What Is an ASIC Engineer and How to Become One

By ZipRecruiter Marketplace Research Team

An ASIC Engineer works with the design and verification of an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). This type of integrated circuit is designed for a specified purpose, like digital voice recording or cryptocurrency mining. An ASIC engineer has experience and skills that they use to program the integrated circuit based on defined requirements. They are capable of designing and producing ASICs that have over 100 million logic gates.

The primary qualifications for getting a job as an ASIC engineer include a bachelor's degree in a field like electrical engineering and some experience with project management. Many ASIC engineers work for companies that sell or export certain types of restricted technology. You may need to pass a background check and obtain a security clearance before you start working in earnest. Depending on the company, bilingualism and the ability to travel are also helpful, though not always necessary. Other useful qualities for beginning a career as an ASIC engineer include interpersonal skills, research skills, and the ability to develop products as part of a team.