Lead ASIC RTL Design Engineer
4 Staffing
San Francisco, CA · Posted October 15, 2026
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About the job
Lead ASIC RTL Design Engineer — Remote (U.S.) - No visa sponsorship
Role Summary Our client, a leader in AI Compute is seeking a senior-level ASIC design engineer to drive the development of high-performance silicon components used in advanced compute platforms. This individual will take ownership of key IP blocks from early architectural definition through RTL delivery and signoff, working closely with cross-functional teams to meet aggressive performance, power, and area goals. The role combines hands-on design work with technical leadership and mentorship.
Core Responsibilities
Architecture & RTL Development
Define microarchitecture for complex subsystems and document design specifications
Implement high-quality, reusable RTL in System Verilog with clear interface definitions and design intent
Incorporate assertions and design-for-debug features within RTL
Design Ownership & Implementation
Lead front-end design activities including linting, clock/reset domain analysis, and synthesis readiness
Collaborate with physical design teams on floor planning, timing closure, and implementation tradeoffs
Take responsibility for achieving performance, power, and area (PPA) targets for assigned blocks
High-Speed Interfaces & Memory Systems
Design and integrate high-bandwidth interfaces and interconnects (e.g., AMBA-based protocols, coherent fabrics)
Work on memory subsystem integration, including external DRAM and high-throughput memory solutions
Coordinate with internal teams and third-party IP providers to ensure proper integration and functionality
Engineering Processes & Tooling
Establish and maintain RTL design standards, reusable components, and signoff criteria
Contribute to automation and workflow improvements using scripting and build systems (Python, Tcl, CI pipelines)
Collaboration & System Integration
Partner with verification teams on test planning, coverage goals, and model alignment
Work with architecture and performance engineering to validate design intent against system-level expectations
Support silicon bring-up, debugging, and downstream customer or system integration efforts
Technical Leadership
Mentor less experienced engineers and provide guidance on design best practices
Lead design reviews and help drive key technical decisions across teams
Advocate for scalable, efficient, and high-quality engineering solutions
Basic Qualifications
Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical or Computer Engineering (or similar field)
8+ years of experience in ASIC or SoC RTL design for complex, high-speed devices
Demonstrated experience delivering designs from concept through RTL implementation and tape out readiness
Strong System Verilog expertise, including clocking strategies, reset design, and domain crossing considerations
Hands-on experience with front-end design tools and flows (linting, CDC analysis, synthesis, timing analysis, DFT)
Familiarity with multiple high-speed technologies such as memory interfaces, interconnect protocols, or compute data paths
Strong communication skills with the ability to lead technical discussions and document designs clearly
Preferred Experience
Exposure to AI/ML hardware or high-performance compute architectures
Knowledge of formal verification techniques and assertion-based design
Experience with power optimization methods (e.g., clock gating, power intent formats like UPF/CPF)
Familiarity working alongside verification environments (UVM, Python-based frameworks, or similar)
Understanding of modern processor subsystems, coherence models, or custom tool flows