Roles we place
Design verification engineers
SystemVerilog and UVM testbenches, coverage closure, formal and SoC-level verification. See hire VLSI engineers.
DFT engineers
Scan insertion, ATPG, MBIST, JTAG and IEEE 1687 networks, and pattern debug with silicon teams. More on DFT.
Physical design and STA engineers
Floorplan, place and route, clock tree synthesis, timing closure, IR drop and signoff on advanced and mature nodes.
Post-silicon validation engineers
Board bring-up, silicon validation scripts, characterisation and debug. More on post-silicon validation.
ATE test engineers
Test program development, load-board bring-up and test-time reduction on V93000 and UltraFLEX. More on ATE test engineering.
Product, yield and reliability engineers
STDF data analysis, yield learning, burn-in and qualification for OSAT/ATMP lines and AEC-Q100 parts.
Semiconductor roles, skills and tools
| Role | Core skills | Typical tools and standards |
|---|---|---|
| Design verification | UVM, SystemVerilog assertions, functional coverage, constrained-random stimulus | Synopsys VCS, Cadence Xcelium, Siemens Questa, UVM (IEEE 1800.2) |
| DFT | Scan, ATPG, MBIST, boundary scan, compression, pattern debug | Siemens Tessent, Synopsys TestMAX, IEEE 1149.1, IEEE 1687 |
| Physical design | Floorplan, PnR, CTS, congestion and power closure | Cadence Innovus, Synopsys Fusion Compiler |
| STA | Constraints, multi-corner multi-mode timing, ECOs | Synopsys PrimeTime, Cadence Tempus |
| Post-silicon validation | Bring-up, Python automation, protocol debug, characterisation | Lauterbach TRACE32, oscilloscopes and protocol analysers, Python |
| ATE test engineer | Test program development, correlation, test-time reduction | Advantest V93000, Teradyne UltraFLEX, Teradyne J750, STDF |
| Product / yield / reliability | Yield analysis, bin review, burn-in, HTOL and qualification | STDF tools, JMP or Python, AEC-Q100 |
How hiring works
01
Role brief
We confirm the block or test scope, node and flow, EDA or ATE platform, site (design centre, GCC or OSAT floor) and the engagement model.
02
Technical screening by practising engineers
Practising VLSI and test engineers interview on testbench architecture, DFT or timing problems, or ATE program debug that match the role. The method is set out on how we vet engineers.
03
Shortlist with written assessment
The shortlist carries a written assessment per candidate: tools used in production, tape-outs or product ramps supported, notice period and joining date.
04
Your interviews
You interview the shortlisted engineers and decide. We coordinate panels and collect feedback.
05
Onboarding and follow-up
We complete contracts and onboarding and hold regular check-ins after the start, including for engineers on OSAT or lab floors.
Engagement options
- Staff augmentation: verification, DFT, PD or ATE engineers on contract for a tape-out or product ramp
- Contract-to-hire: bridge long notice periods and convert on terms agreed in the contract
- Permanent recruitment: searches for leads and specialists you employ directly
- Dedicated engineering teams: verification or validation pods for design centres and GCCs
- Managed testing services: a scoped post-silicon or ATE work package instead of individual hires
India's semiconductor hiring market and buyer risks
The Union Cabinet approved Semicon 2.0 on 15 July 2026 with an outlay of ₹1,27,500 crore across six pillars, one of which is talent; inc42 reports 315 universities training students on EDA tools and about 68,000 students trained. Micron's Sanand ATMP plant was inaugurated on 28 February 2026, according to Morung Express, and assembly and test plants like it create immediate demand for ATE, product, yield and reliability engineers. MeitY reports that its Design Linked Incentive scheme supports 24 chip-design projects with 16 tape-outs so far.
Demand is concentrated in a few skills. Xpheno counted about 3,400 active semiconductor openings, led by design, physical design and validation and verification roles, and NITI Aayog (May 2026) calls for skills beyond generic VLSI, including advanced packaging and reliability. Experienced engineers in India commonly serve 60 to 90 days' notice, and counter-offers are frequent in a tight market. Contract-to-hire and staff augmentation keep a tape-out on schedule while permanent hires join. For a wider view of the talent pool, see semiconductor talent.
Need testing as well as engineers?
- Scope a campaign through semiconductor testing
- Plan bring-up with board bring-up and characterization
- Start verification work through pre-silicon verification with UVM
- See the delivery side on the semiconductor pillar
Frequently asked questions
Which semiconductor roles do you staff?
Design verification, formal verification, DFT, physical design, STA, post-silicon validation, ATE test, product, yield and reliability engineers. We place them with fabless companies, design centres, GCCs and OSAT/ATMP operations. Each candidate is screened on the specific flow, node and platform in your brief.
Can you hire for a new OSAT or ATMP facility?
Yes. A new assembly and test line needs ATE program developers, test and product engineers, yield and reliability engineers and equipment-facing technicians. We work from your ramp plan to brief roles in sequence, starting with the engineers who must be in place for correlation and qualification, and combine contract and permanent hiring where it helps.
How long does it take to hire a VLSI engineer in India?
The main variable is notice period: experienced engineers commonly serve 60 to 90 days. Screening and shortlisting run in parallel with your interviews, and we state each candidate's notice period and joining date on the shortlist. Engineers available now can start on contract while a permanent hire serves notice.
Do your ATE engineers know V93000 and UltraFLEX?
Those are the platforms most often named in Indian test job advertisements, so we screen for them explicitly, along with J750 for mixed-signal and lower-cost work. The written assessment says which tester, which device types and which stages (bring-up, correlation, test-time reduction, production release) each engineer has handled.
Who owns the IP our contract engineers create?
IP ownership and confidentiality are set in the contract before work starts. Engineers sign your NDAs and work on your licensed EDA tools and infrastructure, and access is limited to what the role needs. Tell us at the brief stage if you need segregated working areas or specific access controls.
What if an engineer leaves mid-tape-out?
Replacement terms are agreed in the contract before the engagement starts. We hold regular check-ins to spot problems early, and a written assessment on file for each role speeds up a replacement search. For critical milestones, a small pod under a dedicated team model spreads knowledge across more than one engineer.
Can engineers work onsite at our design centre or test floor?
Yes. Verification, DFT and physical design engineers often work remotely on your compute farm, while post-silicon and ATE engineers usually need to be on your lab or test floor. Location is agreed per role, in Bengaluru or another Indian city.
Tell us the roles, seniority and start date. A practice lead replies with matched profiles.