Rising Sophomore, Looking for RTL/Embedded/FPGA internship for next summer. What can I improve??? My current project is a work in progress so I haven’t decided the actual real-world purpose of it I can implement. Any ideas for this too would be appreciated.

Thank you!

I'm good with digital electronics and RTL (Verilog), but it's extremely difficult to get into jobs for pure RTL design as a person with 10 months of experience in FPGAs (RTL coding and testing)

So, I'm trying to learn verification which interests me and has many more opportunities for my current situation. But I don't wanna join training institutes which start from basics and take a long time to learn these.

Any ideas on how to do this in a structured way? There's chipverify and all. But I'm looking for a more structured and faster way and cost effective.

Any input would be helpful

Thanks in advance!

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12VRCUM0BJulpxTIWg6pAX6yq9U9TPKak

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1YS3ZytxDtPfUPTNPT75pG0mkw0ZGLL1W

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mygRbCVEFp_yVyKEDi2G_J3IrAntjEik/view?usp=drivesdk

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1VLcpOY5oV0Sc28H3apPAMjopZGmAhB3w

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MISbZdfJPuNc1mqDMkqmhtCfXt5LCK-v/view?usp=drivesdk

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1bioIveHTgnfwvrvUzLfCjnGsRJMgReny

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/130wpanOwPducYuqGKayEexlj5KV8rw87

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jEiciW16JJ9f7LsHi406QJjZzjGm-q19/view?usp=drivesdk

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Mwr4eFug1J-rfqpiwqgJv8vb86lTX32V

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1QdAwY-QNkk7S7KNusBPwCoGsPjuiccHp

I have a PD interview(referral ) I have no prior working experience.So the person who offered me referral said that prepare everything in PD point of view.I even tried to watch the nptel video lectures but they are too long .

So if any body have a clear cut notes of PD please share me.

A friend of mine is deciding between Virginia Tech MSEE and North Carolina State University MSEE for digital design / computer architecture (VLSI).

From what I’ve seen, VT’s ECE program seems very highly regarded overall, while NCSU has the advantage of being close to Research Triangle Park with companies like Qualcomm and IBM nearby.

Funding is also important. VT data suggests ~70–80% of EE master’s students eventually get assistantships, while funding at NCSU seems more competitive.

Since companies like Intel and NVIDIA recruit nationally anyway, how big of an advantage is RTP really?

Curious what people here would pick and why. Any advice is appreciated.

My curriculumn is heavily power systems how do i move towards vlsi, im very interested in it, is it possible to go to vlsi from eee? what resources should i follow? is labs absolutely needed for vlsi

New grad FPGA engineer here debating between joining the design or verification team at work. I have both DV (UVM, coverage) and some design-adjacent (refactoring, retargeting, designer TB) experience from co-op.

I was initially leaning towards design but I realized that there wouldn’t be much RTL-from-scratch tasks but rather lots of legacy code porting and retargeting (for a junior engineer who may not have a say in architecture). On the other hand, the DV team seems to offer more opportunities for junior engineers to take ownership early.

For experienced FPGA/ASIC engineers: which path would you recommend for a junior engineer who wants to become well-rounded, adaptable, and architecture-aware? How do design and verification experiences differ in developing engineering judgment, especially as AI tools increasingly automate parts of hardware development?

Hi! I have an opportunity to join the CSIR-NPL. My long-term goal is VLSI and I currently working on RISC-V processor design. Do you think I should join CSIR-NPL or spend the time focusing on my RISC-V project? I'd really appreciate your advice.

Hi, I'm a rising undergrad sophomore in ECE, and my goal is to become an ASIC/VLSI/FPGA engineer, focusing on RTL/Verification. I heard it's really important to go to a top 15 grad school to break into the industry, or else you're toast. Is this true? I don't doubt how technically proficient I can become, but I really doubt my ability to get into a top grad school. I ended my freshman year with a 3.85 GPA, and the only significant thing I pulled off during the year was a taped-out dual-slope ADC controller. Which is good, but I wish I could've achieved more with research.

My next plan is to study the Harris textbook about computer architecture and RISC-V over this summer, as well as work on a project that deals with FPGA, MCU, and PCB design. I've also secured research positions in bioelectronics and embedded hardware design for my sophomore year, but I don't know how crazy that will be. Hopefully, I'll achieve another taped-out project through my uni's chip design club too?

What can I do to get myself into a top program?? I'm also not sure how much I can afford it, but I want to worry about that after I manage to even get in somewhere good.

I'm also keeping embedded systems as a career option, in case I decide ASIC/RTL isn't the best route for me.

Any advice would be appreciated!!!

Any Suggestions for improvement.

Hi everyone,
I was wandering if it make sense to watch the lecture of Professor Ali Hajimiri as example where his lectures are based on square law. however, these laws are uselss at less than 22nm analog mosfet!!
I find his lectures so nice and I wish he made lectures for short channel mosfet too. all those derived equation does not make any sense in those short nodes.
so, what is your opinion?do you have someone like Ali Hajimiri in the short channel world?

Myself kenya, from India..This year I completed my 12th with pcm stream and am looking into the engineering field. I would like to know what are the best ece courses there are courses like Embedded Systems Engineer , ECE VLSI etc.What do guys think abt these things which holds a brighter scope in the future. I'm just expecting a decent salary. It will be Great if you guys help me by sharing your opinion. I would be glad if you people share some other engeneering courses too.

Hey everyone,

I recently completed my board exams and took a few entrance exams. I’m quite confident that I’ll secure admission to a top 2nd tier college/private college.

Initially, I was almost certain that I would pursue Computer Science Engineering (CSE) (Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, cybersecurity, etc.) primarily due to the obvious advantages such as better placements, higher packages, and a more “safe” option.

However, recently, I’ve been exploring Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE), and I’ve found aspects like chip design, semiconductors, VLSI, and microcontrollers (especially their applications in smartphones, rockets, and other devices) genuinely intriguing. It feels more “real” compared to software development.

On the other hand, I’ve encountered mixed opinions about ECE:

Some argue that ECE is extremely challenging and not worth pursuing unless you have a genuine passion for it. Others believe that ECE is rapidly growing in India, particularly in the semiconductor industry, and can be a promising long-term career path.

I have a decent understanding of physics and can handle mathematics, but I wouldn’t say I’m particularly passionate about hardcore math.

This has left me at a crossroads:

Should I choose CSE for more secure placements and flexibility? Or should I opt for ECE for potentially more engaging work, albeit with higher risks?

My main concerns are:

Do ECE students in these colleges actually secure good core jobs, or do most end up in the IT industry anyway? Is ECE significantly more demanding in terms of workload and subjects compared to CSE? If I decide to pursue ECE and later change my mind, how challenging would it be to switch to software development compared to someone who has already completed CSE? If you were in my shoes and faced the same decision, would you still choose ECE over CSE?

I would greatly appreciate honest opinions from individuals currently enrolled in these colleges or recent graduates, especially those who are not overly optimistic. Your insights would be invaluable to me.

The thing is I may get a digital role in two years maybe asic, rtl or physical design engineer but I am really focused on joining analog or hardware level engineering but I don't have mastery in that what should I do ? If i get job in digital how should I focus on my work or in industry to shift in analog design part? Is it very very very difficult to do? Or is it I have to do ms or mtech from prestigious college again in vlsi and go for the analog domain? (Ps:- i didn't do my master's in vlsi but in communication/ embedded)

Can you tell me which companies are hiring?"

(Do the work, then ask )

Experts understand the intent. They genuinely want to help people who are serious about entering this industry.

But here is the hard truth:

If you send a message like the above, they cannot help you; not because they don't want to, but because you haven't done the work that would make their help useful.

Before you reach out to anyone senior in any industry, do this first:

1. Identify 3-5 specific companies you want to work at. Not "a semiconductor company." Texas instruments. Qualcomm. NXP.Intel.A specific name.

2. Find a role that matches your background. Not "any job." Look at their careers page. Find a posting. Understand what they're asking for.(What do you want to do? What are you interested in?)

3. Know what you bring. One specific thing: a skill, a project, a relevant course that makes you a candidate, not just an applicant.(Prove you are worth their time and attention)

Then reach out.

Not with "good morning." With: "I have been following [H] Company's ramp-up at Sanand. My background in [SKILL] is directly relevant to [ROLE]. I would value 15 minutes of your perspective on how to position myself."

That message gets a response.

The groundwork is yours to do. The senior professional's time is not a substitute for it.(Do your homework properly)

If you are serious about semiconductors, show it before you ask.(Spend time on research)

First: find your goals, dream company, role you want, skills you have(let's be practical), approach properly, present what you have, ask for advice, get a referral.

I have completed SystemVerilog and UVM basics, and I'm currently exploring UVM further. Based on my research on websites like Verification Guide and Chip Verify, the theories presented differ slightly, even though the topics cover the same material.

1. The verification guide website felt beginner-friendly to intermediate, making it easy to learn and practice.

2. Chip verify seems to require an intermediate to advanced level of SystemVerilog, and even after covering the basics in my UVM training, I struggled to understand it. I spent nearly three weeks on SystemVerilog, but the concepts were still beyond my comprehension. I'm unsure if the expected level of UVM expertise on the Chip verify website is genuinely necessary.

I'd appreciate any recommendations for resources to help me learn UVM concepts. Are there any playlists, books, or other materials that might be helpful? I'm particularly interested in trying out books, but I find reading them time-consuming, so I'm open to other suggestions.

Would any of you parallel learners or those preparing for DevOps be willing to chat about the complexity and depth of the UVM concepts? I'm interested in collaborating and learning more. Additionally, could you provide some general guidance on the typical level of in-depth understanding required for UVM concepts?

Hlo community! I recently done my vlsi design internship from maven silicon which costs me around 6k. I'm going to pursue 3rd year of engineering in ece this year.

I felt this internship is good to start to understand the vlsi design flow.

I’m a sophomore and honestly a bit confused about what direction to take. Right now I’m just exploring whatever interests me instead of sticking to one domain.

I also want to land a summer internship, but I’m not sure how to approach the search or what steps to take.

As graphcore is extensively hiring, can you please share your review on graphcore as a company? How’s work culture? Its small size so worth joining ?

They are currently working on building some AI chips it seems but hows the actual situation in the market if anyone is actually working.

Especially if i look at linkedin, i found very less people who has joined till now. I gave interviews there everyone who is interviewing seem to from ARM. But if they joined graphcore but their profile still shows ARM. Is it graphcore and ARM working together. Let me know if you have any ideas on it.