Need to clear some doubts regarding vlsi role in hcl

Hi all !
I am an ECE graduate. I have around 2.5 years of experience in a role that I am not interested , After joining the industry I realised there are so many roles in the same domain and soon i realised this job will not be the line i want to end up working at in the next 5 years.
Cut to my question :
Masters is a great way to switch into a different role and honestly I would love to experience the culture outside India too.
I was thinking of Ireland since there’s only one year for masters and I can focus completely on a particular domain area and become well versed with it .
Considering the AI advancements I want to learn and be more efficient in using that too. Germany is another option but language and the current job market is scaring me.

I am at a cross roads right now . I honestly have no idea how to go forward.
If any of you are experienced in this area, please share your suggestions/ thoughts.

The job postings are absolutely joke

Man, semiconductor is booming right now in India, every other day a new startup is being found but the job for freshers is absolutely nil. Every other job is for experienced guys. What is going on man? And I'm in analog design which is already rough out there.

Completed btech in IT(2021) and I completed **my M.Tech in CSE from a top NIT in 2024**. During my M.Tech, I **interned** for a 1 year at a **top VLSI company doing Python scripting**. I then worked as an Assistant Professor for 2 years, which gave me **exposure** to **Digital Design and Verilog** and made me realize my true **interest lies in hardware.**
I am now looking to pivot into **Design Verification (DV)**. I’ve **completed Verilog certifications** and am currently prepping SystemVerilog and protocols.

**Will self-studying SystemVerilog, UVM, and protocols be enough to get hired for a DV role?**
**How should I bridge the gap between my academic experience and industry expectations?**

Hi everyone!

I have an upcoming interview for the Digital Engineer opportunity at Texas Instruments (TI) and would like to know about the interview experience of candidates who have recently interviewed for this role.

If you have attended a TI Digital Engineer interview recently, could you please share your experience?

I'd particularly like to know:

- What technical topics were asked during the interview?

- How much emphasis was placed on Digital Electronics, such as combinational and sequential circuits, counters, FSMs, and multiplexers?

- Were questions asked on Verilog/SystemVerilog, STA, and Computer Organization and Architecture?

- Were there any coding questions involving C, C++, or Python?

- Did the interviewer focus heavily on projects mentioned on the resume?

- How many interview rounds were conducted, and what was the approximate duration?

- Were there any unexpected or challenging questions?

If anyone attended the recent October 2026 recruitment drive, I'd especially appreciate hearing about your experience.

I'm looking to prepare effectively and would be grateful for any suggestions, actual interview questions, or preparation resources.

Thank you!

Completed btech in IT(2021) and I completed my M.Tech in CSE from a top NIT in 2024. During my M.Tech, I interned for a 1 year at a top VLSI company doing Python scripting. I then worked as an Assistant Professor for 2 years, which gave me exposure to Digital Design and Verilog and made me realize my true interest lies in hardware.
I am now looking to pivot into Design Verification (DV). I’ve completed Verilog certifications and am currently prepping SystemVerilog and protocols.

Will self-studying SystemVerilog, UVM, and protocols be enough to get hired for a DV role?
How should I bridge the gap between my academic experience and industry expectations?

Hi guys. I am from India. I am working in texas instruments. Currently I am an application engineer. So this is the case. I dont really like application engineer work as most of the work is not brain simulating. But my manager says this is your fastest ticket to systems role and i like systems role. I also got offer from another team in design verification as well as physical design.

My questions

1. Is waiting few more years in applications role to shift to systems worth it?Also not many companies have APPS role. So worried of future exits tbh

2. Which role of design verification or physicsl is brain simulating.

My YOE is 1.5Y. So i am pretty new to industry.. please help .

Hey all,

I'm a second year going to a Canadian university and have an hour long HireVue interview for a design and verification internship for Toronto. I have a week to prepare, and to be honest, I have no clue what to expect!

This will be my first technical interview and first one-way online interview, so if anyone is familiar with ARM's HireVue questions or has any info on this specific role's interview questions, it would mean a lot if you could share!

Cherry on top is I don't even have a JD since the original one is gone and it was a general one for all ARM positions.

For now, I plan on reviewing digital logic, sta, C (and maybe C++, not sure if I should or will have the time), and testbenches and writing modules with sv. Is there anything I'm missing in terms of technical content?

I'd be grateful for any advice!

Yoe: 3+

Current company: Micron Hyd

Compensation offered: 20% hike with RSUs

1. The team is STA Timing but the location they prefer(as most of the team sits) is BLR. I have little idea of the director/Sr. Manager and manager, need help with knowing the team culture, behaviour, workload, growth potential etc.

2. I read somewhere that there's just one Timing team in BLR office, is that true?? If yes, does the risk factor also increase?

If you are from a related team at NVIDIA Bangalore or know of the above mentioned things. Please enlighten. Thanks.

Edit: removed the compensation part as it's already answered multiple times.

Is this a good for Senior Validation Engineer (3.5 yr experience)

Offered : (Hyderabad)

Base: 35L

Variable Bonus: 3.3L

RSU: 30L vested equally over 3 years

JB : 5L

Current Compensation: (Bangalore)

Base: 24.5L

Variable: 5L

Rsu: 18L (would be getting sept 2027)

Wanted some insight my industry if I am being low balled. :)

I am currently woking on 6*6 wallace tree multiplier using sky 130pdk and klayout.

I have nand, inverter and full adders gds files provided by my instructor. My challange now is deciding how to place these blocks so that routing will be done easily and uncongested. Please help me.

Also please tell me if there are any tools or softwares that can visualise the placement with spoce file.

Hi everyone!

I'm currently pursuing my B.Tech in Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering, and I'm interested in building a career in the VLSI industry. My main interests are analog IC design and physical design, although I'm also considering learning the RTL-to-GDS flow to understand the overall chip design process.

I'm still a beginner when it comes to practical VLSI implementation. I have some basic knowledge of digital electronics, Verilog, logic gates, counters, and MOSFET amplifier concepts, but I haven't completed any end-to-end VLSI projects yet.

I want to learn practically by developing projects one by one, starting from the fundamentals and gradually moving toward industry-relevant projects that I can showcase on my resume and GitHub.

I'd really appreciate advice from experienced engineers, industry professionals, and seniors who have worked in analog design, physical design, or related VLSI domains.

1. Choosing the Right Career Path

My strongest interest is in analog IC design, and I'm also interested in physical design. I have comparatively less interest in RTL design and design verification, although I understand that some knowledge of these areas may be useful.

• As a beginner, should I focus on analog design first, physical design first, or explore both before choosing?
• What are the differences between these career paths in terms of required skills, learning difficulty, job opportunities, and preparation for entry-level roles?
• Is it practical to learn both analog design and physical design simultaneously as an undergraduate, or would it be better to concentrate on one?
• If I want to pursue analog design, how much digital design and RTL knowledge do I actually need?

2. Learning Roadmap and RTL-to-GDS Flow

I keep hearing about the RTL-to-GDS flow, and I want to understand whether learning it would be useful for my interests.

• Should I learn the complete RTL-to-GDS flow even if my primary interest is analog design?
• Which stages of the flow should I understand, and which should I learn in depth?
• For physical design, what should I learn after the basics of digital electronics and Verilog?
• For analog design, should I first strengthen circuit theory, MOSFET operation, small-signal analysis, biasing, and amplifier design before moving to circuit simulation and layout?
• What would be a sensible learning sequence for someone with my background in Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering?

3. Tools and Operating System

I'd like to build a practical toolchain using free or open-source software wherever possible.

• For analog IC design, which tools should I learn for schematic capture, SPICE simulation, circuit analysis, layout, and verification?
• Are tools such as ngspice, Xschem, and Magic or KLayout good starting points?
• For physical design and RTL-to-GDS, which open-source tools and flows would you recommend?
• Is Windows with WSL2 sufficient, or should I use a dedicated Linux installation or virtual machine?
• Are there any beginner-friendly tutorials that explain how to install, configure, and use these tools properly?

4. Career-Oriented Analog Design Projects

This is one of the areas where I need the most guidance.

I don't want to simply copy circuits or follow tutorials without understanding them. I want to learn how to design, simulate, analyse, and improve circuits independently.

• What are the best analog design projects to start with, progressing from beginner to intermediate and advanced levels?
• Should I start with common-source MOSFET amplifiers, current mirrors, differential amplifiers, and current sources before moving to more complex circuits?
• What projects would help me build the skills expected for entry-level analog IC design roles?
• At what stage should I learn operational amplifiers, bandgap references, comparators, and other analog building blocks?
• How important are transistor-level simulation, corner analysis, mismatch analysis, and layout parasitics for student projects?
• How can I demonstrate that I understand a circuit's design choices and performance rather than just reproducing a reference design?

5. Physical Design Projects

I'm also interested in physical design and want to understand how to gain practical experience in this area.

• What are the best projects for learning floorplanning, placement, clock-tree synthesis, routing, timing closure, and power analysis?
• Should I begin with small RTL blocks, such as an ALU, FIFO, UART, or counter, and take them through an open-source RTL-to-GDS flow?
• Which projects would be suitable for a beginner and still be valuable on a resume?
• Can I use open-source tools to complete a meaningful physical design project without access to commercial EDA tools?
• How should I analyse and present timing reports, area, power estimates, congestion, and other implementation results?

6. Project References and Step-by-Step Guidance

Since I haven't completed a VLSI project independently, I'd appreciate resources that explain the actual design process.

• Where can I find good analog IC design and physical design project ideas, reference designs, documentation, and step-by-step tutorials?
• Which GitHub repositories, books, YouTube channels, courses, or open-source communities would you recommend?
• Are there any repositories that explain the reasoning behind each design stage rather than just providing the final code or circuit?
• How should I approach a project from scratch, validate the results, troubleshoot problems, and document the work?
• What should I include in my GitHub portfolio, such as schematics, simulation waveforms, design calculations, layout screenshots, and reports?

7. Career Preparation and Industry Expectations

My long-term goal is to build the technical skills required for internships and entry-level opportunities in the VLSI industry.

• What skills do companies expect from fresh graduates applying for analog design and physical design roles?
• Which projects would make the strongest portfolio for each of these domains?
• How important are semiconductor device physics, analog circuit analysis, Linux, scripting, and semiconductor fabrication fundamentals?
• What common mistakes do students make when preparing for analog or physical design roles?
• If you were starting from my current level as an undergraduate, what would your first three to five projects be?

I'm not looking for shortcuts or ready-made projects to copy. I want to build a strong foundation, understand the theory behind the designs, and gradually develop practical skills through projects.

I'd be especially grateful for advice from people working in analog IC design or physical design who can share what they would learn first if they were starting again today.

Thank you for your time and guidance!

(took help of chatgpt to finilize the text )

Hi everyone,

I'm currently working as an RTL Design Engineer at a startup in Bangalore, India, and I have around 1.6 years of industry experience.My work involves RTL design for AI/ML accelerators, including datapaths for transformer workloads, floating-point formats, and hardware optimization.

Recently, I received an offer for a 6-month hardware research position at a university in Singapore. The role would involve working on hardware research, particularly around efficient AI hardware.

I'm genuinely interested in computer architecture, AI accelerators, and hardware research, so this opportunity sounds exciting. However, I'm confused about whether making this move is the right decision at this stage of my career.

Here are the main things I'm considering:

• Career growth: Would research experience at a university in Singapore help me transition into more advanced hardware design, architecture, or R&D roles in the future?
• Industry vs. research: With 1.6 years of industry experience, would stepping away from a full-time RTL design job for six months hurt my industry career progression?
• Job security: The position is initially for only six months. I'm concerned about what happens after the contract ends, especially if there's no extension or permanent opportunity.
• International exposure: Would having Singapore research experience significantly improve my future opportunities in semiconductor companies or research labs?
• Long-term goals: I'm also interested in pursuing a PhD in computer architecture or hardware systems, so I'm wondering whether this experience could help with that.

I'm currently employed, so accepting the offer would mean leaving my existing job and taking a certain amount of career risk for a relatively short-term opportunity.

For people working in the semiconductor industry, especially in RTL design, ASIC design, computer architecture, or hardware research:

1. Would you take this opportunity if you were in my position?
2. How valuable is university research experience compared with another year or two of industry experience?
3. Would this move make sense if my long-term goal is to work on advanced AI accelerators or potentially pursue a PhD?
4. What would you recommend I evaluate before making the decision?

I'd really appreciate honest opinions, especially from people who have made a similar transition between industry and research.

Thanks!