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IC Design Engineer

Rising

Engineering

Designs and verifies the circuits inside computer chips (RTL design, verification, physical layout or analogue design) using EDA software. Most jobs are in Penang's IC design cluster (Intel, AMD, Oppstar, SkyeChip), Kulim, and the IC design parks in Puchong and Cyberjaya.

Electrical EngineeringComputer Science

In Malaysia

How people get into it here
SPM (Physics, Add Maths) → Matrikulasi, Asasi, STPM or Diploma → Bachelor's in Electrical & Electronic, Computer or Microelectronic Engineering → graduate IC design, verification or physical design engineer. Industry programmes such as CREST's ETSI and ASEM training help fresh graduates, and some science and computing graduates are reskilled into IC design.

Sources:crest.mymida.gov.mytalentcorp.com.my

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

PhysicsCurrent, voltage and circuits start here.
Additional MathematicsSize cables and loads without guessing.
Design & Technology (RBT)Hands-on building and wiring practice.
Computer Science / ICTYour head start on programming.
EnglishMost docs and tech teams work in English.

Skills to build

Logical, detail-oriented problem-solvingPatience for long debug and verification cyclesTeamwork across design, verification and layout teamsContinuous learning

Pay in the private market

Monthly pay from fresh grad to mid-career, from the salary guide cited on this page.

No official pay figure is published for this job, so we show none.

Government pay isn't shown: we haven't yet sourced the SSPA civil-service salary tables, and we won't estimate them.

Job demand outlook

Rising

Hiring is growing: more openings expected over the next few years.

Your readiness

How your current SPM subjects line up with this career.

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Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

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How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

Diploma

Skill-first qualification. Work after, or enter degree Year 2. Polytechnics keep it affordable.

2.5–3 years

TVET

Hands-on trades with strong employability: ILP, ADTEC, kolej vokasional, GiatMARA.

1–3 years

About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org