Seasonal ASIC Design Associate_

Seasonal ASIC Design Associate – Fermilab

Location:

Batavia, IL

Pay range: $20.00‑$37.50 per hour

Employment:
Fixed‑term or on‑call; see details below.

Fermilab is seeking Graduate Research Assistants to join the Microelectronics Division within the Emerging Technologies Directorate. Our Integrated Circuits (IC) department designs state‑of‑the‑art Application‑Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) for extreme environments, including radiation‑hard, cryogenic, and low‑power front‑end electronics used in high‑energy physics (HEP), quantum sensing, and space instrumentation. You will have the opportunity to contribute to projects in collaboration with world‑class institutions such as CERN, NASA, other U.S. national labs, top‑tier universities, and industry partners.

• Depending on your experience, you will design and simulate analog, digital, and mixed‑signal ASICs, including systems‑on‑chip (SoCs).
• Supporting advanced integration efforts using leading CMOS nodes (28 nm bulk, 22 nm FDSOI).
• Participating in ASIC development for applications including silicon photonics, quantum control, edge computing, and sensor front‑ends.
• Assisting with RTL development, circuit layout, verification, and simulation.
• Collaborating on ASIC tapeouts, post‑silicon validation, and cryogenic or radiation testing.
• Contributing to hardware bring‑up and lab‑based performance testing.

• Enrolled in or recently completed a Master’s or Ph.D. program in Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, or related field.
• Experience with EDA tools (Cadence, Synopsys, or equivalent) for circuit design and simulation.
• Familiarity with CMOS analog or digital design, RTL design (Verilog/System Verilog), or SoC integration.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills; comfort in tackling first‑of‑a‑kind challenges.

• Fixed term:
  Assistantship is 6 months, limited to 20–40 hrs per week.
• On‑Call:
  Assistantship is less than 6 months and/or not 20 hrs per week.

Only fixed‑term employees with a minimum of 20 hrs worked per week are eligible for vacation and benefits.

• Medical, Dental, Vision and Flexible Spending Accounts
• Paid time off
• Life insurance
• Short and Long‑term disability insurance
• Retirement benefits
• On‑site day care

• Hybrid:
  Work part of the week at an alternate United States site (e.g., your residence) and part at the primary worksite. Requires an approved hybrid work request for one or more days per week worked remotely.

Drug‑Free Workplace & Pre‑Employment Screening:
Candidates must successfully complete a background check and drug screening. Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of these screenings.

Equal Opportunity Statement:
Fermilab is an equal‑opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information, and other legally protected categories.

REAL‑t for access to Fermilab Campus:
All members of the public must produce a REAL‑, or equivalent, to access the Fermilab Campus for interviews or career events. If a candidate is selected for an interview but does not possess an equivalent document, a virtual interview may be scheduled.

We’ll be in touch! If your qualifications align with the position requirements, one of our recruiters will reach out to schedule a phone interview to learn more about your career interests and goals. In the meantime, we encourage you to check us out on Facebook, X, Instagram, Linked In, or our About Us page.