# Game 7 Staffing

> Specialist contract engineering staffing for semiconductor, hardware, and platform-software programs. We place mid, senior, and principal contract engineers at Fortune 500 client programs across RTL/DV/physical design, analog/mixed-signal, SerDes, advanced packaging, FPGA, silicon validation, PCB, hardware, embedded/firmware, BSP, systems, and EDA/CAD disciplines.

Site: https://www.game7staffing.com

## Core pages

- [About Game 7 Staffing](https://www.game7staffing.com/about): the story of why we built Game 7 and the standard we hold every engagement to
- [How We Hire](https://www.game7staffing.com/how-we-hire): 4-step process - discovery, sourcing, 4-criteria screening, submission + follow-through
- [Find Engineers](https://www.game7staffing.com/find-candidates): for hiring managers - submit a role and get 2-4 verified candidates
- [Find Jobs](https://www.game7staffing.com/find-jobs): open semiconductor, hardware, and embedded engineering roles

## Engineering disciplines

- [Eda / Cad Engineering](https://www.game7staffing.com/disciplines/eda-cad): A good CAD team makes every designer more productive. A bad one delays tape-out. We staff the people who build and maintain the flow.
- [Systems Engineers & Architects](https://www.game7staffing.com/disciplines/systems): Systems engineering is undervalued until something goes wrong at integration. We staff the people who prevent that.
- [BSP & Platform Software](https://www.game7staffing.com/disciplines/bsp-platform-software): When a new SoC comes back from the foundry, the first software challenge is making it do anything at all. That's the BSP engineer's job.
- [Embedded & Firmware Engineers](https://www.game7staffing.com/disciplines/embedded-firmware): Low-level firmware, BSP development, device driver implementation, and hardware bring-up for complex SoC platforms. Principal engineers who have owned firmware from bare-metal through OS integration.
- [Silicon Validation](https://www.game7staffing.com/disciplines/silicon-validation): Silicon comes back from the fab and nothing works. This is the moment you need a post-silicon engineer. We've placed them on Tesla SoC programs and LAM Research board bring-ups.
- [Mechanical Engineers](https://www.game7staffing.com/disciplines/mechanical): When the silicon dissipates 700W and the airflow budget is set by a 1U rack slot, the mechanical engineer is on the critical path. We place thermal, chassis, and NPI engineers who co-design with the board team from day one.
- [Electrical & Hardware](https://www.game7staffing.com/disciplines/electrical-hardware): Some board programs need more than schematic capture. They need engineers who own the power architecture, characterize the electrical envelope, and close signal and power integrity before the design ever goes to layout.
- [PCB Layout Engineers](https://www.game7staffing.com/disciplines/pcb-layout): Constraint-driven PCB layout for high-speed digital, mixed-signal, and RF board designs. Mid, senior, and principal engineers with design-for-fabrication, signal integrity, and EMC experience.
- [Hardware Engineers](https://www.game7staffing.com/disciplines/hardware): PCB layout engineers route a finished schematic. Hardware engineers build that schematic from requirements. Power tree, memory topology, connector pinout, and functional spec.
- [Advanced Packaging](https://www.game7staffing.com/disciplines/advanced-packaging): Advanced packaging is where Moore's Law scaling happens now. Chiplet, 2.5D, and 3D IC is a distinct discipline at Game 7, with its own engineering pool and its own staffing profile.
- [STA / Timing](https://www.game7staffing.com/disciplines/sta-timing): At 28nm, timing analysis is a checkpoint. At 5nm and below, it is a full-time job for a dedicated team. We place engineers who understand the physics. Not just the tool commands.
- [Physical Design Engineers](https://www.game7staffing.com/disciplines/physical-design): Full-custom and standard-cell physical design for sub-5nm ASIC and SoC programs. Principal physical design engineers with Synopsys and Cadence flow experience and tape-out signoff credentials.
- [SerDes Design](https://www.game7staffing.com/disciplines/serdes): SerDes is the circulatory system of modern semiconductor. Engineers with silicon-proven 112G PAM4 at 7nm or 5nm are among the most valuable in the industry. And we staff them.
- [Analog & Mixed-Signal Design](https://www.game7staffing.com/disciplines/analog-mixed-signal): Analog and mixed-signal design is highly subspecialized. We match the specific IP block, process node, and PDK to the right engineer. So every analog submission is tuned to your circuit, not just your discipline.
- [FPGA Engineering](https://www.game7staffing.com/disciplines/fpga): FPGA work in defense looks nothing like FPGA work in ASIC prototyping. We match platform, language, and domain before submitting.
- [DFT Engineers](https://www.game7staffing.com/disciplines/dft): ATPG, MBIST, boundary scan, and DFT architecture for complex SoC designs. Mid, senior, and principal engineers who have owned DFT from insertion through tape-out signoff.
- [Formal Verification](https://www.game7staffing.com/disciplines/formal-verification): Constrained-random verification proves the chip probably works. Formal verification proves it always works.
- [Design Verification Engineers](https://www.game7staffing.com/disciplines/design-verification): Block-to-chip-level design verification using UVM, SystemVerilog, and formal methods. Principal DV engineers who have achieved functional coverage closure on complex SoC programs.
- [RTL Design Engineers](https://www.game7staffing.com/disciplines/rtl-design): Digital logic design from microarchitecture through RTL implementation, synthesis, and functional closure. Mid, senior, and principal engineers who have owned blocks and subsystems through tape-out.

## Industries we staff

- [Networking](https://www.game7staffing.com/industries/networking): Ethernet switch ASICs, SmartNICs, and 400G/800G silicon for companies building next-generation data center and networking chips.
- [Wireless](https://www.game7staffing.com/industries/wireless): RFIC, 5G/mmWave, beamforming, and O-RAN baseband engineers for semiconductor companies designing RF front-ends, phased arrays, and 5G modems.
- [AI & Compute](https://www.game7staffing.com/industries/ai-compute): NPU design, AI accelerator silicon, and custom compute chips for companies building inference silicon, TPUs, and AI infrastructure hardware.
- [Aerospace & Defense](https://www.game7staffing.com/industries/aerospace-defense): DO-178C, DO-254, rad-hard, and cleared engineers for programs requiring certified hardware/firmware development and security clearances.
- [Automotive](https://www.game7staffing.com/industries/automotive): ISO 26262, AUTOSAR, and ASIL-rated engineers for automotive chip and embedded teams building ADAS, EV, and safety-critical silicon.
- [Semiconductor](https://www.game7staffing.com/industries/semiconductor): DFT, RTL, physical design, verification, and SoC architecture for fabless and IDM companies designing chips at advanced process nodes.

## Blog

- [Health Insurance and Benefits for Contract Engineers: What Your Options Actually Are](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/contract-engineer-health-insurance-and-benefits-options): COBRA, ACA, or W2 with benefits? A clear breakdown of health insurance options and real costs for mid to principal-level contract engineers.
- [The DO-254 FPGA Bottleneck Isn’t Skill, It’s Clearance](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/the-do-254-fpga-bottleneck-isnt-skill-its-clearance): Why cleared, DO-254-qualified FPGA talent is scarce, and how to hire DAL-A engineers for defense and rad-hard programs without stalling your schedule.
- [How to Hire a High-Speed PCB Engineer (4-Layer Skills Won't Cut It)](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/how-to-hire-a-high-speed-pcb-engineer): A 40-layer 112G board is a different profession than a 4-layer shield. How to hire the high-speed PCB and signal-integrity engineer your product needs.
- [How to Hire an Embedded Firmware Engineer Who Can Bring Up Silicon](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/how-to-hire-an-embedded-firmware-engineer): Bare-metal, RTOS, BSP, safety-critical: 'embedded' covers very different jobs. How to scope and hire the firmware engineer your bring-up actually needs.
- [How to Hire a DFT Engineer (and Tell an Architect From an Operator)](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/how-to-hire-a-dft-engineer): DFT decides your per-unit test cost before floorplan. How to hire a scan/ATPG engineer or a true DFT architect, and tell the difference on a resume.
- [How to Hire a Design Verification Engineer Without Drowning in Resumes](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/how-to-hire-a-design-verification-engineer): Verification is the biggest team on your chip and the hardest to screen. How to hire a UVM or formal DV engineer who matches your coverage scope, fast.
- [The STA Engineer Who Owns Signoff: Why Timing Closure Talent Is Scarce](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/the-sta-engineer-who-owns-signoff): Static timing analysis gates every tape-out. What a signoff-level STA engineer owns, the PrimeTime/MMMC depth to look for, and how to hire one.
- [Timing Closure at 3nm: What Separates a Principal Physical Design Engineer](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/timing-closure-at-3nm-principal-physical-design): Closing timing on a full-chip tape-out at 3nm is a different job than block P&R. What advanced-node physical design demands and who can do it.
- [Staffing the AI Accelerator Tape-Out: The Roles That Gate Your Schedule](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/staffing-the-ai-accelerator-tape-out): AI chip schedules slip on a handful of roles: SerDes, HBM PHY, verification, DFT, physical design. Here's where the talent bottlenecks actually are.
- [Why a 112G SerDes Designer Is the Hardest Analog Hire in Semiconductor](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/why-a-112g-serdes-designer-is-the-hardest-analog-hire): 112G/224G SerDes designers are the scarcest analog talent in semiconductor. Why they're so hard to hire, and how to find one who's silicon-proven.
- [American Chip Independence Has a Bottleneck, and It Isn’t the Fab](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/american-chip-independence-has-a-bottleneck-and-it-isnt-the-fab): This Fourth of July, the scarcest thing in American silicon isn’t a building. It’s the engineers who design what the building prints.
- [How to Evaluate a Semiconductor Staffing Firm Before You Sign Anything](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/how-to-evaluate-semiconductor-staffing-firm): Five questions that separate semiconductor staffing specialists from resume forwarders, plus the red flags worth walking away from. A buyer's guide.
- [Why Your Senior or Principal Engineer Req Has Been Open for Six Months](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/senior-principal-engineer-req-open-six-months): The senior and principal talent pool is smaller than your funnel assumes. Why these reqs sit open, and what hiring managers can change to actually fill them.
- [When to Bring In Contract Engineers on a Chip Program: A Phase-by-Phase Guide](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/when-to-bring-in-contract-engineers-on-a-chip-program): A phase-by-phase guide to where contract engineers fit on a chip program, from architecture to post-silicon, and the timing mistakes that lead to respins.
- [Laid Off from a Semiconductor Company? Here's Why Contract Work Deserves a Hard Look](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/laid-off-heres-why-contract-work-deserves-a-hard-look): If you’ve been laid off from a chip company, contract engineering may be faster and more lucrative than your next FTE search. Here’s an honest breakdown.
- [What a Real Principal-Level Engineering Role Actually Asks of You](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/what-a-real-principal-level-engineering-role-actually-asks-of-you): Is your next role genuinely principal-level? Break down what real ownership looks like for DFT, FPGA, RTL, DV, physical design, and embedded firmware engineers.
- [Defense vs. Commercial Semiconductor: The Career Trade-Off Guide](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/defense-vs-commercial-semiconductor-career): Defense or commercial semiconductor? A real comparison of comp, pace, skill trajectory, and fit for mid-career engineers deciding between tracks. From the firm that staffs both.
- [What Drives Semiconductor Contract Engineer Rates in 2026](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/semiconductor-contract-engineer-rates-2026): What sets DFT, FPGA, RTL, and embedded firmware contract rates? Let's break down the real factors: node experience, tape-out count, clearance premium, W2 vs C2C.
- [The SoC Verification Career Ladder: From Testbench Writer to Verification Architect](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/the-soc-verification-career-ladder): Map your design verification career, breaking down 5 levels of DV engineering with real titles, tools, and ownership at each rung.
- [Scan Architecture is a Tapeout Economics Decision](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/scan-architecture-is-a-tapeout-economics-decision): Scan chain architecture, compression ratios, and Memory BIST strategy set your per-unit test cost before floorplan starts. Here is what that means for DFT architect hiring.
- [Verification Engineers Are the Most Understaffed Role in Semiconductor Right Now ](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/verification-engineers-are-the-most-understaffed-role-in-semiconductor-right-now): Verification engineers are among the hardest fills in semiconductor right now. Here's why the shortage exists, what great DV looks like at each level, and why the timing is right.
- [Why the Embedded Firmware Engineer's Job Has Never Been Harder or Better Paid ](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/why-the-embedded-firmware-engineers-job-has-never-been-harder-or-better-paid): Three simultaneous demand waves are reshaping embedded firmware. Here's what's driving them, why ASIL-D experience commands a premium, and how to pick your specialization.
- [FPGA Engineer in 2026: A Career That Got a Lot More Valuable ](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/fpga-engineer-in-2026-a-career-that-got-a-lot-more-valuable): AI chip prototyping, defense demand, and SoC complexity have changed what FPGA engineering is worth. Here's where the market is going and what the best engineers are doing differently.
- [What Makes a Great DFT Architect: Why Most Resumes Can’t Tell You](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/what-makes-a-great-dft-architect-why-most-resumes-can-t-tell-you): Most resumes can't tell you who the real DFT architects are. Here's what separates execution from architecture, and the 3 questions that reveal true depth.
- [Semiconductor Contract Engineering: A Career Strategy, Not a Fallback](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/semiconductor-contract-engineering-a-career-strategy-not-a-fallback): Engagement duration compressed 33%. 43% of placements got extended. Here's what the shift toward contract careers means for verification, embedded and DFT engineers.
- [Where Semiconductor Engineering Demand Is Concentrating in 2026](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/where-semiconductor-engineering-demand-is-concentrating-in-2026): The AI headlines got it wrong. Here's where engineering requisitions actually clustered in Q1 2026 with placement data and what it means for your positioning.
- [From Senior to Principal DV Engineer: What Gets You There](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/from-senior-to-principal-dv-engineer-what-gets-you-there): Strong coverage numbers aren't enough. Here's what actually separates a principal verification engineer from a senior one - and how to get there.
- [RISC-V vs. ARM: What Embedded Engineers Need to Know](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/risc-v-vs-arm-what-embedded-engineers-need-to-know): RISC-V is showing up in job reqs. Here's an honest look at what's actually changing for embedded firmware engineers and what skills transfer.
- [What AI Actually Means for Verification and Firmware Engineers in 2026](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/what-ai-actually-means-for-verification-and-firmware-engineers-in-2026)
- [What a Security Clearance Is Worth to Your Engineering Career in 2026](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/what-a-security-clearance-is-worth-to-your-engineering-career-in-2026): Clearance requirements in engineering roles grew 4× in one year. Here’s what that shift means for your compensation and what to do about it.
- [Five Questions to Ask Before Accepting a Contract Engineering Role](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/five-questions-to-ask-before-you-take-a-contract-engineering-role)
- [What Principal and Senior Engineers Want from a Staffing Partner](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/what-principal-engineers-want-from-a-staffing-partner)
- [AI Won’t Replace Chip Engineers, It’s Creating New Demand](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/ai-wont-replace-semiconductor-engineers-its-creating-demand-for-a-new-kind): AI tools are accelerating chip design workflows. But Synopsys admits they can’t replace engineers. Here’s what’s changing in RTL, DFT, and verification - and what isn’t.
- [The Verification Wall Is Already Here and It's a Talent Problem, Not a Compute Problem](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/the-verification-wall-is-already-here-and-it-s-a-talent-problem-not-a-compute-problem): Your simulation farm isn't the bottleneck but your verification architect is. Learn why SoC teams fall behind on coverage and how to stay ahead of it.
- [You Shouldn’t Need 8 Interviews to Hire One Semiconductor Engineer](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/you-shouldnt-need-8-interviews-to-hire-one-engineer)
- [Why Contract Engineers Ramp Faster Than Full-Time Employees](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/why-contract-engineers-ramp-faster-than-full-time-employees): Learn why contract engineers ramp faster than full-time hires, when it matters most in semiconductors and hardware, and how Game 7 helps de‑risk your roadmap.
- [How to Hire an FPGA Contract Engineer Without the Runaround](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/how-to-hire-an-fpga-contract-engineer-without-the-runaround): Place contract FPGA engineers - RTL designers, verification engineers, and firmware specialists - at semiconductor and defense firms. Fewer resumes. Best fit.
- [How Semiconductor Contract Staffing Actually Works](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/how-semiconductor-contract-staffing-actually-works): A breakdown of how semiconductor contract staffing works for both hiring managers researching the model and engineers considering contract roles for the first time.
- [Semiconductor Hiring in 2026: The Tapeout Bottleneck](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/semiconductor-hiring-in-2026-the-tapeout-bottleneck)
- [Why Forward-Thinking Teams Partner Early With Engineering Staffing Experts](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/the-quiet-advantage-why-forward-thinking-teams-partner-early): In quiet markets, top teams use Game 7’s vetted engineering pipelines and AI‑driven matching to stay ready the moment stalled projects restart.
- [How Communication Shapes Engineering Project Velocity](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/the-message-and-the-momentum-how-communication-shapes-project-velocity): Effective communicators reduce meetings, prevent rework, and surface risks early, which is why we treat communication skills as a core hiring criteria, not a soft afterthought.
- [Should I Learn Data Science as a Software Engineer?](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/should-i-learn-data-science-as-a-software-engineer): Most Machine Learning Engineers are in high demand as several industries expand their development, use, and maintenance of a wide array of applications. So, if you are asking yourself, "Can a software engineer become a machine learning engineer?" – the answer is yes.
- [Advantages of Contract Work for Engineers: Unlocking Your Potential](https://www.game7staffing.com/resources/blog/unlocking-your-potential-exploring-the-advantages-of-contract-work): In a rapidly changing job market for engineers, professionals are increasingly discovering opportunities that disrupt the conventional ideas of full-time positions.

## Open roles

- [Cryogenic Test Engineer](https://www.game7staffing.com/find-jobs/4095) - Elmsford, New York (Semiconductor)
- [Engineer Software 2](https://www.game7staffing.com/find-jobs/4069) - Falls Church, Virginia (Aerospace)
- [DFT Architect](https://www.game7staffing.com/find-jobs/4066) - Austin, Texas (Semiconductor)
- [Power System Design Senior Engineer](https://www.game7staffing.com/find-jobs/4029) - Sterling Heights, Michigan
- [Engineer Embedded Software 3](https://www.game7staffing.com/find-jobs/4003) - Manhattan Beach, California (Aerospace)
- [Senior Structural Analysis Engineer, Loads and Dynamics](https://www.game7staffing.com/find-jobs/3942) - Costa Mesa, California (Aerospace)
- [Engineer Software 2](https://www.game7staffing.com/find-jobs/3934) - Sunnyvale, California
- [FPGA Verification Engineer](https://www.game7staffing.com/find-jobs/3931) - Costa Mesa, California
- [Software Engineer 3](https://www.game7staffing.com/find-jobs/3865) - Melbourne, Florida
- [CAD CAM 3](https://www.game7staffing.com/find-jobs/3805) - Chandler, Arizona