What does a mask designer do?
Mask designer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real mask designer resumes:
- Lead efforts for debugging DRC, ERC and LVS layout and verification issues.
- Use of unix and linux operating systems.
- Involve in the design and layout of the P7 family of CMOS microprocessors.
- Complete verification of both DRC and LVS for layout blocks and full chips.
- Work as part of a team providing IC mask design services to leading IC companies.
- Customize existing cells to fit small spaces and fix cells from central engineering to run DRC and LVS clean.
- Perform the prevention and fixing on ERC.
- Map I/O connections in different schematic structures to layouts.
- Complete layout using design kits for TSMC and Globalfoundries.
- Ship electronic parts and PCB's locally and international.
- Add pins and troubleshoot LVS errors for front side buses.
- Work with I/O metal interconnection of parallel transistors in array.
- Perform lay outing for full SRAM and ROM custom system.
- Design PCB layout, schematic capture, and gerber-generate files.
- Deliver LVS clean and collision-free pin interface data to block-level layout owners.
Mask designer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 12% of Mask Designers are proficient in CMOS, Cadence Virtuoso, and Virtuoso. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Computer skills.
We break down the percentage of Mask Designers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- CMOS, 12%
Recognized as an IntelU instructor for Reliability Verification and entry level CMOS design.
- Cadence Virtuoso, 11%
Created block level physical layout from engineering schematics using Cadence Virtuoso.
- Virtuoso, 8%
Designed work done with Virtuoso IC Craftsman level 4.4.6 on Sun Workstations.
- Drc, 5%
Customized existing cells to fit small spaces and fixed cells from central engineering to run DRC and LVS clean.
- Lvs, 5%
Delivered LVS clean and collision-free pin interface data to block-level layout owners.
- RF, 4%
Employed shielding techniques for RF immunity and light shielding for highly sensitive analog parts.
"cmos," "cadence virtuoso," and "virtuoso" are among the most common skills that mask designers use at work. You can find even more mask designer responsibilities below, including:
Analytical skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a mask designer to have is analytical skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "graphic designers must be able to perceive their work from their consumers’ point of view to ensure that the designs convey the client’s message." Mask designers often use analytical skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "designed data path in patterns that feed data from right to left and from top to bottom for multiple rows/column. "
Communication skills. Another essential skill to perform mask designer duties is communication skills. Mask designers responsibilities require that "graphic designers must communicate with clients, customers, and other designers to ensure that their designs accurately and effectively convey information." Mask designers also use communication skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "project management researched all new products created budgets, effected communication"
Computer skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of mask designers is computer skills. This skill is critical to many everyday mask designer duties, as "most graphic designers use specialized graphic design software to prepare their designs." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "utilized computer-aided programs such as altium and autocad. "
Creativity. A big part of what mask designers do relies on "creativity." You can see how essential it is to mask designer responsibilities because "graphic designers must be able to think of new approaches to communicating ideas to consumers." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical mask designer tasks: "complete layout and detailing offield and shop built tanks using autocad 2013 mechanical and inventor 2013. "
Time-management skills. Another crucial skill for a mask designer to carry out their responsibilities is "time-management skills." A big part of what mask designers relies on this skill, since "graphic designers often work simultaneously on multiple projects, each with a different deadline." How this skill relates to mask designer duties can be seen in an example from a mask designer resume snippet: "implemented product development by incorporating design objectives, price points and deadlines. "
The three companies that hire the most mask designers are:
- Intel5 mask designers jobs
- Achronix
2 mask designers jobs
- Renesas Electronics2 mask designers jobs
Choose from 10+ customizable mask designer resume templates
Build a professional mask designer resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your mask designer resume.
Compare different mask designers
Mask designer vs. Graphic designer, marketing
A graphic designer of marketing specializes in developing creative imagery as part of a company's marketing efforts. Their responsibilities typically revolve around coordinating with the marketing team to share insights and strategies, conceptualizing designs in adherence to objectives and deadlines, and preparing presentations. One may also subject designs into various revisions and edits as needed. Furthermore, as a graphic designer, it is also essential to keep abreast of the latest trends and have an understanding of the target audience.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between mask designers and graphic designer, marketing. For instance, mask designer responsibilities require skills such as "cmos," "cadence virtuoso," "virtuoso," and "drc." Whereas a graphic designer, marketing is skilled in "adobe creative suite," "brochures," "blog posts," and "adobe photoshop." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Graphic designers, marketing earn the highest salaries when working in the technology industry, with an average yearly salary of $52,640. On the other hand, mask designers are paid more in the technology industry with an average salary of $94,301.The education levels that graphic designers, marketing earn slightly differ from mask designers. In particular, graphic designers, marketing are 0.6% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a mask designer. Additionally, they're 0.9% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Mask designer vs. Graphic designer/production
A Graphics Designer in production is the person in charge of designing and interpreting ideas pointed out by the client or the company. The graphics designer must use market standard applications and techniques to produce attention-grabbing designs intended to market a product, service, or company. Graphic designers are an integral part of a company's digital marketing, especially over the internet. The graphic designer must have a good eye for style, typesetting, and the use of colors.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real mask designer resumes. While mask designer responsibilities can utilize skills like "cmos," "cadence virtuoso," "virtuoso," and "drc," graphic designer/productions use skills like "graphic design," "adobe photoshop," "adobe illustrator," and "art direction."
Graphic designer/productions earn a lower average salary than mask designers. But graphic designer/productions earn the highest pay in the technology industry, with an average salary of $59,531. Additionally, mask designers earn the highest salaries in the technology with average pay of $94,301 annually.graphic designer/productions earn similar levels of education than mask designers in general. They're 1.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.9% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Mask designer vs. User experience designer
A User Experience (UX) designer is an individual who measures and optimizes applications to improve the experience of end-users. His/Her or her duties and responsibilities include considering a design's human-computer interaction element, defining interaction models, and working with creative directors and designers. The key skills for UX designers include strong mathematical and problem-solving skills and excellent information technology and programming skills. Having a bachelor's degree in a design or computing-related subject is an advantage to qualify for the UX designer position.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from mask designer resumes include skills like "cmos," "cadence virtuoso," "virtuoso," and "drc," whereas a user experience designer is more likely to list skills in "sketch," "ui," "user research," and "visual design. "
User experience designers earn the highest salary when working in the start-up industry, where they receive an average salary of $113,676. Comparatively, mask designers have the highest earning potential in the technology industry, with an average salary of $94,301.Most user experience designers achieve a higher degree level compared to mask designers. For example, they're 12.8% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.5% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Mask designer vs. Senior graphic designer
A senior graphic designer oversees all of the designing operations in a company, from conceptualization to production. One of their primary responsibilities is to ensure that all designs produced are according to a client's preference and brand. They also encourage fresh ideas from the team, communicate with clients or representatives, and manage the schedules to meet all deadlines. Furthermore, as a senior graphic designer, they are responsible for leading and mentoring a team of graphic designers, all in the joint effort to reach project goals.
Types of mask designer
Updated January 8, 2025
