Physical Design Intern

Arm; Valbonne; On-site; EUR 24,000 - 27,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Mentoring program

Social activities

End of internship celebration

Potential for future graduatepositions

Job summary

Arm seeks a Physical Design Intern in France to explore timing and power in CMOS implementation for high‑performance processors. A dedicated expert will mentor your progress and help develop AI‑assisted engineering approaches.

You will investigate timing correlations, compare STA with SPICE, optimise setups, and quantify timing convergence impacts while applying AI tools to daily engineering tasks. 6‑month internship starting in 2027.

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in CS or EE degree (Bachelors/Masters/PhD welcome).
• Interest in physical design and processor implementation.
• Open to candidates with relevant experience despite degree.

Responsibilities

• Analyse timing correlation between physical implementation steps from placement to routing.
• Correlate timing paths between static timing analysis and SPICE simulations.
• Improve physical implementation setup and recipes.
• Quantify impact of timing convergence on max frequency.
• Use AI tools to support data analysis, scripting, debugging and investigations.

Skills

CPU/GPU/digital systems

Synthesis/place & route basics

Attention to detail

Teamwork skills

Education

CS or EE degree in progress

Tools

AI tools for engineering

Job description

Job Overview

Meeting Area, Frequency and Power requirements with a reasonable runtime is one of the most significant activities we encounter when implementing physical IPs, CPU and GPU cores!

Meeting Area, Frequency and Power requirements with a reasonable runtime is one of the most significant activities we encounter when implementing physical IPs, CPU and GPU cores!

As part of the Silicon Enablement Physical Design Implementation team, the intern will take ownership of a research topic directly related to physical implementation performance push, and learn how to implement high performance processors.

We will allocate a dedicated expert engineer to support the intern's progress throughout the internship. They will provide technical mentorship and help develop knowledge of processor implementation and AI-assisted engineering methodologies!

Whatyou Could Be Doing As a Physical Design Intern

Investigate the following topics, under supervision of a tutor, and share your findings through regular presentation to the team:

• Analyse timing correlation between the main physical implementation steps (from standard cell placement to detail routing)
• Correlate critical timing paths between static timing analysis and spice simulation
• Improve physical implementation setup and recipes
• Quantify the impact of improved timing convergence on max achievable frequency
• Use AI and agentic AI tools to support day‑to‑day engineering activities, including data analysis, scripting, debugging, result interpretation and technical investigation.

We are looking for individuals who:

Are currently enrolled and studying towards a Computer Science or Electrical Engineering Degree (Bachelors, Masters or PHD students welcome). Candidates with alternative degrees will also be considered if they have relevant experience.

Qualities That Will Help Your Application Stand Out

• A keen curiosity about CPU, GPU and digital systems.
• Exposure or knowledge of synthesis, place and route tools and techniques.
• Excellent attention to detail and creativity
• Ability to communicate ideas optimally and good interpersonal and teamwork skills.

Additional Information:

We encourage early applications as we review them on a first come/first served basis.

Arm Internships require you to be enrolled in a higher education degree.

The internship duration is 6 months, starting in 2027.

French Law requires students to complete an internship agreement (Convention de Stage). This is a tripartite agreement signed by the student, their home university and host organization, that facilitates an internship in France. It is the contract defining all the essential points of the internship: duration, missions, remuneration and benefits, insurance in the event of an accident, etc.

It is preferable that Arm's own template of the agreement is used. Successful applicants will be required to provide contact details of the appropriate university representatives in order to have the agreement signed.

Please note we are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this role. Applicants must have the right to work in the country where the internship is based, without relying on sponsorship by Arm, for the full duration of the internship

In Return

Working on interesting new projects with leaders in the field is exciting, but we also know how important it is to receive support. That's why throughout your internship, you can expect regular feedback and development opportunities, social activities to connect with your peers, an end of internship celebration, plus the opportunity to be *considered for future Graduate positions (*subject to performance). #getreadytogrow

In addition to a competitive salary of €24,000 to €27,000 per annum (dependent on Bachelors or Masters), our on-the-job learning and mentoring/buddy schemes provide unparalleled learning and networking opportunities from the best in the industry.

Our 10x Mindset

At Arm, we believe progress happens when people are empowered to think bigger and push beyond what seems possible. Our 10x mindset is about curiosity, ambition and creating impact that will be used by millions. We learn fast, prioritise collaboration and turn bold ideas into real technology. We look for people who are inspired by this way of working and want to grow in an environment where bold ideas are welcomed. Discover how the 10x mindset shapes life at Arm: https://careers.arm.com/10x-mindset

Use of AI in Your Application

At Arm, we embrace the benefits AI can bring, including in recruitment. You may use AI to support your preparation, such as improving the clarity of written responses, practicing interview questions, or learning more about our industry. However, your application and interview responses must reflect your own thinking, experience, and abilities. We want to understand your authentic perspective, creativity, and approach to problem solving. As such, you may not use AI to complete assigned tasks as part of any assessments. If you plan to use AI-supported or assistive technologies as part of a reasonable adjustment, please contact [e-mail] so we can support you.

Recruitment Adjustments and Accommodations

At Arm, we want to build extraordinary teams. If you need an adjustment or an accommodation during the recruitment process, please email [e-mail] . To note, by sending us the requested information, you consent to its use by Arm to arrange for appropriate accommodations. All accommodation or adjustment requests will be treated with confidentiality, and information concerning these requests will only be disclosed as necessary to provide the accommodation. Although this is not an exhaustive list, examples of support include breaks between interviews, having documents read aloud, or office accessibility. Please email us about anything we can do to accommodate you during the recruitment process.

Hybrid Working

Arm’s approach to hybrid working is designed to create a working environment that supports both high performance and personal wellbeing. We believe in bringing people together face to face to enable us to work at pace, whilst recognizing the value of flexibility. Within that framework, we empower groups/teams to determine their own hybrid working patterns, depending on the work and the team’s needs. Details of what this means for each role will be shared upon application. In some cases, the flexibility we can offer is limited by local legal, regulatory, tax, or other considerations, and where this is the case, we will collaborate with you to find the best solution. Please talk to us to find out more about what this could look like for you.

Equal Opportunities

Arm is an equal opportunity employer, committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal opportunities are available to all applicants and colleagues. We are a diverse organization of dedicated and innovative individuals, and don’t discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.