Design -vs- Layout of RF IC, which one is better?

[gift4jo]

I got a excellent opportunity to work for a high frequency IC design team in a wellknown semiconductor company. But I have no experience in analog IC design. What I have done in my Master/PhD are some mask designs with Cadence and quite a lot of ASIC / SOC designs. So when the interviewer ask me about my interest position, Design, Layout or Simulation, I don't know which is more challenging and highest demanded (MORE MONEY PAID ) in current market. I chose layout designer as my starting position which is suggested by one of colleague before.
But some people say layout work is more suitable for girls (I am male).

So how do you think? design or layout? Which one is better for me, a PhD guy with no analog IC design experience? and why?

Please help me on this question, thank you!!!!

 

[Teddy]

Layout - if you do RF you WANT for sure do your own layout of critical blocks.
Rest is time consuming slavery - by what I am not saying that anybody can do it. GOOD!!!! layout guys is hard to find. And good RF ones even harder.

But in my opinion to have Phd and go for layout is not a good idea. You should have go for design with doing your own layout

P.s. I am not a girl and do not thing layout is girly thing. I know more men who do layout. I mean good one.

 

[gift4jo]

Thank you for your quick reply. You are right. Putting other people's readymade blocks together is not a challenging job and maybe a bit boring. To become a good IC designer I do want to understand both the design part and the layout part. But now as a graduate I have no experience on both of them. I have to start with somewhere. How do you think if I do layout first for two years and meanwhile I will study the RF/CMOS IC design, and later go for the design work with understanding of layout. It sounds good to me, but dont know whether it is possible or not?

 

[sp]

changing from one department to another department... normally are not prefer in a company.... but it is possible....

or change ur job...

sp

 

[gift4jo]

This is a design team including some engineer doing design, some doing laytout and some doing simiulation. As a junior engineer, I think I still have chance to choose what I want to do.

Say I want to grow perfessionally in RFIC design, is it is worth to do the layout first.

 

[laglead]

This is a design team including some engineer doing design, some doing laytout and some doing simiulation. As a junior engineer, I think I still have chance to choose what I want to do.

Say I want to grow perfessionally in RFIC design, is it is worth to do the layout first.

I think it depends if you have circuit experiences before. If you do, then layout posisition is good for you. Layout in RF analog is very important compared with other layout work and demand good circuit design insight as well. Of course it is a high-paid job, at least in my opinion.

 

[gift4jo]

Thank you all. Any other opinion?

 

[soorajsram]

But to be a good designer it is must to know about the layout. So, always
its better to start as a layout designer and then gradually move on to the
front-end designing.

All the best.

 

[Puppet1]

Take Layout job, do a good job there and always be interested in design.

When they see you do good layout, ask for some easy designs, then you can move up.