RTL Design Engineer Jobs
RTL Design Engineer jobs are open across semiconductor, aerospace, consumer electronics, and defense, from new-grad to principal and staff, with specializations in ASIC design, FPGA development, and low-power digital logic. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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SambaNova is a leader in next-generation AI infrastructure, delivering a full-stack inference platform for customers worldwide. At the core of SambaNova's technology is the RDU (Reconfigurable Dataflow Unit) — a chip built on a dataflow architecture rather than the traditional GPU model. Its decode performance is especially strong for agentic workloads like multi-turn agents, code generation, and long-running applications. RDUs are packaged into SambaRack, rack-scale hardware that lets customers deploy state-of-the-art models with better performance, greater energy efficiency, and faster time to value.
About the role
SambaNova is seeking a Principal Engineer to own the design, integration, and implementation of high-speed IO and memory subsystems within the DataScale® platform. This role is central to delivering reliable, high-performance AI systems at scale.
You will drive these subsystems across the full product lifecycle, from architecture exploration and microarchitecture definition through RTL and integration of internal and third-party IP (PCIe, Ethernet , CXL, HBM, die-to-die). This is a hands-on role for an engineer with deep protocol and RTL expertise, who can operate in ambiguity and execute with high ownership.
Responsibilities
- Engage in architecture exploration with system and chip architects to define IO and memory subsystem direction
- Drive feasibility studies and design trade-off analysis to meet PPA constraints
- Own microarchitecture definition and specification for IO and memory subsystems
- Deliver synthesizable, high-quality SystemVerilog RTL for assigned blocks against functionality, performance, and power targets
- Run the front-end design flow end to end, covering lint, CDC/RDC, synthesis, timing constraint development, and design-for-test readiness
- Partner with STA and physical design teams on timing closure, floorplanning, congestion analysis, and optimization at advanced process nodes
- Work closely with verification and emulation teams to ensure design validation coverage and quality
- Collaborate with software and firmware teams to ensure optimal end-to-end solutions
- Drive cross-functional triage of complex functional and performance issues to root cause and closure
- Apply engineering best practices including code review, testing, and refactoring
- Improve design and integration methodology, reuse, and flow scalability
Required Qualifications
- MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field
- 7+ years of experience in ASIC design
- Experience in logic design, microarchitecture, specification, SystemVerilog RTL design, and functional verification
- Experience with power, performance, or area optimization
- Experience with two or more on-chip or chip-to-chip protocols and interfaces such as AXI, APB, PCIe, Ethernet, or UCIe
- Experience with memory subsystems such as HBM and CXL
- Ability to evaluate and select vendor IP, and to read and distill complex IP and protocol specifications into actionable design requirements
- Clear and effective communicator with a proactive, collaborative approach to problem-solving
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience taking one or more ASIC products from concept to silicon
- Familiarity with emerging scale-up protocols (ESUN, SUE, UAL) and scale-out protocols such as Ultra Ethernet
- Experience designing on-chip interconnect and traffic-management logic, including NoC fabrics, switches, arbiters, and quality-of-service or congestion control mechanisms
- Knowledge of machine learning and hardware accelerator architectures
Submission Guidelines
Please note that in order to be considered an applicant for any position at SambaNova Systems, you must submit an application form for each position for which you believe you are qualified.
EEO Policy
SambaNova Systems is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard basis of age (40 and over), color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, national origin/ancestry, race, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding), sexual orientation, and any other applicable status protected by federal, state, or local laws.
Benefits Summary for US-Based, Full-Time Employment Positions
SambaNova offers a competitive total rewards package, including the base salary, plus equity and benefits. We cover 95% premium coverage for employee medical insurance, and 77% premium coverage for dependents and offer a Health Savings Account (HSA) with employer contribution. We also offer Dental, Vision, Short/Long term Disability, Basic Life, Voluntary Life, and AD&D insurance plans in addition to Flexible Spending Account (FSA) options like Health Care, Limited Purpose, and Dependent Care. Our library of well-being benefits available to you and your dependents includes a full subscription to Headspace, Gympass+ membership with access to physical gyms, One Medical membership, counseling services with an Employee Assistance Program, and much more.
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Find RTL Design Engineer JobsRTL Design Engineer Job Market
Who's Hiring
- Apple21
- AMD17
- Tesla6
- Qualcomm5
- Google4
Top Industries Hiring
- Electronics & Hardware
- Technology & Software
- Manufacturing
- Telecommunications
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in RTL design engineer jobs.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or computer science
- Proficiency in RTL design using Verilog or SystemVerilog
- Experience with industry-standard synthesis and simulation tools such as Synopsys, Cadence, or Mentor
- Familiarity with timing analysis, static timing analysis tools, and timing closure techniques
- Knowledge of digital design fundamentals including pipelining, clock domain crossings, and DFT
- Experience with ASIC or FPGA design flows from specification through tape-out or deployment
Tips for Your RTL Design Engineer Job Search
Tailor your resume for synthesis targets
List the specific synthesis tools and PDKs you've used, such as Synopsys Design Compiler or Cadence Genus, alongside the process nodes. Hiring managers scan for exact toolchain matches before they read anything else on your resume.
Highlight RTL coverage metrics on projects
Quantify your verification work by stating the code and functional coverage percentages you achieved. RTL design engineers who show they drove coverage closure stand out against candidates who only list languages like SystemVerilog or VHDL.
Filter openings by design abstraction level
Some postings focus on block-level RTL, others on full-chip integration or physical-aware design. Read the job description for terms like floorplanning, timing closure, and DFT to confirm the role matches your depth before you apply.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists rtl design engineer openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Prepare for logic and coding design interviews
RTL design engineer interviews typically include live RTL coding exercises in SystemVerilog or Verilog, plus questions about finite state machines, clock domain crossings, and pipeline hazards. Practice writing synthesizable RTL by hand before your first technical screen.
Negotiate with competing offers in hand
Semiconductor teams move quickly when a candidate has another offer on the table. Once you receive an initial offer, ask for the deadline and use that window to accelerate any other active processes so you can negotiate from a position of real leverage.
RTL Design Engineer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most rtl design engineers?
Apple, AMD, and Tesla are hiring the most rtl design engineers right now, with openings concentrated in California, Texas, and Massachusetts, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Defense contractors and fabless semiconductor companies tend to post the largest volumes of open roles.
How many rtl design engineer jobs are remote?
About 48% of rtl design engineer openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, which is lower than many software engineering roles because tape-out work and lab access often require on-site presence. Front-end RTL coding and functional verification tasks are the sub-areas most likely to be offered in a remote or hybrid arrangement.
How do you become a rtl design engineer?
Start with a degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or computer science with coursework in digital logic design and computer architecture. Build hands-on experience by completing HDL projects in Verilog or SystemVerilog, contributing to open-source ASIC or FPGA designs, and using free or academic EDA tool licenses. Internships at semiconductor or aerospace companies convert directly to full-time offers more reliably than any other path into the field.
Can you get hired as a rtl design engineer with little or no experience?
Yes, entry-level rtl design engineer roles exist, but employers expect demonstrated RTL skills even from new graduates. Build a portfolio of synthesizable RTL projects, ideally ones that include a testbench and coverage report. Open-source chip design projects and coursework tapeouts through programs like Google's shuttle runs are treated as credible experience by most hiring teams in the semiconductor industry.
What does the rtl design engineer interview process look like?
The process typically starts with a recruiter screen followed by a technical phone interview covering digital design fundamentals such as FSMs, clock domain crossings, and setup and hold timing. A live coding round requiring you to write synthesizable RTL in a shared editor usually comes next. Final-round interviews involve multiple panel sessions with design and verification engineers, often including a discussion of a past project at whiteboard depth.
Where can I find and apply to rtl design engineer jobs?
You can find and apply to rtl design engineer jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States in one place. Search the available roles, find the ones that fit your experience and target location, and apply directly to each listing without leaving the platform.
See All 78 RTL Design Engineer Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find RTL Design Engineer Jobs