PCB Layout Engineer

About Etched

Etched is building the world’s first AI inference system purpose-built for transformers - delivering over 10x higher performance and dramatically lower cost and 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 & parallel chain-of-thought reasoning agents. Backed by hundreds of millions from top-tier investors and staffed by leading engineers, Etched is redefining the infrastructure layer for the fastest growing industry in history.

Job Summary

We’re seeking a skilled PCB Layout Engineer to join our dynamic team and contribute to our high-performance data center products. As a PCB Layout Engineer at Etched, you will play a crucial role in designing and optimizing printed circuit boards (PCBs) using Cadence Allegro PCB design tools. Your primary focus will be on high-speed signaling, including 100G applications, power distribution, large BGA ball-map breakouts and complex HDI PCB stack-ups for high-performance data center products. Your expertise will ensure that our products meet the highest standards of performance, reliability, and efficiency.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design and optimization of high-speed PCB layouts using Cadence Allegro, tailored for 100G signaling. Implement strategies for impedance matching, trace routing, and crosstalk mitigation, resulting in robust designs that meet the stringent performance demands of modern data centers.

• Develop and implement power distribution networks for cutting-edge data center hardware. Design power planes, decoupling strategies, and thermal management solutions to support high-performance systems, ensuring reliability and efficiency under heavy operational loads.

• Manage the design of complex High-Density Interconnect (HDI) PCB stack-ups for multi-layer boards. Integrate blind/buried vias and microvias to meet the advanced technological requirements of data center systems, enhancing signal integrity and achieving compact form factors.

• Collaborate with electrical and mechanical engineering teams to integrate PCB designs within the overall system architecture. Provide key input during design reviews to optimize performance, ensure manufacturability, and align with system-level objectives in a data center environment.

You maybe a good fit if you

• Have a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, or a related field. Advanced degrees or certifications are a plus.

• Are equipped with 10 years of experience in PCB layout design with a focus on high-speed signaling, power distribution, and HDI stack-ups, ideally for high-performance data center products.

• Demonstrate proficiency in Cadence Allegro PCB design tools

• Command in-depth knowledge of high-speed digital design principles, including signal integrity and impedance control.

• Have Experience with complex HDI PCB design and manufacturing processes.

• Understand power distribution network design and thermal management techniques, particularly for data center applications.

• Are excellent at problem-solving skills and attention to detail.

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

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision packages with generous premium coverage

  • $500 per month credit for waiving medical benefits

• Housing subsidy of $2k per month for those living within walking distance of the office

• Relocation support for those moving to San Jose (Santana Row)

• Various wellness benefits covering fitness, mental health, and more

• Daily lunch + dinner in our office

 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 San Jose (Santana Row), 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.