francisco Bay Area, CA · Hybrid · Full-time

We are looking for a Chip Design Engineer who works on strategic customer engagements, developing custom IP and optimizing designs for power, performance, and area. You will collaborate closely with our AI systems, providing the domain expertise that ensures AI-generated designs meet real-world requirements.

In this role, you will combine hands-on RTL design with exposure to cutting-edge AI technology. You will help shape how AI and human expertise work together in chip design. Your designs will go into production at the world's leading technology companies.

What You Will Do
  • Design RTL for Customer Projects: Implement RTL for strategic customer engagements. You will write clean, synthesizable, timing-aware Verilog/SystemVerilog.
  • Optimize for PPA: Analyze and optimize designs for power, performance, and area. Your optimizations will contribute to royalty-generating designs.
  • Support Synthesis and Timing: Work through synthesis and timing closure. You understand what makes RTL synthesizable and how to fix timing violations.
  • Improve AI-Generated Designs: Review and enhance AI-generated RTL for production quality. Your feedback will improve model accuracy.
  • Develop Reference Implementations: Create high-quality reference designs that become training data for our AI models.
  • Implement Protocol Blocks: Build protocol implementations (PCIe, DDR, AXI, etc.) for customer requirements.
What You Bring (Required)
  • RTL Design Experience: You have 5+ years of experience designing production RTL. You write clean, readable, synthesizable Verilog/SystemVerilog.
  • Micro-Architecture Understanding: You have solid understanding of pipeline design, FSMs, arbitration, and data flow. You can translate architecture specs into RTL.
  • Synthesis Awareness: You have experience with synthesis tools (Design Compiler, Genus). You understand what makes RTL timing-friendly.
  • Debug Skills: You can read waveforms, trace signal paths, and debug complex logic issues. You have experience with Verdi, SimVision, or similar tools.
  • PPA Intuition: You understand power-performance-area tradeoffs. You can make informed design decisions based on PPA goals.
  • Collaborative Mindset: You work well with verification engineers, architects, and AI engineers. You communicate clearly and give/receive feedback well.
Bonus Points (Preferred)
  • Experience at leading semiconductor companies (Intel, AMD, NVIDIA, Qualcomm, Broadcom, Marvell, MediaTek).
  • Protocol implementation experience (PCIe, DDR, AXI, AHB, APB, CHI).
  • Physical design awareness (floor planning, clock tree, routing congestion).
  • Background in accelerator, SoC, or high-performance computing design.
  • Familiarity with AI/ML concepts and interest in AI-assisted design.
  • MS in Electrical Engineering or Computer Science.
Why Join Us

You will be at the forefront of AI-assisted chip design—a fundamental transformation in how chips are built. Your designs will go into production at top tech companies. You'll learn cutting-edge AI while applying your chip design expertise, building skills that will define the future of the industry.

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