Full-Time

Systems Engineer

Updated on 8/23/2026

Motivo

Motivo

1-10 employees

AI-powered analytics optimizing IC design yield

Compensation Overview

$95k - $125k/yr

+ 401(k) match + Profit-sharing bonus

Rancho Dominguez, Compton, CA, USA

In Person

Bachelor's, Master's

Category
Mechanical Engineering (1)
Required Skills
Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Design
Altium
Python
MATLAB
Simulink
C/C++
SolidWorks

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Requirements
  • A Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline is required; a Master's degree is preferred.
  • At least three years of professional engineering experience is required; seven or more years qualifies candidates for senior-role consideration.
  • Direct technical experience on multiple electromechanical projects is required.
  • A deep understanding of physics and electromechanical control systems is required.
  • Extensive detailed design experience in mechanical, electrical, or software systems is required.
  • Experience with simulation and controls development, including MATLAB and Simulink, is required or relevant.
  • Experience with SPICE platforms for electronics simulation is required or relevant.
  • Experience with three-dimensional computer-aided design tools such as SolidWorks is required or relevant.
  • Experience with printed circuit board design tools such as Altium is required or relevant.
  • Experience with C and C++ for firmware development, typically using STM32 microcontrollers, is required or relevant.
  • Experience with higher-level software development, especially Python and C/C++, is required or relevant.
  • Ability to translate client requirements into a system architecture and technical roadmap is required.
  • Ability to generate technical drawings of systems, components, and interfaces is required.
  • Experience troubleshooting, debugging, and performing root-cause analysis on electromechanical systems is required.
  • Exceptional communication skills are required to present results and recommendations to internal and external stakeholders.
  • Ability to lead and support engineering teams through technical challenges is required.
  • Ability to balance competing priorities and execute solutions is required.
  • Ability to adapt to changing client needs is required.
  • Ability to mentor less experienced colleagues is required.
  • Ability to handle concurrent fast-paced projects with minimal direction is required.
  • Exceptional spoken English and strong technical writing ability are required.
Responsibilities
  • Lead the technical decision-making process for electromechanical projects requiring a solid system architecture.
  • Work with the Project Manager and Technical Lead to guide a focused team of engineers during the initial phases of product development programs.
  • Plan the technical and programmatic aspects of development.
  • Define or review the complete system architecture.
  • Identify key components and technologies.
  • Lead the technical team toward successful project completion.
  • Lead brainstorming sessions during later phases of development.
  • Review the work of other engineers and provide guidance on specific technical paths.
  • Help debug and troubleshoot systems during integration.
  • Contribute as an individual engineer across a variety of engineering tasks.
Desired Qualifications
  • A Master's degree in an engineering discipline.
  • Experience with MATLAB and Simulink for simulation and controls development.
  • Experience with SPICE platforms for electronics simulation.
  • Experience with SolidWorks or similar three-dimensional computer-aided design tools.
  • Experience with Altium or similar printed circuit board design tools.
  • Experience developing firmware in C and C++ for STM32 microcontrollers.
  • Experience with Python and C/C++ for higher-level software development.

Motivo provides AI-driven analytics for the semiconductor design and manufacturing process. Its software analyzes the full chip workflow from RTL to layout using a proprietary learning-on-graph approach (M-Graph) to automatically extract data-driven features. Its modules include M-DVP for accelerating design validation, M-TCO for faster timing convergence, and M-OPT for improving manufacturing yield. The system offers explainable AI to identify root causes of yield problems and prescribes actionable steps, helping teams reduce design validation time and increase yield. Motivo differentiates itself with end-to-end, data-centric optimization that spans design and manufacturing, grounded in graph-based learning and an emphasis on explainability. The company aims to help fabless design houses and other semiconductor firms shorten development cycles and lower costs when designing and ramping up new chips.

Company Size

1-10

Company Stage

Series A

Total Funding

$20.5M

Headquarters

Sunnyvale, California

Founded

2015

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Motivo still markets proprietary M-DVP, M-TCO, and M-OPT modules across chip flow.
  • Its website updates in 2026 show the company remains active and hiring-adjacent.
  • Semiconductor complexity keeps rising, preserving demand for yield and timing optimization tools.

What critics are saying

  • No fresh funding, partnerships, or product launches appear after 2021; momentum looks stale.
  • Public evidence remains thin, with unnamed customers and no disclosed design wins.
  • Synopsys, Cadence, and Siemens EDA can bundle AI features and crush standalone demand.

What makes Motivo unique

  • Motivo’s M-Graph explainable AI targets RTL-to-layout chip workflow, not point solutions.
  • The company claims 50% faster validation and 30% lower defectivity from customer deployments.
  • Intel Capital backed Motivo in 2021, signaling credible semiconductor network access.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

401(k) Company Match

Paid Vacation

Profit Sharing

Company News

FinSMEs
Aug 12th, 2021
Motivo Raises $12M in Series A Funding

Motivo, Inc., a San Francisco, CA-based developer of AI-enabled chip design and data analytics solutions, raised $12m in Series A financing. The round was led by Intel Capital, along with other new investors Storm Ventures and Seraph Group as well as participation from Inventus Capital and other existing investors that include multiple IC industry C-suite executives. […]