Silicon Prototype Engineer

Apple • Cupertino, CA

2h • $221,374 - $277,600 • Onsite

About The Position

Apple Inc. is hiring a Silicon Prototype Engineer for work in Cupertino, California, and various unanticipated locations throughout the USA. The role is responsible for the complete lifecycle of FPGA platforms, from architecture and hardware selection through implementation and bring-up. The engineer will work with cross-functional teams to prototype new features and perform pre-silicon validation, then drive system bring-up and debug after tape-out to support a smooth path to production.

The position includes architecting and maintaining a common ASIC and FPGA design platform, with considerations for memories, I/O, and advanced clocking schemes. The engineer owns the FPGA implementation flow, including synthesis, place and route, timing closure, and bitstream generation. The role also involves developing RTL and software for FPGA prototyping and validation, maintaining the FPGA simulation environment, partnering with silicon validation on silicon and firmware validation, driving silicon bring-up, collaborating on module bring-up and product integration, and working with the board design team on prototype and validation platform development. The position is 40 hours per week.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or foreign equivalent in Electrical Engineering or a related field.
• Three years of experience in the job offered or a related occupation.
• Experience or education using Verilog or System Verilog to write RTL for FPGA designs.
• Experience or education performing FPGA synthesis, place and route, and timing optimization to generate FPGA bitstreams.
• Experience or education using scripting languages, including Python, TCL, and Perl, to automate FPGA build and validation.
• Experience or education developing RTL simulation environments to execute FPGA validation.
• Knowledge of CDC and multiple clock domains to fix timing issues.
• Experience or education interpreting board schematics to assist in developing and debugging validation boards and platforms.
• Experience or education operating lab equipment, including oscilloscopes and logic analyzers, to test and troubleshoot issues.
• Experience or education designing and validating high-speed interfaces.
• Experience or education managing common design platforms for ASIC and FPGA prototyping, including memories, I/O pads, and clock networks.

Responsibilities

• Manage the complete lifecycle of FPGA platforms, from architecture and hardware selection through implementation and bring-up.
• Work with cross-functional teams to prototype new features and perform pre-silicon validation.
• Drive system bring-up and debug after tape-out to support a smooth path to production.
• Architect and maintain a common design platform for ASIC and FPGA, including memories, I/O, and advanced clocking schemes.
• Own the FPGA implementation flow, including synthesis, place and route, timing closure, and bitstream generation.
• Develop RTL and software for FPGA prototyping and validation, and maintain the FPGA simulation environment.
• Partner with the silicon validation team on silicon and firmware validation.
• Drive silicon bring-up and collaborate with cross-functional teams on module bring-up and product integration.
• Collaborate with the board design team on prototype and validation platform development.

Benefits

• Opportunity to participate in discretionary employee stock programs, including restricted stock unit awards and the Employee Stock Purchase Plan, subject to eligibility and applicable terms.
• Comprehensive medical and dental coverage.
• Retirement benefits.
• Discounted products and free services.
• Reimbursement for certain educational expenses, including tuition, for formal education related to career advancement at Apple.
• May be eligible for discretionary bonuses or commission payments.
• May be eligible for relocation assistance.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level