ET
Founding Engineer - RTL Design
Accepting applicationsEmpathy Talent · San Francisco Bay Area
Full-Time Mid_senior AIASICDDREthernetFPGA
Posted
3d ago
Category
Design
Experience
Mid_senior
Country
United States
Empathy Talent is partnering with an early-stage AI semiconductor startup developing next-generation computing hardware designed to power increasingly demanding artificial intelligence workloads.
Backed by an experienced engineering team, the company is building high-performance accelerator technology focused on delivering exceptional compute efficiency, scalability, and performance. This is an opportunity to join at the ground level and help shape both the product and the future direction of the organization.
The Opportunity
Our client is seeking a Founding Engineer to help architect and develop core hardware for next-generation AI accelerators.
Working alongside a highly technical founding team, you'll design high-performance digital logic, collaborate across architecture, verification, and physical design, and play a significant role in bringing advanced silicon from concept through implementation.
This position is ideal for engineers who enjoy solving complex hardware challenges, thrive in startup environments, and want meaningful ownership over technical decisions.
Key Responsibilities
Design and implement synthesizable RTL using Verilog and SystemVerilog for advanced compute architectures
Develop high-performance datapaths, memory subsystems, and digital logic supporting AI workloads
Collaborate with architecture, verification, and physical design teams to optimize power, performance, and area (PPA)
Develop synthesis constraints, support timing closure, and iterate on implementation to meet design goals
Perform RTL quality checks through linting, CDC/RDC analysis, assertions, and peer code reviews
Develop and maintain automation scripts and design flows using Python, Tcl, or similar tools
Contribute to FPGA prototyping and hardware validation efforts
Participate in architectural discussions and technical decision-making throughout the product development lifecycle
What We're Looking For
Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related discipline
Strong background in digital design fundamentals, including RTL design, pipelining, clock/reset architecture, and microarchitecture
Experience designing synthesizable RTL using Verilog and/or SystemVerilog
Knowledge of synthesis flows, SDC constraints, timing closure, and PPA optimization
Experience with industry-standard front-end design tools such as VCS, Questa, Xcelium, Verilator, SpyGlass, Design Compiler, or Genus
Familiarity with RTL verification methodologies including linting, CDC/RDC analysis, assertions, and code reviews
Experience developing hardware design automation using Python, Tcl, or similar scripting languages
Background designing compute engines, memory subsystems, GPUs, AI accelerators, CPUs, or other high-performance digital hardware
Comfortable working cross-functionally with architecture, verification, and physical design teams
Preferred Qualifications
Experience integrating PCIe, CXL, DDR/HBM, Ethernet, SerDes, or similar high-speed interfaces
FPGA prototyping or ASIC development experience
Exposure to firmware, drivers, hardware/software integration, or system bring-up
Linux systems programming experience
Previous ASIC tapeout experience through industry or academic projects
Strong mathematical and analytical problem-solving skills
What's on Offer
Competitive base salary and meaningful equity participation
Opportunity to join as one of the company's earliest engineering hires
Significant technical ownership with direct influence over product architecture
Direct collaboration with an experienced founding engineering team
Long-term leadership and career growth opportunities as the organization scales
Show more Show less
Backed by an experienced engineering team, the company is building high-performance accelerator technology focused on delivering exceptional compute efficiency, scalability, and performance. This is an opportunity to join at the ground level and help shape both the product and the future direction of the organization.
The Opportunity
Our client is seeking a Founding Engineer to help architect and develop core hardware for next-generation AI accelerators.
Working alongside a highly technical founding team, you'll design high-performance digital logic, collaborate across architecture, verification, and physical design, and play a significant role in bringing advanced silicon from concept through implementation.
This position is ideal for engineers who enjoy solving complex hardware challenges, thrive in startup environments, and want meaningful ownership over technical decisions.
Key Responsibilities
Design and implement synthesizable RTL using Verilog and SystemVerilog for advanced compute architectures
Develop high-performance datapaths, memory subsystems, and digital logic supporting AI workloads
Collaborate with architecture, verification, and physical design teams to optimize power, performance, and area (PPA)
Develop synthesis constraints, support timing closure, and iterate on implementation to meet design goals
Perform RTL quality checks through linting, CDC/RDC analysis, assertions, and peer code reviews
Develop and maintain automation scripts and design flows using Python, Tcl, or similar tools
Contribute to FPGA prototyping and hardware validation efforts
Participate in architectural discussions and technical decision-making throughout the product development lifecycle
What We're Looking For
Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related discipline
Strong background in digital design fundamentals, including RTL design, pipelining, clock/reset architecture, and microarchitecture
Experience designing synthesizable RTL using Verilog and/or SystemVerilog
Knowledge of synthesis flows, SDC constraints, timing closure, and PPA optimization
Experience with industry-standard front-end design tools such as VCS, Questa, Xcelium, Verilator, SpyGlass, Design Compiler, or Genus
Familiarity with RTL verification methodologies including linting, CDC/RDC analysis, assertions, and code reviews
Experience developing hardware design automation using Python, Tcl, or similar scripting languages
Background designing compute engines, memory subsystems, GPUs, AI accelerators, CPUs, or other high-performance digital hardware
Comfortable working cross-functionally with architecture, verification, and physical design teams
Preferred Qualifications
Experience integrating PCIe, CXL, DDR/HBM, Ethernet, SerDes, or similar high-speed interfaces
FPGA prototyping or ASIC development experience
Exposure to firmware, drivers, hardware/software integration, or system bring-up
Linux systems programming experience
Previous ASIC tapeout experience through industry or academic projects
Strong mathematical and analytical problem-solving skills
What's on Offer
Competitive base salary and meaningful equity participation
Opportunity to join as one of the company's earliest engineering hires
Significant technical ownership with direct influence over product architecture
Direct collaboration with an experienced founding engineering team
Long-term leadership and career growth opportunities as the organization scales
Show more Show less