ASIC Design Engineer

Positron Corporation; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 225,000 - 350,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Flexible work environment

Competitive salary

Job summary

Positron AI in Austin, TX is seeking a Senior ASIC Design Engineer to lead microarchitecture, define critical IP blocks, and deliver RTL signoff for inference ASICs/SoCs.

You will mentor engineers, drive architectural tradeoffs, and collaborate with architecture, verification, and physical design to meet ambitious PPA and schedule goals. This role is on-site in Austin, TX with a competitive base salary and equity.

Qualifications

• B.S./M.S. in EE/CE or related field with strong RTL experience.
• Proven track record leading designs from spec to RTL to signoff.
• Deep SystemVerilog RTL expertise with CDC/RDC handling.
• Experience with front-end flows and major EDA suites.
• Hands-on with HBM/DDR, PCIe/CXL, AXI/ACE/CHI, or memory hierarchies.

Responsibilities

• Define and document microarchitecture for complex IP blocks and subsystems.
• Deliver production-quality, parameterized SystemVerilog RTL with interfaces and assertions.
• Lead lint, CDC/RDC, DFT integration, and timing closure with PD.
• Own PPA metrics and optimize microarchitectures to meet targets.
• Architect and integrate high‑performance interconnects and memory interfaces.
• Develop coding guidelines, IP packaging, and signoff checklists.

Skills

SystemVerilog RTL

Leadership

Cross-functional communication

Front-end EDA tools

HDL design experience

Education

BS in EE/CE (or related)

MS in EE/CE (or related)

Tools

EDA tool suites (lint, CDC, synthesis)

Python/Tcl scripting

Cocotb/UVM checkers

Job description

Role Overview

As a Senior ASIC Design Engineer, you will take a leadership role in defining, implementing, and delivering critical IP blocks and subsystems for Positron.ai’s inference ASICs/SoCs. You will own the microarchitecture from high-level concept through RTL signoff, collaborating across architecture, verification, and physical design to achieve ambitious PPA and schedule goals. In addition to hands‑on SystemVerilog design, you will mentor junior engineers, influence methodology, and drive key architectural tradeoffs that impact silicon performance and efficiency.

Key Responsibilities

Microarchitecture & RTL Leadership:

• Define and document microarchitecture for complex IP blocks/subsystems.
• Deliver production-quality, parameterized SystemVerilog RTL with well‑defined interfaces, power/clock intent, and embedded assertions.

Technical Ownership & Signoff:

• Lead lint, CDC/RDC, DFT integration, and synthesis bring‑up; collaborate with PD on floorplan and timing closure.
• Own PPA metrics for assigned blocks and drive microarchitectural optimizations to meet targets.

Advanced Interface & Memory Integration:

• Architect and integrate high‑performance interconnects (AXI/CHI/ACE), DMA engines, coherency logic, and high‑speed memory interfaces (HBM/DDR).
• Engage with IP vendors and internal stakeholders to ensure seamless integration.

Methodology & Best Practices:

• Develop and enforce coding guidelines, reusable IP packaging, and signoff checklists.
• Contribute automation flows (Python/Tcl/Make/CI) to improve team efficiency.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration:

• Partner closely with Verification to define test plans and reference models.
• Work with Architecture and Performance teams to correlate models against RTL.
• Support bring‑up, post‑silicon debug, and customer engagements as required.

Mentorship & Technical Leadership:

• Guide junior engineers in design techniques, methodology, and problem‑solving.
• Lead design reviews, drive consensus on tradeoffs, and advocate for best‑in‑class solutions.

Required Qualifications

• BS/MS in EE/CE (or related) with 8+ years of ASIC/SoC RTL design experience on complex, high‑performance silicon.
• Proven track record of leading designs from spec to microarchitecture to RTL to signoff with strong PPA outcomes.
• Deep SystemVerilog RTL expertise, including clocking, resets, CDC/RDC handling, and protocol correctness.
• Extensive experience with front‑end flows/tools (lint, CDC, synthesis/STA, DFT) using major EDA suites.
• Hands‑on expertise with at least three of: HBM/DDR, PCIe/CXL, AMBA AXI/ACE/CHI, cache/memory hierarchies, high‑throughput datapaths.
• Strong cross‑functional communication skills, capable of leading technical discussions and producing clear specifications.

Preferred Qualifications

• Background in AI/ML accelerator design (matrix/vector engines, compression, NoC bandwidth planning).
• Formal verification/SVA expertise for property checking and design assertions.
• Experience with low‑power design techniques (clock‑/power‑gating, UPF/CPF).
• Collaboration experience with cocotb/UVM for checkers and reference model co‑development.
• Familiarity with RISC‑V subsystems, coherence protocols, or customer‑owned tooling (COT) flows.

Leveling & Scope

While this role is currently posted at a specific level, we are a growth‑oriented organization and are open to hiring at a more senior level for the right candidate. Please note that this job description serves as a focused but generalized overview of the role; specific responsibilities and impact expectations will be tailored to the experience and seniority of the final hire.

Why Join Us?

• Shape the next generation of AI inference hardware with a high‑caliber, collaborative team.
• Take technical ownership of critical silicon components that directly impact product success.
• Competitive salary + equity, comprehensive benefits, and flexible work environment.
• Opportunities to innovate, lead, and grow your influence in a rapidly evolving space.

Compensation and Benefits

The base salary range for this role is $225,000 – $350,000.

Please note that the figures provided represent the base salary range only and do not include other elements of our total compensation package, equity, or comprehensive benefits.

At Positron AI, we value the unique expertise each candidate brings. While the range above reflects our typical expectation for the position, we reserve the flexibility to exceed this range for candidates whose specialized skills, significant experience, or unique qualifications fall outside the standard scope of the role. Final offers are determined based on a variety of factors, including internal equity, and individual impact.

Equal Opportunity Employer. If you’re excited about the role but don’t meet every bullet, we’d still love to hear from you.