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Graduate Verification Engineer – CPU - Job Opportunity at Arm

Sophia Antipolis, France
Full-time
Entry-level
Posted: June 7, 2025
Hybrid
EUR 45,000-55,000 annually for graduate level CPU verification engineers in France, with Arm likely offering toward the higher end plus significant benefits. The Sophia Antipolis location commands a premium due to its concentration of high-tech companies and quality of life factors.

Benefits

Competitive salary package positioned above market standards for graduate roles in semiconductor industry
Comprehensive rewards package including health, retirement, and performance-based incentives
Dual performance review system with mid-year and year-end evaluations enabling accelerated career progression
Exclusive Graduate Committee participation developing leadership and project management capabilities
Professional development through Grad-teach-Grads workshops and guest speaker series providing industry insights
Annual Global Graduate Conference offering executive networking and career advancement opportunities
Hybrid working flexibility supporting work-life balance and productivity optimization
Location-based premium working in one of Europe's most prestigious technology parks
Mentorship and career guidance from senior technical specialists and leadership team

Key Responsibilities

Drive IP verification excellence by ensuring functional correctness across all operating conditions, directly impacting product quality and market readiness
Lead specification analysis and technical documentation creation, establishing verification standards that influence design decisions
Architect and maintain sophisticated testbench environments using industry-standard methodologies, contributing to product development efficiency
Execute comprehensive stress testing and corner case analysis, preventing costly post-silicon issues and ensuring product reliability
Collaborate across multi-site international teams, developing cross-cultural communication skills essential for global technology leadership
Contribute to next-generation processor development incorporating breakthrough technologies in Digital Security, Machine Learning, and Computer Vision
Support verification sign-off processes critical to product release timelines and commercial success

Requirements

Education

University or Engineering School degree (Bachelors, Masters or PhD) in Electronic Engineering or Computer Science, or alternative degrees with relevant experience

Experience

Graduate level (0-2 years)

Required Skills

Understanding of the fundamentals of hardware design and verification Knowledge of hardware description and verification languages e.g. Verilog, VHDL, SystemVerilog, PSL Proficiency in algorithms and software programming Proficiency in scripting languages, e.g. Python/Perl/TCL Fluent written and spoken English Formal verification tools and methods Understanding of end-to-end verification processes, from test plan creation to verification closure Experience with RTL and simulators Familiarity with ARM architectures and instruction sets Experience of Unix development environment Good level of French is advantageous
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Industry Trends

The semiconductor industry is experiencing unprecedented growth driven by AI and machine learning applications, with CPU verification engineers becoming increasingly critical as chip complexity reaches new levels. The integration of neural processing units and specialized AI accelerators into mainstream processors is creating demand for verification engineers who understand both traditional CPU architectures and emerging AI workloads. Digital security requirements are intensifying across all processor designs due to increasing cyber threats and regulatory compliance demands, particularly in mobile and edge computing applications. This trend is driving specialization in security verification methodologies and creating premium opportunities for engineers with security-focused verification experience. The shift toward heterogeneous computing architectures combining CPU, GPU, and specialized processing units is revolutionizing verification approaches, requiring engineers to understand complex inter-component interactions and system-level verification challenges that didn't exist in traditional single-core designs.

Role Significance

Typically part of a 6-12 person verification team within a larger 20-30 person CPU design organization, with opportunities for cross-functional collaboration across multiple engineering disciplines.
Entry-level graduate position with significant growth trajectory, positioned as a foundational role that directly contributes to product success and offers clear advancement opportunities within Arm's technical hierarchy.

Key Projects

Next-generation Cortex processor family development focusing on AI/ML acceleration capabilities Security-enhanced CPU architectures for mobile and automotive applications Advanced verification methodology development for complex multi-core designs Integration verification for heterogeneous computing platforms combining multiple processing units

Success Factors

Deep technical curiosity and systematic problem-solving approach essential for identifying subtle design flaws that could impact millions of devices. Success requires the ability to think like both a designer and an adversary, anticipating edge cases and unusual operating conditions. Strong collaboration and communication skills are critical given the multi-site, multicultural environment at Arm. The ability to clearly document findings, present technical concepts to diverse audiences, and work effectively across time zones directly impacts career advancement. Continuous learning mindset and adaptability to emerging technologies, particularly AI/ML hardware architectures, security protocols, and advanced verification methodologies. The semiconductor industry evolves rapidly, and successful engineers must stay current with technological developments. Attention to detail combined with big-picture thinking, as verification engineers must balance thorough testing coverage with project timeline constraints while understanding how their work impacts overall product success.

Market Demand

Very High - CPU verification engineers are in extremely high demand due to the critical nature of their work and the shortage of qualified professionals who understand both traditional verification methodologies and emerging AI/ML hardware requirements.

Important Skills

Critical Skills

SystemVerilog and advanced verification methodologies are absolutely essential as they form the foundation of modern CPU verification workflows. Mastery of these technologies directly determines effectiveness in identifying design flaws and ensuring product reliability. Understanding of CPU architectures and instruction sets is fundamental to effective verification, as engineers must comprehend what they're testing at both microarchitectural and system levels to develop meaningful test scenarios. Programming and scripting proficiency enables automation of verification processes and analysis of complex test results, dramatically improving productivity and enabling coverage of scenarios impossible to test manually.

Beneficial Skills

Formal verification expertise is increasingly valuable as designs become more complex and traditional simulation-based approaches reach practical limits. Engineers with formal verification skills can tackle problems that are difficult or impossible to verify through conventional testing. AI/ML hardware knowledge represents a significant differentiator as processors increasingly incorporate specialized neural processing capabilities. Understanding these workloads enables more effective verification of next-generation designs. Security verification experience is becoming premium-valued as processors implement advanced security features to address growing cyber threats, particularly in automotive and IoT applications where security vulnerabilities can have serious real-world consequences.

Unique Aspects

Opportunity to work on breakthrough technologies that will define the next generation of mobile computing, including advanced AI acceleration, computer vision processing, and digital security features that haven't been implemented in commercial processors before.
Access to Arm's global ecosystem of partners and licensees, providing unique visibility into how CPU designs impact real-world applications across industries from smartphones to autonomous vehicles.
Location advantage in Sophia Antipolis, Europe's largest technology park, offering exceptional quality of life with Mediterranean climate while working at the cutting edge of semiconductor technology.
Direct involvement in IP development that will influence computing for the next decade, with verification work directly impacting products used by billions of consumers worldwide.

Career Growth

Rapid progression opportunity with Arm's dual review system enabling advancement every 1-2 years for high performers, significantly faster than industry average of 3-4 years between major role changes.

Potential Next Roles

Senior Verification Engineer specializing in advanced CPU architectures within 3-4 years Verification Team Lead managing cross-functional verification projects within 4-6 years Principal Engineer focusing on verification methodology development within 6-8 years Engineering Manager overseeing multiple verification teams within 7-10 years

Company Overview

Arm

Arm Holdings is the world's leading semiconductor intellectual property company, designing the fundamental technologies that power virtually all smartphones and an increasing number of other connected devices. The company's CPU designs are licensed to hundreds of partners worldwide, making Arm architectures the most widely deployed in the world.

Dominant market leader in mobile processor IP with over 95% market share in smartphones, expanding aggressively into automotive, IoT, and data center markets. Recent acquisitions and partnerships position Arm at the forefront of AI/ML hardware development.
The Sophia Antipolis design center is one of Arm's premier European facilities, responsible for developing flagship Cortex processor families and serving as a key hub for the company's expansion into AI and automotive markets throughout Europe.
Innovation-focused environment emphasizing technical excellence, collaborative problem-solving, and continuous learning. Arm's culture strongly supports early-career engineers with structured mentorship programs and clear advancement pathways, particularly valuing engineers who can bridge traditional CPU design with emerging AI/ML requirements.
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