IC Layout Engineering Services
Analog, mixed-signal, and digital backend layout for 28nm and above. Expert IC layout engineers from the US, China, India, and other parts of Asia — deep domain knowledge, competitive rates.
What we do
Full-spectrum IC layout, delivered as flexible contract resources working under your technical direction inside your VDI environment.
Full-custom layout with deep expertise in device matching, noise isolation, electromigration-aware routing, and DRC/LVS clean delivery.
Floorplanning, place and route, clock tree synthesis, timing closure, and physical verification for digital and mixed blocks at mature nodes.
Top-level assembly, power network design, IO ring integration, and tape-out preparation — delivered DRC and LVS clean.
Technology coverage
We operate exclusively at 28nm and above — the sweet spot for analog, mixed-signal, and cost-efficient digital designs.
Compatible foundries
Why GDS Forge
Senior IC layout engineers billed at $55–$110/hr — without compromising on quality or domain-specific experience.
EE graduates from top universities in the US, China, India, and across Asia with 5–22 years of hands-on IC layout experience across analog, mixed-signal, and digital domains.
Our engineers are based in the US and across Asia — combining direct client-side experience with deep foundry knowledge at TSMC, SMIC, and UMC nodes. We arrange communication schedules that work for your team, competitive rates, and a single US-entity contract.
Engineers work inside your VDI or remote desktop using your EDA licenses. Design data stays in your systems — no file transfers through GDS Forge.
We operate exclusively at 28nm and above. No controlled technology transfers. Our compliance posture is reviewed by qualified US legal counsel.
Engage one engineer or a full team. Scale up during tape-out crunch; scale down when the project closes. No long-term headcount commitments.
Our Team
Our layout engineers are based in the US, China, India, and other parts of Asia — EE graduates from top universities with 5–22 years of hands-on IC layout experience across analog, mixed-signal, and digital domains.
The challenge
Senior IC layout talent — especially for analog and mixed-signal — is one of the scarcest resources in the US semiconductor industry. Hiring takes months, and the pipeline is thin.
Experienced US layout engineers command $100–$150/hr on contract. For a tape-out requiring 3 engineers over 6 months, that's $700K+ — often more than a startup's entire layout budget.
Hiring full-time for a project that ends at tape-out creates retention risk and severance overhead. Contract resources are the right model — but quality contract engineers are even harder to find.
The instinct is right — but the risk is manageable. GDS Forge engineers work inside your VDI environment using your EDA licenses. Your design data never touches our systems.
FAQ
All engagements are structured for 28nm and above process nodes only. Layout experts from the US, China, India, and other parts of Asia, operating within client-controlled VDI environments — design data never transits GDS Forge systems. Export control posture reviewed by qualified US legal counsel.
How it works
Share your process node, design type, and timeline. We match you with engineers who have direct domain experience.
Standard US contract — IP assignment, NDA, and T&M billing. Net-30 invoicing based on monthly timesheets.
Your IT provisions VDI access. Engineers connect securely and begin work in your EDA environment immediately.
Regular progress reports and sync calls scheduled at times convenient for your team. DRC/LVS-clean layout blocks delivered through tape-out completion.
Get in touch
Tell us your process node, design type, team size, and timeline. We respond within one business day with a proposed engineer profile and rate.
