If you want to be a design engineer at Linear, besides knowing circuit fundamentals (R's, C's, L's) you really have to know your transistors. Current mirrors, current sources, diff pairs, cascoding, matching, op-amps, etc. You should also know control systems, noise gain, miller effect, etc. Last but not least, a knowledge of device structure, physics, and non-idealities is necessary. Some companies pride themselves in being able to train monkeys to be design engineers, but Linear only accepts the very best.

Several phone calls including technical and non-technical interviews. Need to solve some paper-based questions. No HR interview. The last one is on-site full-day technical interview. The offer was given on the same day of the on-site interview,