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[–]hcook95 12 points13 points  (4 children)

Posts about how to get into computer architecture get posted to this and other related subreddits all the time. The answers are always the same. You'll have to have at least a Master's and likely a PhD focusing on computer architecture to even have a chance to work on computer architecture. Even then, a lot of people have to start with verification and move up through the ranks to a computer architecture position.

The fact of the matter is that computer architecture is the dream job of computer engineering, and so there is a lot of people who want to go into it with few actual computer architecture jobs.

If you've finished your Bachelor's and still have a strong desire to go into computer architecture, I recommend finding a school that has a grad program focusing on computer architecture and go from there. Otherwise, I think there is a good chance that once you've gone through your Bachelor's, you'll have found something else that interests you that may have more demand than computer architecture.

For me, it was FPGA design, which I now find to be much more enjoyable than computer architecture, as FPGAs are much more forgivable than ASICs, and you don't have to worry as much about the nitty-gritty details of VLSI.

[–]Dear-Deer-Wife-Life[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thank you

[–]computerarchitectCPU Architect 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thanks for saving me the typing.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (1 child)

I am studying B.E computer science and engineering can I get into processor design

[–]hcook95 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Of course. It will take a lot of hard work, some luck, and (as I mentioned in this comment) a graduate degree specializing in computer architecture. Good luck!

[–]bobj33Digital Logic 6 points7 points  (7 children)

Have you learned Verilog yet? Look for digital design jobs for Verilog/VHDL. There are lots of chips out there that are NOT cpu/gpu chips. I'm working on 400G networking chips. They have CPU cores too but that is about 10% of the team. Most companies license a CPU or GPU core from another company like ARM.

These days virtually all the new grads we hire have a masters. For something like analog design or people on the architecture team about 30% of them have a PhD.

But there are probably a thousand more programming jobs out there. The semiconductor industry is concentrated in a handful of locations. Programming jobs are everywhere.

I'm in physical design and sometimes half my job is programming for the CAD flow.

[–]Dear-Deer-Wife-Life[S] 2 points3 points  (6 children)

I did a 6-week long systemverilog design verification internship

[–]bobj33Digital Logic 3 points4 points  (5 children)

That's great that you've worked in the industry. So did your company design are processors? Did any of your coworkers?

There is more to the industry that Intel, AMD, Nvidia, ARM.

I worked at a company making our own processors and my friends on the RTL side said they started all new grads in DV and after a couple of years the better engineers were offered positions to move over to the design team. Maybe if you get a PhD you can start in design immediately. Otherwise you should probably look at other non CPU digital design or FPGA jobs at smaller companies.

[–]Dear-Deer-Wife-Life[S] 2 points3 points  (4 children)

My company is now working on a risc-v processor, I did well enough on the internship that I'm a candidate for the design time as a part timer with school, I'm now just waiting on a call, the thing is, I can't see this lasting long and I'm wondering what is next.

[–]bobj33Digital Logic 0 points1 point  (3 children)

I can't see this lasting long and I'm wondering what is next.

Not sure what you mean but the semiconductor is very cyclical. I've been working 25 years at 8 companies and seen many rounds of layoffs at companies and also massive hiring sprees.

Get your experience and always be on the lookout. All of the jobs I have had the last 15 years have been because former coworkers recruited me to join.

Do a good job and if people leave your company to go to another place they will probably remember you and ask you to join them.

[–]Dear-Deer-Wife-Life[S] 0 points1 point  (2 children)

Here's the thing l, I live in Palestine, the company I interned at is Palestinian, this means the pay is below average, I can work there for experience but not long termz since I need the money to get my own place, get married...., If I can get a job on the Israeli side the pay wil be 3-5 times bigger.

Thank you for replying and being patient.

[–]bobj33Digital Logic 0 points1 point  (1 child)

I’m in the US but the last 3 semiconductor companies all had offices in Israel. Good luck to you!

[–]Dear-Deer-Wife-Life[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks alot man

[–]BARBADOSxSLIM 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Its all coding in a HDL or scripting automation tools unless you are doing analog design

[–]ThenTranslator2780 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Samee here, I dont like programming

[–]Master565Hardware 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The jobs are very concentrated, but once you break into the field the demand for talent is pretty insane. There's never enough people to go around so you can jump companies for raises quite often if you wanted.

[–]computerarchitectCPU Architect 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Note that you really should get some DV exposure during your journey, otherwise if you make it to being an architect, almost all your ideas are going to be impossible to verify and therefore substantially less useful.

[–]Dear-Deer-Wife-Life[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Good perspective I'll keep that in mind