IC Design Engineer
RisingEngineering
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.
Picture the job
Where you'd usually workAn electronics bench or lab
An illustration of a typical workplace, not a photo. Real workplaces vary.
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.
- Professional body
- Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM / Lembaga Jurutera Malaysia)
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
Hiring is growing: more openings expected over the next few years.
Your readiness
How your current SPM subjects line up with this career.
Add your SPM grades to see how ready you are for this career.
Add my gradesHow 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.
Diploma
Skill-first qualification. Work after, or enter degree Year 2. Polytechnics keep it affordable.
TVET
Hands-on trades with strong employability: ILP, ADTEC, kolej vokasional, GiatMARA.
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.
Quick answers
How do you become an IC Design Engineer in Malaysia?
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. Optional registration with Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM / Lembaga Jurutera Malaysia) is available.
What should I study to become an IC Design Engineer?
Related fields of study: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. SPM subjects that help most: Physics, Additional Mathematics, Design & Technology (RBT) and Computer Science / ICT.
How much does an IC Design Engineer earn in Malaysia?
We don't yet have a Malaysian source we can cite for IC Design Engineer pay, so we show no figure.
Subjects that matter here
The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.
Skills to build
What beginner adverts asked for
We read 90 internship and fresh-graduate adverts in related fields (August 2026). A small sample from one job site, not every vacancy.
63 of 90 were internships
Allowance or pay, when stated
RM800 – RM2,800
51 of 90 adverts printed an amount: usually between RM800 and RM2,800 a month. Many print none.
Minimum CGPA asked
2.00 to 3.50
Stated in 8 adverts. Others did not state one.
Languages named
Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin
An empty line means the adverts did not say, not that employers have no requirement. Check each employer's own advert before you plan around it.
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