Semiconductor Design Engineer Jobs in Paris, France
Most of France's chip design work clusters in two places: the Grenoble corridor and the Paris / Île-de-France region. If you are looking at Paris specifically, the anchor employers are STMicroelectronics, with mixed-signal and smart card IC teams across its Rousset and Paris-area sites, and Arm's French CPU IP group, which handles processor design and verification.
Soitec sits upstream of most of it, supplying the SOI wafers that many French and European fabs build on. Around those names is a layer of smaller shops: NXP France and Infineon France on the automotive side, Prophesee on neuromorphic vision sensors, Thales on defense silicon, and a steady trickle of CEA-Leti spin-outs chasing photonics and AI accelerators.
The work splits along familiar lines. Mixed-signal and analog IC design at STMicroelectronics. CPU IP design and verification at Arm France. Automotive-grade parts at NXP and Infineon, where functional safety and long qualification cycles shape the job more than raw PPA. Smart card and secure-element design, which France has done well for decades. And accelerator work at the startups, usually in English if the backing is international.
One thing worth knowing before you apply: language. STMicroelectronics, Soitec, and most of the established French employers expect working French, and you will want it for daily life anyway. Arm France and the VC-backed startups tend to run in English. If your French is weak, filter toward the international names first.
CEA-Leti in Grenoble is the research engine behind a lot of this. It works on advanced nodes, 3D-IC, and photonics integration, and it trains a large share of the engineers who end up at the companies above. When you see "ex-Leti" on half a startup's team page, that is why.
Pay varies more by company type than by title here. The established industrials pay steady, structured salaries; the startups trade some cash for equity. For current ranges across European semiconductor roles, see our semiconductor salary guide.
If you are weighing France against the rest of Europe, it is worth looking at related openings in STMicroelectronics mixed-signal design and semiconductor design jobs in Munich, which draw from the same talent pool. Set up a profile on semidesignjobs.com and turn on France alerts, and you will get an email when something matching your filters opens.
FAQ
What semiconductor companies hire design engineers in France?
The biggest is STMicroelectronics, with design centers in Crolles, Rousset, Grenoble, and the Paris suburbs. Arm France does CPU IP design, Soitec makes SOI wafers, and NXP and Infineon run French automotive teams. On the startup side there is Prophesee in neuromorphic vision, Thales in defense silicon, and a number of CEA-Leti spin-outs.
What is the role of CEA-Leti in France's semiconductor sector?
CEA-Leti, in Grenoble, is one of Europe's main semiconductor research institutes. It works on advanced process nodes, 3D-IC, and photonics integration, and it trains a large share of France's chip design engineers. Many French semiconductor startups began as Leti spin-outs, which is why its alumni turn up across the industry.
Do semiconductor design jobs in France require French?
For most established French employers, including STMicroelectronics and Soitec, working French is expected, and you will need it for daily life. International companies like Arm France often operate in English, and many VC-backed startups use English as their working language, especially if they are targeting global markets. If your French is limited, start with the international names.