Staff CAD/EDA Tools Engineer

Cognichip; Redwood City (CA); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Cognichip in Redwood City, CA, seeks a Staff CAD/EDA Tools Engineer to own the application layer of our EDA tool ecosystem: wrapper scripts, CLI tooling, and container images that let engineers and AI systems run open-source and commercial design tools reliably.

You will maintain and extend internal tooling on cloud-scale pipelines, turn tool quirks into dependable software, and collaborate with DevOps, RTL design, verification, and AI/ML engineers to support end-to-end workflows.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of software/tools engineering in CAD/EDA infrastructure.
• Hands-on experience with open-source EDA/RTL tools such as Verilator, Yosys, Icarus Verilog.
• Strong scripting in Python and Bash; building CLI tools around third-party software.

Responsibilities

• Maintain wrapper scripts and CLI tooling with a single interface across open-source and commercial EDA tools.
• Build, harden, and version Docker images for EDA tools and publish for reliable team use.
• Own the application layer of the EDA tool stack end-to-end and integrate new tools.
• Diagnose tool compatibility issues, version drift, and build breakages across simulators and containers.
• Collaborate with DevOps on deployment and container image content; translate needs from RTL/verification/AI engineers.

Skills

Python

Bash scripting

CLI tooling

Linux troubleshooting

collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related

Tools

Verilator

Yosys

Icarus Verilog

Docker

Cocotb

Job description

About Cognichip

At Cognichip, we are building AI-native tools that transform how semiconductor engineers create, verify, and optimize chips. Our platform combines large proprietary models, agentic workflows, domain-specific engineering intelligence, and high-performance simulation infrastructure to accelerate one of the world's most complex engineering disciplines.

Job Title

Staff CAD/EDA Tools Engineer

About The Role

We are seeking a Staff CAD/EDA Tools Engineer to own the application layer of our EDA tool ecosystem: the wrapper scripts, CLI tooling, and container images that let engineers and AI systems run open-source and commercial chip design tools reliably and consistently. You will maintain and extend internal tooling running on the cloud at scale. If you like turning EDA tool quirks into clean, dependable software that other engineers and AI agents can build on, this role is for you.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain and evolve wrapper scripts and CLI tooling that give a single, consistent interface across open-source EDA tools (Verilator, Yosys, slang, Icarus Verilog, cocotb) and commercial tools.
• Build, harden, and version Docker images that package EDA tools with correct dependencies and licenses, and publish them for reliable use across the team.
• Own the application layer of the EDA tool stack end-to-end: evaluate and integrate new open-source tools, and write the scripts and configuration that make them usable in real design and verification flows.
• Diagnose and fix tool compatibility issues, version drift, and build breakages across simulators, synthesis tools, and container environments.
• Support application-layer license configuration for commercial EDA tools (e.g., FlexLM-based license servers), partnering with DevOps, who own the underlying infrastructure.
• Collaborate with DevOps on how containerized tools are deployed and consumed, while owning the container image content and correctness yourself.
• Partner with RTL design, verification, and AI/ML engineers to understand workflow needs and translate them into reliable, documented tooling.
• Write clear documentation for tool usage, wrapper APIs, and container images so other engineers, and Cognichip's AI agents, can self-serve.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a closely related field.
• 10+ years of experience in software/tools engineering, and CAD/EDA infrastructure.
• Hands-on experience with open-source EDA/HDL tools such as Verilator, Yosys, Icarus Verilog, or similar RTL simulation/synthesis tools.
• Strong scripting and software engineering skills in Python and Bash, including building CLI tools or wrappers around third-party software.
• Solid working knowledge of Docker: writing Dockerfiles, building and versioning images, and troubleshooting containerized environments.
• Familiarity with digital design EDA tools from Synopsys, Cadence and Siemens
• Comfortable working in Linux environments and debugging tool, build, and dependency issues independently.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with hardware verification methodologies and frameworks (UVM, or similar).
• Experience with declarative build/dependency systems for hardware projects
• Experience with FlexLM or other license-management systems for EDA tools.
• Familiarity with cloud environments (AWS, GCP, or Azure) as a consumer of container images built for cloud deployment.
• Startup or small-team experience owning a tooling area end-to-end with minimal hand-holding.

What It's Like Here

We're a fast-moving AI startup with a collaborative, high-trust culture. We value technical excellence, ownership, and the freedom to experiment. Our best work happens when our builders and innovators work closely together to turn ambitious ideas into category defining products. We operate on a hybrid schedule with four days in office, one day remote. If you're excited to build cutting edge tools that empower semiconductor engineers and reshape how chips are designed, you'll feel right at home.