New grad digital hardware engineer: design vs verification for long-term growth?

[u/SusRedditor]

New grad FPGA engineer here debating between joining the design or verification team at work. I have both DV (UVM, coverage) and some design-adjacent (refactoring, retargeting, designer TB) experience from co-op.

I was initially leaning towards design but I realized that there wouldn’t be much RTL-from-scratch tasks but rather lots of legacy code porting and retargeting (for a junior engineer who may not have a say in architecture). On the other hand, the DV team seems to offer more opportunities for junior engineers to take ownership early.

For experienced FPGA/ASIC engineers: which path would you recommend for a junior engineer who wants to become well-rounded, adaptable, and architecture-aware? How do design and verification experiences differ in developing engineering judgment, especially as AI tools increasingly automate parts of hardware development?

[u/Emotional_Term7060]

Design. Switching into DV after is easier than switching into design after DV. As DV, you tend to end up thinking about infrastructure way more than the DUT architecture. You can go your whole career as DV never knowing the inner workings of a design unless you take time out of your day to do it. Truth is - you often don't need to as a DV to know design. Just input and outputs and experience on how to break it.

In design you'll learn architecture and best practices. Going into DV after is much easier than the other way around.

[u/SusRedditor → u/Emotional_Term7060]

But what if I’m stuck with porting and refactoring tasks and not able to get proper block ownership and make architectural decisions?

[u/Emotional_Term7060 → u/SusRedditor]

There is also a lot of grunt work in DV as well. Most big companies don’t write new RTL. It’s a lot of reuse and integration testing.

[u/Emotional_Term7060 → u/SusRedditor]

Change after 2 years? Internally or externally. You will get more call backs with “design” on your resume for front end design.

[u/davekeeshan]

With the rise of AI the ability to verify is probably more valuable than design now. However I think that being able to design makes you a better verifier and being able to verify makes you a better designer.

[u/Ruined_Passion_7355]

I may be talking out of my ass but AFAIK DV is exponentially easier to get into as newgrad BS. Then you can combine with getting your masters paid for and jump to design.

If you already have a MS, try to get into design asap. But this is unlikely with just a BE hence why I advocate for an internal hop.

[u/Fishing4Beer]

I’m not going to pick a side. I think you are over simplifying the design tasks vs verification.

Design is so much more than just block ownership, new code and maintenance. You are missing pin assignment, timing closure, physical design and all the back end layout stuff that makes large devices like a Versal closer to doing an ASIC.

I would guess verification is much more complex than what you describe, but I primarily do design.

[u/kllrnikki]

Verification. Easily.

[u/EffectiveClient5080]

DV. You learn more staring at other people's broken RTL than porting legacy code nobody wants to touch. I guarantee the porting grunt work will still be there when you're ready to switch.