Sr Staff Engineer, SoC RTL Design

Tenstorrent; Austin (TX); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Tenstorrent is seeking a Staff Digital Design Engineer to define, build, and optimize high-performance IP and SoC architectures for next-gen AI workloads. You will work at the intersection of microarchitecture, RTL implementation, and performance-aware design, contributing across front- and back-end flows.

The role is hybrid, with options across multiple sites including Austin, TX, enabling collaboration with DV, firmware, and backend teams to push silicon performance while meeting power and

Qualifications

• Architecture and RTL implementation of Tenstorrent's custom IP blocks.
• Performance-aware design decisions for compute, interconnect, or memory-heavy blocks.
• Occasional contributions to validation using emulation, FPGA prototyping, or UVM flows.
• Strong synthesis and timing closure awareness to support backend teams.

Responsibilities

• Define, build, and optimize high-performance IP and SoC architectures.
• Collaborate with backend teams to meet power, performance, and area goals.

Skills

RTL design

Verilog/VHDL

PPA optimization

Collaborative eng

Tools

Emulation

FPGA prototyping

UVM flows

Job description

Tenstorrent is leading the industry on cutting-edge AI technology, revolutionizing performance expectations, ease of use, and cost efficiency. With AI redefining the computing paradigm, solutions must evolve to unify innovations in software models, compilers, platforms, networking, and semiconductors. Our diverse team of technologists have developed a high performance RISC-V CPU from scratch, and share a passion for AI and a deep desire to build the best AI platform possible. We value collaboration, curiosity, and a commitment to solving hard problems. We are growing our team and looking for contributors of all seniorities.

We are looking for a Staff Digital Design Engineer to help define, build, and optimize high-performance IP and SoC architectures for next-gen AI and compute workloads. This role is ideal for engineers who thrive at the intersection of microarchitecture, RTL implementation, and performance-aware design.

This role is hybrid, based out of Toronto, Ottawa, Boston, Austin or Santa Clara.

We welcome candidates at various experience levels for this role. During the interview process, candidates will be assessed for the appropriate level, and offers will align with that level, which may differ from the one in this posting.

Who You Are

• A digital design expert with a deep understanding of computer architecture and IP microarchitecture.
• Skilled in RTL development (Verilog/VHDL) and familiar with full ASIC flows.
• Comfortable optimizing for power, performance, and area (PPA) under aggressive design goals.
• A naturally collaborative and technical engineer — you thrive in spec definition, peer reviews, and team-wide planning.

What We Need

• Architecture and RTL implementation of Tenstorrent’s custom IP blocks and SoC components.
• Performance-aware design decisions for compute, interconnect, or memory-heavy blocks.
• Occasional contributions to validation using emulation, FPGA prototyping, or UVM flows.
• Strong synthesis and timing closure awareness to support backend teams.
• Prior experience in on-chip fabric and interconnect designs is an asset.

What You Will Learn

• How cutting-edge AI chips are built, from spec to silicon.
• What it takes to collaborate with teams designing novel processor and memory architectures.
• How to blend custom logic with standard SoC elements for power and scale.
• How cross-functional workflows come together across design, DV, physical, and firmware teams.

Tenstorrent offers a highly competitive compensation package and benefits, and we are an equal opportunity employer.

This offer of employment is contingent upon the applicant being eligible to access U.S. export-controlled technology. Due to U.S. export laws, including those codified in the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (EAR), the Company is required to ensure compliance with these laws when transferring technology to nationals of certain countries (such as EAR Country Groups D:1, E1, and E2). These requirements apply to persons located in the U.S. and all countries outside the U.S. As the position offered will have direct and/or indirect access to information, systems, or technologies subject to these laws, the offer may be contingent upon your citizenship/permanent residency status or ability to obtain prior license approval from the U.S. Commerce Department or applicable federal agency. If employment is not possible due to U.S. export laws, any offer of employment will be rescinded.