Silicon Prototype Engineer

Apple • Cupertino, CA

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About The Position

Apple Inc. is hiring a Silicon Prototype Engineer 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 design platform for ASIC and FPGA, with consideration 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. Other work includes developing RTL and software for FPGA prototyping and validation, maintaining an FPGA simulation environment, partnering with silicon validation on silicon and firmware validation, and collaborating on silicon, module, and product bring-up. The role also works with the board design team on prototype and validation platform development.

The position is 40 hours per week. The base pay range is $221,374–$277,600 per year, depending on skills, qualifications, experience, and location. Apple also describes discretionary employee stock programs, restricted stock unit awards, an employee stock purchase plan, medical and dental coverage, retirement benefits, discounted products and free services, tuition reimbursement for certain career-related education, and possible discretionary bonuses or commission payments and relocation, subject to eligibility and applicable plan terms.

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 using Verilog or SystemVerilog to write RTL for FPGA designs.
• Experience performing FPGA synthesis, place and route, and timing optimization to generate FPGA bitstreams.
• Experience using scripting languages, including Python, TCL, and Perl, to automate FPGA build and validation.
• Experience developing RTL simulation environments for FPGA validation.
• Knowledge of CDC and multiple clock domains to fix timing issues.
• Ability to interpret board schematics to assist with development and debugging of validation boards and platforms.
• Experience operating lab equipment, including oscilloscopes and logic analyzers, to test and troubleshoot issues.
• Experience designing and validating high-speed interfaces.
• Experience 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 ASIC and FPGA design platform, considering 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.
• Eligibility for discretionary restricted stock unit awards.
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan with the option to purchase Apple stock at a discount.
• 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.
• Potential eligibility for discretionary bonuses or commission payments.
• Potential relocation assistance.

What This Job Offers

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