Senior Digital ASIC Design Engineer

Draper; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 82,300 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Workplace flexibility

Discounts to local museums and culture

Job summary

Draper Laboratory is seeking a Senior Digital ASIC Designer to develop high-performance digital ASICs from RTL through synthesis. You will work in multidisciplinary teams on projects across application areas and contribute to design-for-test as well as layout considerations.

The role requires 7–10 years of ASIC hardware experience (or 5–10 with a Master’s), expertise in front-end design, SystemVerilog, and proficiency with Cadence or Synopsys toolchains. U.S.

Qualifications

• Requires 7-10 years of experience with a bachelor’s degree, or 5-10 years with a master’s degree in ASIC Hardware Engineering or related.
• Front-end digital systems design with Cadence or Synopsys.
• Fluent in SystemVerilog, Verilog or VHDL; familiar with LINT, simulation and synthesis.

Responsibilities

• Design and simulate circuits at transistor level to meet architecture requirements.
• Contribute to system-level design and optimize hardware for performance, power, and cost.
• Drive complex chip architectures and lead design teams.

Skills

IC design

ASIC design

SystemVerilog

Verilog/VHDL

Architectural design

Problem solving

Team leadership

Communication

Power/performance optimization

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

Cadence

Synopsys

Job description

Overview

Draper is an independent, nonprofit research and development company headquartered in Cambridge, MA. The 2,000+ employees of Draper tackle important national challenges with a promise of delivering successful and usable solutions. From military defense and space exploration to biomedical engineering, lives often depend on the solutions we provide. Our multidisciplinary teams of engineers and scientists work in a collaborative environment that inspires the cross‑fertilization of ideas necessary for true innovation. For more information about Draper, visit www.draper.com.

Job Description Summary

Draper Laboratory is seeking talented and motivated individuals to tackle challenging engineering problems in advanced digital IC design. As a Senior Digital ASIC Designer, you will be responsible for designing high‑performance digital ASICs in advanced technologies. You will implement designs from RTL through synthesis. You will work in multidisciplinary teams with opportunities to learn, grow and contribute to a variety of projects in different application areas.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Design and simulate circuits at transistor‑level to implement architecture and requirement specifications
• Contribute to system‑level design
• Optimize hardware designs for performance, power, and cost
• Evaluate the hardware feasibility of complex algorithms and requirements
• Independently contribute to complex chip architectures and designs
• Independently drive solutions to complex problems—develop requirements, propose ways forward when customer requirements are unclear or incomplete, and adapt appropriately to changes in requirements
• Contribute to business development and proposal activities
• Develop, document, and teach best practices to less experienced engineers
• Perform or guide physical layout, including floor‑planning, and simulate circuits using extracted parasitics, contribute to design‑for‑test development
• Perform other duties as assigned

Skills/Abilities

• Proficiency in integrated circuit design
• Understanding of integrated circuits, semiconductors, and general computer architecture
• Ability to write detailed design specifications
• Ability to lead multi‑disciplinary technical teams
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent mathematical skills
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
• Excellent time‑management skills with the proven ability to meet deadlines
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills
• Ability to prioritize tasks
• Demonstrate strong organization, planning, and time‑management skills to achieve program goals

Education

Requires a bachelor’s degree in Engineering, or related field. Master’s degree preferred.

Experience

Requires 7-10 years of experience with a bachelor’s degree, or 5-10 years of experience with a master’s degree in ASIC Hardware Engineering or related.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with low power circuit design
• Experience with CMOS advanced nodes below 32nm
• Experience with radiation‑hardened electronics

Additional Job Description

• Applicants should possess solid skills in front‑end digital systems design with experience in design flows from Cadence or Synopsys.
• Be fluent in System Verilog, Verilog or VHDL and familiar with LINT, simulation and synthesis.
• Familiarity with architectures for secure systems design, e.g., cryptographic encoders / decoders or tagged processor architectures is a plus.
• Demonstrated experience with successful tape‑outs at advanced nodes is desired. Experience leading and managing design teams is also desired.

Required Clearance

Active US Secret Clearance is required. This position requires onsite work in Cambridge, MA. Applicants selected for this position will be required to obtain and maintain a U.S. Security Clearance.

Location

Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139‑3563

Compensation

The U.S. base salary range for this full‑time position is $82,300.00 – $220,000.00.

Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target salaries for the position across all U.S. locations. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job‑related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Union ranges will be in compliance with the collective bargaining agreement’s approved rates by location and role. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process. Please note that the compensation details listed in U.S. role postings reflect the base salary only, and do not include bonuses or benefits.

Benefits

Our work is very important to us, but so is our life outside of work. Draper supports many programs to improve work‑life balance including workplace flexibility, employee clubs ranging from photography to yoga, health and finance workshops, off‑site social events and discounts to local museums and cultural activities.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Draper is committed to creating an inclusive environment. We understand the value of inclusivity and its impact on a high‑performance culture. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information. Draper is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request reasonable accommodation, please contact [e-mail].