integrated circuit design engineer
Snapshot
Shape the future of technology as an integrated circuit design engineer! You'll be at the forefront of creating the microchips that power everything from smartphones to advanced medical devices, translating complex electronic concepts into physical realities.
As an integrated circuit design engineer, you’ll leverage your electronics engineering expertise to design the intricate layouts of integrated circuits (ICs), often called microchips. Your work involves using specialized software to create detailed schematics and diagrams, ensuring the IC functions correctly and efficiently. This role demands precision, problem-solving skills, and a deep understanding of electronic principles. You'll collaborate with other engineers throughout the design and testing phases, contributing to the development of cutting-edge technologies.
- • Designing IC layouts based on electronic engineering specifications.
- • Creating and verifying design schematics and diagrams using CAD software.
- • Simulating and analyzing circuit performance to identify and resolve issues.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Deeper colour: reported the same way in more consecutive years.
Figures cover Science and engineering professionals — 274 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus and 7 more.
Longest-running shortage: Netherlands, 4 years.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
What these words mean
The four things this section reports
- Reported demand
- Whether employers report needing people in this job — a judgement published by a national or EU body, not a count.
- Where it is heading
- Which way employment in this job is expected to move over the coming years, from an official projection.
- Openings
- Roughly how many openings arise — from growth and from people leaving the job.
- Typical pay
- What people in this job typically earn where the source publishes it. Blank does not mean unpaid; it means nobody publishes it for that place.
A measure is left out when nobody publishes it for that place, rather than shown as zero.
Which way the market leans for you
- In your favour
- More openings than people looking — employers are competing for candidates.
- Balanced
- Openings and candidates are roughly matched.
- Competitive
- More people looking than openings — expect to compete.
- Mixed evidence
- Sources disagree, or the same occupation group is short in one part and oversupplied in another.
Every source resolves to one of these four, so there is a single vocabulary to learn. What differs is the evidence behind it, which is printed underneath each verdict — a measured ratio of openings to jobseekers, or an assessment published by a national body.
How this job compares with other jobs in the same country
- Strong
- Among the strongest in that country
- Good
- Stronger than most jobs in that country
- Mixed
- About typical for that country
- Weak
- Weaker than most jobs in that country
This is a rank within one country, not a score you can carry across borders — the registers behind two countries count different people, so the same number means different things in each. It is also why a job can be among the strongest in a country and still show as Competitive: it leads the field in a market that is crowded overall.
Where these come from
Every figure is published by a national statistics office, a public employment service or an EU body, and each card names its source and the period it covers. Some places are counted monthly, others assessed once or twice a year, so two places on the same map can be describing different moments — the date is always shown.
None of this predicts one person's chances. It describes a market.
Explore More
Find your career path and explore the science behind our recommendations.
Could integrated circuit design engineer fit you?
Answer three quick questions. This is not a full assessment — it is a teaser to help you decide whether to compare your profile.
Do you enjoy tasks that require Attention to Detail?
Do you enjoy tasks that require Analytical Thinking?
Do you enjoy tasks that require Innovation?
Future Outlook for integrated circuit design engineer
The outlook for integrated circuit design engineer reflects a balanced mix of automation exposure and durable, human-led work.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could integrated circuit design engineer change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How could integrated circuit design engineer change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
- liaise with engineers
- create technical plans
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- use technical drawing software
- use CAD software
- customise drafts
Tasks most exposed to automation
No single task here is highly automatable yet.
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Advanced Manufacturing
A typical day as a integrated circuit design engineer
09 09:00 · Morning create technical plans
10 10:30 · Mid-morning customise drafts
12 12:00 · Midday design electronic systems
14 14:00 · Afternoon design integrated circuits
15 15:30 · Late afternoon liaise with engineers
17 17:00 · Wrap-up use CAD software
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
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electronic components
Devices and components that can be found in electronic systems. These devices can range from simple components such as amplifiers and oscillators, to more complex integrated packages, such as integrated circuits and printed circuit boards.
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integrated circuit types
Types of integrated circuits (IC), such as analog integrated circuits, digital integrated circuits, and mixed-signal integrated circuits.
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battery management systems
The electronic system that manages and monitors the performance of a battery.
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LED lighting components
Semiconductor devices which emit light, visible or infrared, when an electric current passes through them and they get charged. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are produced when holes and electrons, the particles carried by the current, are combined within the semiconductor mechanism.
- CAD software
- design drawings
- electricity
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use technical drawing software
Create technical designs and technical drawings using specialised software.
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use CAD software
Use computer-aided design (CAD) systems to assist in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimisation of a design.
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design integrated circuits
Design and draft integrated circuits (IC) or semiconductors, such as microchips, used in electronic products. Integrate all necessary components, such as diodes, transistors, and resistors. Pay attention to the design of input signals, output signals, and power availability.
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design electronic systems
Draft sketches and design electronic systems, products, and components using Computer Aided Design (CAD) software and equipment. Make a simulation so that an assessment can be made of the viability of the product and so the physical parameters can be examined before the actual building of the product.
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customise drafts
Edit drawings, schematic diagrams, and drafts according to specifications.
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create technical plans
Create detailed technical plans of machinery, equipment, tools and other products.
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liaise with engineers
Collaborate with engineers to ensure common understanding and discuss product design, development and improvement.
Skill DNA
Work personality traits and values that define this role
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Where does integrated circuit design engineer fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
Frequently asked questions
- What kind of software do integrated circuit design engineers typically use?
- Common software includes Cadence Virtuoso, Synopsys tools (like Design Compiler and IC Compiler), and Mentor Graphics (now Siemens EDA) products. Proficiency in these tools is often a requirement.
- Is a background in physics or computer science helpful for this role?
- While an electronics engineering degree is standard, a strong foundation in physics (particularly semiconductor physics) and computer science (especially digital logic design) can be highly beneficial. These areas provide a deeper understanding of the underlying principles.
- What are the key work styles and values for success in this role?
- Success requires meticulous attention to detail (1.C.5.b), a systematic approach to problem-solving (1.C.7.b & 1.C.7.a), a commitment to precision and accuracy (1.C.5.a & 1.C.5.c), and a drive for excellence (1.B.2.a), a focus on quality (1.B.2.c), a desire to contribute to innovation (1.B.2.f), and a dedication to achieving results (1.B.2.b).
- Integrated Circuit Design Engineer — what does it pay in the United States?
- $127,590 a year at the median, as of 2025-05. State medians run from $81,330 to $160,520. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is a United States figure and not a projection for Europe.