Digital Design Engineer

AXONNE; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Axonne Inc. is seeking a skilled Digital Design Engineer to join our fabless Silicon Valley team. You will help architect, design and tape-out ASICs for high-speed automotive networking, collaborating across hardware, software and systems groups to deliver robust, reliable silicon.

The role emphasizes Verilog/VHDL, RTL design, and automotive ISO 26262 awareness, with opportunities to influence architecture, verification, and silicon bring-up in a fast-growing startup.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical/Electronic Engineering or related field.
• 5+ years of hands-on ASIC design experience, preferably in automotive or semiconductor.
• Strong grasp of digital logic design and verification.
• Proficient with industry-standard EDA tools (Cadence, Synopsys, Mentor).

Responsibilities

• Define ASIC architecture, microarchitecture, and design specifications.
• Drive ASIC development from concept to tape-out.
• Design and implement digital logic using Verilog and/or VHDL.
• Optimize data paths, control logic, and interface blocks for performance and efficiency.
• Develop comprehensive test plans, testbenches, and assertions for functional verification.
• Perform simulations to validate design functionality and performance.
• Collaborate with analog/mixed-signal, verification, software, and systems teams for integration.
• Support silicon bring-up and production validation activities.

Skills

ASIC design

Verilog

VHDL

Digital logic design

EDA tools

Problem solving

Team player

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Electrical/Electronic Engineering

Tools

Cadence

Synopsys

Mentor Graphics

Job description

Axonne Inc. is an innovative fabless Silicon Valley semiconductor design company specializing in the development of cutting-edge high-speed networking solutions for the automotive and robotics industries. With a focus on driving digital transformation, Axonne combines advanced research with practical applications to create products that enhance connectivity, data transfer, security, and system integration, facilitating the realization of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Axonne continues to be a trusted partner for organizations seeking to future-proof their value proposition and unlock new possibilities and opportunities for growth and success.

Job Summary:

We are seeking a skilled and motivated Digital Design Engineer to join our growing team. In this role, you will play a key part in the architecture, design, and development of ASICs for high-speed network applications in the automotive domain. You’ll work cross-functionally to bring advanced digital designs from concept through tape-out, helping shape the future of automotive technology.

Key Responsibilities

• Define ASIC architecture, microarchitecture, and design specifications.
• Drive and contribute to ASIC development from concept to tape-out.

RTL Design

• Design and implement digital logic using Verilog and/or VHDL.
• Optimize data paths, control logic, and interface blocks for performance and efficiency.
• Develop comprehensive test plans, testbenches, and assertions for functional verification.
• Perform simulations using industry-standard tools to validate design functionality and performance.
• Work closely with analog/mixed-signal, verification, software, and systems teams to ensure successful integration.
• Support silicon bring-up and debug, and assist in production validation activities.

Compliance & Standards

• Ensure designs meet automotive industry standards including ISO 26262.
• Integrate safety and functional requirements into the design and verification process.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• 5+ years of hands-on experience in ASIC design, preferably within the semiconductor or automotive sector.
• Strong grasp of digital logic design.
• Proficient with industry-standard EDA tools (e.g., Cadence, Synopsys, Mentor).
• Excellent problem-solving and debugging skills; collaborative team player.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with Ethernet Layer 2 protocols such as IEEE 802.1Q, PTP, and TSN.
• Experience porting code into FPGA for emulation

Axonne is an equal-opportunity employer. We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic and fast-growing automotive semiconductor startup and contribute to the development of cutting-edge ASIC technology that powers the future of automotive E/E Architecture innovation. We look forward to receiving your application and welcoming you to our team!