Head of Hardware Design
Leads hardware design practices for AI-powered ECAD platform, builds and manages team, partners with AI/ML on design best practices, develops prototypes, and drives ECAD features from user needs. Requires deep EE expertise in RF, high-speed digital, PCB, SI/PI, and leadership in shipping complex electronics.
About the job
Responsibilities
- Drive ECAD feature design & specs across placement/routing, constraints management, stackup, impedance control, DRC/DFM, manufacturing outputs, and prototyping workflows. Co-author specs, validate via dogfooding, beta programs, and user feedback.
- Partner with AI/ML team: define best practices, guardrails, evaluation harnesses; curate datasets; review AI-generated designs.
- Build out Hardware Design function: manage team, produce reference designs, demos, product specs, training, and feedback loops.
- Develop real hardware prototypes from schematic to bring-up; instrument for SI/PI, power/thermal validation.
- Amplify user insight: improve feedback loops, champion user voice, partner with software engineering.
Requirements
Technical Expertise:
- RF & wireless: sub-GHz to mmWave, matching, filtering, antenna layout.
- EMI/EMC & ESD: design-for-compliance, grounding, shielding.
- Power electronics: DC-DC converters, PMICs, PoE, motor control, sequencing.
- Analog & mixed-signal: sensor interfaces, data converters, low-noise design.
- High-speed digital: DDRx, PCIe/SerDes, USB-C/USB4, MIPI, Ethernet; timing, skew, equalization.
- SI/PI: signal/power integrity, decoupling, return-path control.
- PCB/stackup: material selection, impedance control, differential pairs, vias, HDI, panelization.
- DFM/DFT & manufacturing: bring-up, debug, test coverage, CM/ODM collaboration.
- Tooling: ECAD (Altium, Cadence Allegro/OrCAD, Mentor Xpedition, KiCad, Zuken); simulation (SPICE, ADS/HyperLynx/SIwave, HFSS); lab tools (oscilloscope, VNA, logic analyzer).
Soft Skills: Product sense, communication (specs, diagrams, presentations), leadership (hands-on engineering + management), hire/mentor/scale processes.
Preferred
- Experience in large technical org, shipping at scale, factory/test/mass production.
- Customer-facing roles turning feedback into products.
- Hands-on across ECAD platforms, AI/ML exposure (prompting, data curation).
Benefits
Competitive salary, equity, comprehensive benefits. Title/level matches experience.
Skills
Altium, Cadence Allegro, Orcad, Mentor Xpedition, Kicad, Zuken, Spice, Hyperlynx, Siwave, Hfss, Pcie, Usb4, Ddr, Mipi, Ethernet
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