---
title: 'Applications Engineer - Silicon IP at Efficient Computer'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/applications-engineer-silicon-ip-efficient-computer-san-jose-ca-or-pittsburgh-c1tv4xa629w9'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-10'
---

# Applications Engineer - Silicon IP at Efficient Computer

- **Company:** Efficient Computer
- **Location:** San Jose CA OR Pittsburgh PA OR Austin, TX
- **Posted:** 2026-08-27
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-10
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/efficientcomputer/jobs/4385243009

## Job description

Efficient is developing the world’s most energy-efficient general-purpose computer processor. Efficient’s patented technology uses 100x less energy than state of the art commercially available ultra-low-power processors and is programmable using standard high-level programming languages and AI/ML frameworks. This level of efficiency makes perpetual, pervasive intelligence possible: run AI/ML continuously on a AA battery for 5-10 years. Our platform’s unprecedented level of efficiency enables IoT devices to intelligently capture and curate first-party data to drive the next major computing revolution

## About the Role

We’re looking for an Applications Engineer who will help customers successfully evaluate, integrate, verify, and physically implement our silicon IP in their SoCs. You’ll be the technical bridge between customers and our design, verification, physical design, and characterization teams—helping customers stand up verification environments, close coverage and timing, resolve integration issues, and keep tapeouts on schedule. This customer-facing role combines broad ASIC/SoC expertise, hands-on problem solving, and clear technical communication.

## What You’ll Do

- Serve as the primary technical point of contact for customers integrating our silicon IP, from RTL simulation and UVM testbench setup through synthesis, floorplanning, place-and-route, timing closure, and signoff.
- Debug customer-reported issues across the RTL, testbench, constraints, and physical implementation boundary; distinguish IP defects and deliverable issues from configuration errors, protocol misunderstandings, constraints, or implementation choices.
- Develop and maintain reference verification environments, example testbenches, implementation flows, floorplan guidance, and integration collateral—including SDC and UPF templates—that reduce customer ramp time.
- Deliver onsite and remote technical training on IP architecture, verification methodology, verification IP usage, coverage closure, timing models, physical abstracts, and implementation best practices.
- Partner with engineering and product leaders to aggregate field evidence, prioritize corrective work, and shape future capabilities, deliverables, and release content.
- Support pre-sales technical evaluations by helping prospective customers assess IP quality, verification collateral, PPA, floorplan compatibility, node/process readiness, and integration effort.
- Lead architecture-to-signoff reviews of customer integrations, identify implementation risks, and recommend corrective actions across configuration, verification, performance, timing, power, and area.
- Exercise upcoming IP releases and customer collateral in representative integration flows; document gaps and work with engineering owners to close them before external delivery.
- Advise customers on interface and protocol integration, multi-voltage and power-domain design, DFT stitching at the IP boundary, and node-specific signoff requirements.
- Turn recurring support cases into reusable enablement—including reference examples, diagnostic playbooks, automation, and self-service guidance—that shortens resolution time for customers and the field team.
- Track and report field issues and recurring integration patterns to inform the IP roadmap, deliverable quality, and process-node support priorities.

## What You’ll Bring

- BS or MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
- 5+ years of experience in ASIC/SoC verification, physical design, silicon IP integration, or a closely related applications engineering role.
- Strong scripting and automation skills—Python, TCL, Make, or shell—for building flows, regressions, and debug tooling.
- Hands-on experience integrating third-party or internally licensed silicon IP, such as soft or hard macros, protocol or interface IP, interconnect, standard-cell libraries, or memory compilers.
- Experience diagnosing complex integration issues and translating deep technical findings into clear, actionable guidance for customers and internal teams.
- Familiarity with multiple foundries or process nodes and the verification, PPA, reliability, and signoff challenges associated with them.
- One or more of the following experience areas:
- Strong SystemVerilog/UVM skills, comfort reading and debugging RTL, and experience with coverage-driven verification using simulators such as Xcelium, VCS, or Questa.
- Practical experience with synthesis, floorplanning, place-and-route, and static timing analysis using tools such as Cadence Innovus, Synopsys ICC2/Fusion Compiler, PrimeTime, or Tempus.
- Working knowledge of timing models and physical abstracts (Liberty/ECSM/CCS and LEF), constraints and low-power intent (SDC and UPF), and signoff flows (STA, IR/EM, DRC/LVS).
- Willingness to travel to customer sites approximately 20–30%, depending on business needs.

## Nice to Have

- Experience as an IP vendor applications engineer, verification or physical-design consultant, or silicon IP integrator at a systems/SoC company.
- Experience with formal verification, protocol compliance suites, verification IP, low-power design, SoC-level DFT, or reliability signoff.
- Experience with processor-based SoC integration, cache-coherent fabrics, and high-speed chip-to-chip or peripheral interfaces relevant to Efficient’s platform.
- Public speaking, technical training, or conference presentation experience

We offer a competitive salary for this role, generally ranging from $160,000 to $210,000, along with meaningful equity and comprehensive benefits. The final compensation package will be based on your experience and location, with some flexibility to ensure we align with the right candidate.

Why Join Efficient?

Efficient offers a competitive compensation and benefits package, including 401K match, company-paid benefits, equity program, paid parental leave, and flexibility. We are committed to personal and professional development and strive to grow together as people and as a company.

## About Efficient Computer

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Efficient Computer is building the world’s most energy-efficient general-purpose processor by combining a novel Fabric architecture with an intuitive compiler, targeting edge AI, industrial automation, space/defense, and beyond.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series A)
- **Headquarters**: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
- **Founded**: 2022
- **Founders**: Brandon Lucia (CEO) and Nathan Beckmann (Chief Architect)

## Core Business
- Primary industry/industries: Semiconductor / Computer Hardware / AI Chips
- Target customers: B2B – OEMs and systems integrators in edge AI, industrial automation, satellite/space, automotive, defense, and consumer electronics
- Mission or purpose statement: To set a new standard for energy efficiency in general-purpose computation, enabling applications that are infeasible today due to energy constraints. [efficient.computer/about](https://www.efficient.computer/about)

## Products & Services
- **[Electron E1 Processor]**: A general-purpose processor featuring the proprietary Fabric architecture and 4MB of on-chip MRAM. It replaces von Neumann execution with a spatial dataflow model, delivering up to 1 TOPS/W and scaling from 5.4 GOPS to 21.6 GOPS. Designed for always-on AI inference at the edge. [efficient.computer/technology](https://www.efficient.computer/technology)
- **[effcc Compiler]**: A drop-in replacement for GCC/Clang that automatically extracts parallelism from C, C++, and TFLite code and maps it to the Fabric architecture. Provides ultra-fast compilation times and a GDB-compatible debugging experience. [efficient.computer/technology](https://www.efficient.computer/technology)
- **[Fabric Architecture]**: The core technology – a tiled grid of reconfigurable compute nodes that eliminates instruction fetch and decode overhead, achieving 10–100× energy efficiency gains over traditional CPUs and GPUs. [efficient.computer](https://www.efficient.computer/)

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed (private company)
- **Key Metric**: Total Funding – $70.0M across 3 rounds (Seed and Series A)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Triatomic Capital (led Series A), Eclipse (led Seed round). Key advisors include Alex Hawkinson (founder of SmartThings and BrightAI). [linkedin.com/company/efficientcomputer](https://www.linkedin.com/company/efficientcomputer)
- **Growth Signals**: 
  - 46 employees (+79.4% YoY, +27 people)
  - 13,966 LinkedIn followers (+180.4% yearly growth)
  - First silicon product (Electron E1) delivered to customers in mid-2025, ramping to volume distribution in 2026
  - Customer traction in physical AI, space/defense, automotive, and consumer products

## Competitive Advantages
- **Fabric Architecture**: A fundamentally new compute paradigm that is 10–100× more energy-efficient than traditional CPUs/GPUs for general-purpose workloads, including AI inference.
- **Full Programmability**: Unlike specialized accelerators that only optimize isolated kernels, the Fabric architecture accelerates entire applications without requiring code rewrites.
- **Proven Silicon**: Two silicon implementations (Electron E0 prototype and Electron E1 product) are already in customer hands.
- **World-Class Team**: Founders and key engineers are leading computer architects from Carnegie Mellon University, with deep expertise in efficient computing.

## Strategic Focus
- Scale the Electron E1 processor into high-volume production and distribution (targeting 2026).
- Expand into multiple verticals: physical AI, industrial automation, space/satellite, defense, automotive, and consumer electronics.
- Continue developing the effcc compiler ecosystem to support more frameworks and languages.
- Grow the engineering team, particularly in physical design, verification, architecture, and software optimization.

## Why Work Here
- **Cutting-Edge Technology**: Work on a novel processor architecture that redefines energy efficiency for the AI era.
- **Strong Growth Trajectory**: The company is scaling rapidly (nearly 80% headcount growth YoY) with a clear product-market fit and customer traction.
- **Engineering-Centric Culture**: 43% of the workforce is in technical roles, with a focus on computer architecture, compiler design, and silicon engineering.
- **Compensation & Benefits**: Competitive base salaries, meaningful startup equity, 401k matching, and a choose-your-own-adventure equipment allowance. [efficient.computer/about](https://www.efficient.computer/about)
- **Work Locations**: Offices in Pittsburgh, PA; San Jose, CA; and Austin, TX. Roles are on-site/hybrid at these hubs.
- **Values-Driven**: The company emphasizes integrity, impact, and accountability. [efficient.computer/about](https://www.efficient.computer/about)
- **Open Roles (as of mid-2026)**: 7 active positions including Design Verification Manager, Hardware Infrastructure & CI/CD Engineer, Senior Product Managers (Hardware/Software), Computer Architect, and Lead Physical Design Engineer.

## Sources
1. [efficient.computer](https://www.efficient.computer/)
2. [efficient.computer/about](https://www.efficient.computer/about)
3. [efficient.computer/technology](https://www.efficient.computer/technology)
4. [linkedin.com/company/efficientcomputer](https://www.linkedin.com/company/efficientcomputer)
5. [job-boards.greenhouse.io/efficientcomputer](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/efficientcomputer)

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