Head of PCB Layout & Design Infrastructure

About Etched

Etched is building AI chips that are hard-coded for individual model architectures. Our first product (Sohu) only supports transformers, but has an order of magnitude more throughput and lower latency than a B200. With Etched ASICs, you can build products that would be impossible with GPUs, like real-time video generation models and extremely deep chain-of-thought reasoning.

Head of PCB Layout & Design Infrastructure 

We are seeking a PCB Layout & Design Infrastructure Manager to play a critical role in building and managing the hardware design framework for our rapidly growing team. In this role, you will oversee PCB layout and design operations, while driving the development of a scalable design infrastructure. Your responsibilities will include leading the creation of a comprehensive ECAD system, component libraries, BOM management workflows, PLM implementation, and change control processes. You will also be tasked with growing and managing a high-performing team of PCB layout engineers and ECAD librarians.

Representative Projects: 

• Lead and oversee PCB layout and design activities for complex, high-speed, and high-density circuit boards
• Define and enforce best practices, standards, and methodologies for PCB design to ensure high-quality deliverables
• Collaborate with electrical hardware engineers, layout engineers, mechanical engineers, and manufacturing teams to optimize designs for performance and manufacturability
• Drive the selection and implementation of a new Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system to streamline hardware design processes
• Establish a robust component library management system to ensure accuracy, scalability, and accessibility of ECAD symbols and footprints
• Design and implement workflows for change control management, BOM management, and revision tracking to support PLM integration and library management
• Develop documentation, standards, and processes to ensure compliance with industry and company-specific requirements
• Hire, mentor, and lead a team of ECAD librarians and PCB layout engineers in both the US and Taiwan
• Foster a collaborative and innovative team culture that prioritizes efficiency, precision, and scalability
• Provide ongoing training and professional development to ensure the team stays current with emerging technologies and industry best practices
• Partner with electrical hardware and mechanical engineering teams to ensure seamless integration of PCB designs into the overall product development lifecycle
• Act as a liaison with suppliers, fabrication houses, and assembly teams to address technical issues and ensure alignment on design requirements
• Evaluate and implement new tools, technologies, and design methodologies to optimize PCB design efficiency
• Stay updated on industry trends, standards, and emerging technologies to maintain a competitive edge

You maybe a good fit if you have

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field
• 7+ years of experience in PCB layout, design, or related fields, with a minimum of 3 years in a leadership or management role
• Expertise in ECAD tools such as Cadence Allegro and Siemens NX
• Strong understanding of PLM systems, BOM management, and change control processes
• Proven experience with building and managing component libraries, including symbols, footprints, and parametric data
• Solid knowledge of high-speed design, signal integrity, and design for manufacturability (DFM)
• Experience in establishing processes and workflows for scaling hardware design teams

Strong candidates may also have experience with:

• Previous experience in a startup environment or with rapidly scaling organizations
• Familiarity with regulatory compliance standards (e.g., IPC, UL, CE)
• Hands-on experience with implementing PLM tools and infrastructure
• Knowledge of advanced technologies such as AI hardware & high speed PCB Design

We encourage you to apply even if you do not believe you meet every single qualification.

How we’re different:

Etched believes in the Bitter Lesson. We think most of the progress in the AI field has come from using more FLOPs to train and run models, and the best way to get more FLOPs is to build model-specific hardware. Larger and larger training runs encourage companies to consolidate around fewer model architectures, which creates a market for single-model ASICs.

We are a fully in-person team in Cupertino, and greatly value engineering skills. We do not have boundaries between engineering and research, and we expect all of our technical staff to contribute to both as needed.

Benefits:

• Full medical, dental, and vision packages, with 100% of premium covered, 90% for dependents
• Housing subsidy of $2,000/month for those living within walking distance of the office
• Daily lunch and dinner in our office
• Relocation support for those moving to Cupertino