Semiconductor Chip Design Engineer

Build and assess chip engineering tasks

Create semiconductor problems grounded in work that reaches design, implementation, fabrication and tape-out. Review AI reasoning as a practicing chip engineer would, rather than taking on a traditional chip development position.

• Build expert scenarios around design, verification, manufacturing and implementation workflows.
• Check AI responses for technical correctness, practical viability and consistency with engineering standards.
• Evaluate digital and analog IC designs, RTL, verification methods, physical design assumptions, EDA flows and semiconductor process recommendations.
• Assess synthesis, simulation, timing analysis, layout, design-rule checks, physical implementation and tape-out work.
• Write organized feedback explaining the corrections needed to improve AI responses.

Relevant engineering background

The preferred profile combines at least two years of hands-on semiconductor, chip design or related industry engineering with an MS or PhD in Electrical, Electronics or Computer Engineering, or a closely related discipline. A BS in Electrical or Computer Engineering can also qualify when supported by substantial industry experience.

Demonstrated depth is needed in at least one relevant specialty. These include digital or analog ICs; VLSI and RTL; functional or formal verification; physical design, place and route and timing closure; EDA workflows; fabrication and process engineering; DFT, synthesis and implementation; layout and tape-out; or ASIC, SoC and FPGA development.

Helpful additional experience

The following experience strengthens a candidacy but is not mandatory:

• Work with Cadence Virtuoso, Innovus, Synopsys Design Compiler, PrimeTime, VCS, Mentor/Siemens Calibre, ModelSim/Questa, Vivado, Quartus or comparable EDA tools.
• Verilog, SystemVerilog, VHDL, SPICE or related hardware-description and circuit-simulation languages.
• Production flows covering synthesis, static timing, placement and routing, physical verification, DRC/LVS and parasitic extraction.
• Formal verification, UVM, simulation, coverage analysis or related verification methods.
• Process technologies, foundry rules, PDKs, yield analysis and process integration.
• Industry experience with a semiconductor manufacturer, chip designer, EDA business or engineering consultancy. Examples include Intel, NVIDIA, AMD, Qualcomm, Broadcom, Apple, Arm, Synopsys, Cadence and Siemens EDA.

Applicants must be based in the United States. Clear writing, careful attention to detail and independent remote work are required, including the ability to explain complex semiconductor and chip design concepts in understandable terms.

Schedule and compensation

This is ongoing, part-time contract work supporting AI research, rather than a conventional engineering job. It can fit alongside your current role. Work remotely and asynchronously, choose your own pace and take on tasks without a fixed schedule or minimum hourly commitment.

Rates can reach $120 per hour, depending on the project. Assignment depends on project availability; other opportunities may open when the current project is full.