Source: Future Dreamer WeChat Official Account Author: Sun Lu (Senior User of EETOP)
Since I started university, my childhood friends and I have gone our separate ways for many years. Everyone has developed in their own way, working in different industries, and one by one, they have become experts.
So, a classmate asked me, “You say you work in semiconductors and chips, and I’ve heard the salaries are pretty high? Can you tell me what exactly you do?”
After hearing this, I suddenly felt a heavy weight on my shoulders, “Where should I start…”
Actually, what I was thinking was: How would I know!?
Later, after immersing myself in this industry for a few years, I slowly gained some insights. Although I am still only halfway knowledgeable, I have gathered enough to at least impress the onlookers.
I have worked in an EDA company and then moved to a design service company, where I mainly dealt with ASIC-related projects. As for high-end products like server chips, I probably wouldn’t get a chance to touch them.
So, I will start with the familiar ASIC to educate everyone on what we actually do!
Why Are We Valuable!
An ASIC chip project typically begins with market research.
No matter what this project is about, the company initiating it will definitely conduct efficient market analysis to decide what kind of new product to develop, where the target market is, when to launch it, and so on. To analyze this well requires not only the accumulation of historical experience but also insight into future markets, which is not something we small engineers can see.
Next, once the organization decides to develop a new product, it must define the product and conduct a system-level analysis. After system-level verification, the ASIC design process will turn this theoretical concept into a tangible hardware product.
This roughly outlines what an ASIC design team needs to do.
So, what does the ASIC design process that is most relevant to us look like?
It starts with writing RTL code and functional verification. Then, it proceeds to logic synthesis and physical design. Finally, the process ends with logic verification, timing verification, and physical verification. After everything is completed, it is sent to the foundry for production.
Although I used less than a hundred words above, it seems very simple, the entire chip realization process is actually quite complex. It requires hundreds or thousands of iterations in certain design steps, squeezing various metrics until the final result is acceptable.
Moreover, the entire process also consumes a large amount of electrical resources, hardware resources, and most importantly, money.
Regarding money, or rather the budget, it is particularly important to mention that the computer-aided software (EDA) used in the chip realization process is extremely expensive, often costing millions or tens of millions of dollars; high-performance CPU server clusters with large storage capacities are also very expensive, similarly in the millions or tens of millions of dollars range.
Of course, engineers who can skillfully operate and implement this design process are even more valuable than diamonds. Some may ask, isn’t the total salary of engineers less than the costs of software and hardware?
I would say yes, you are right. But why don’t you try not hiring an engineer and see if these software and hardware can automatically design a chip?
So the question arises.
How many shining “diamonds” are needed in an ASIC chip project?
In fact, regardless of the size of the chip or its application and functional domain, we need the following 9 types of engineers to assist or guide the entire design chain:
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System Architect: Defines the system-level architecture of the entire chip
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Logic Designer: Writes RTL code
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Verification Engineer: Verifies the functionality of the chip and generates verilog code
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DFT Engineer: Ensures the testability coverage of the chip
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Physical Designer: Completes the physical realization of the chip
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Software Engineer: Writes the software application for the chip
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Application Engineer: Establishes reference application designs for clients
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Test Engineer: Writes test programs for the product
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Product Engineer: Ensures the manufacturing process of the chip in the factory
In addition, in most projects, we often need a Project Manager.
They need to navigate between design, testing, product, and market, setting a schedule for the project to ensure it can be completed on time and within budget.
If the project manager also serves as a business manager, they must continuously adjust the schedule expectations based on market conditions and project progress, as well as control additional resources.
Another key role is the Design Lead.
This position leads the entire design team from a technical perspective. The design lead does not need to know all the technical details but cannot be a jack of all trades. However, they must possess a deep understanding of IC design concepts and extensive design experience.
An incompetent design lead can become a disaster for a project. A wrong technical decision can lead to delays, financial losses, and even missing the market window for the product.
In summary, these engineers form a design team that can be large or small. Only with clear division of labor and seamless cooperation can a chip be ultimately delivered to the application vendor, turning it into a tangible product in the hands of consumers.
The design cycle for modern ASIC chip projects ranges from as short as three months to as long as three years. This is not only a high-risk industry but also one full of opportunities. With the country increasing its investment in semiconductor integrated circuits, more and more schools and companies have started joint training mechanisms to accumulate talent for the future semiconductor industry in China.
For newcomers just entering the industry, whether you are starting your career or still studying hard in school, opportunities in the industry are right in front of you. Finding your preferred career direction and diligently mastering basic technologies is the way to go.
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