ASIC Engineer

Department: Development

Location: Cleveland, OH

Employment Type: FullTime

About Our Work

We are neuroscientists who build ground-breaking technology for the spatial computing era. We stimulate nerves to create artificial tactile sensations, creating new, more meaningful connections to the user for notifications, 3D digital content, physical AI, health information, and beyond. Our first products will be mobile, wearable devices that stream haptic data from multiple digital source to create meaningful sensations of touch.

What You'll Be Doing

The ASIC Engineer will assist in the design, development, and verification of ASIC chips integral to our core technology mission. You will contribute to the design, verification, and testing of ASIC chips critical to our technology offerings, working closely with cross-functional teams and external fabrication partners to deliver quality solutions that meet business and market needs.

Key Responsibilities

• Help shape the design and development of ASIC chips under the guidance of senior engineers and leadership.

• Collaborate with product teams to align ASIC design efforts with customer requirements.

• Support coordination and communication with external semiconductor fabrication houses and consulting services.

• Participate in cross-functional teams to contribute to project planning, innovation, and delivery.

• Contribute to vendor evaluation and support decision-making related to ASIC design and manufacturing.

• Participate in detailed testing and verification activities to ensure ASIC quality and reliability.

• Troubleshoot and resolve design issues in coordination with senior team members.

• Ensure alignment of ASIC development goals with organizational strategy.

• Other duties as assigned.

What You'll Need for This Position

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field, preferably with focus on solid-state fabrication.

Must-Have Skills & Experience

• Minimum of 3 years of experience in ASIC design, testing, or verification.

• Familiarity with chip testing and verification methodologies; board layout experience is a plus.

• Ability to work independently on well-defined technical tasks and collaborate within a team.

• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.

• Effective communication skills to collaborate across teams and with external partners.

• While working under supervision, the ASIC Engineer’s decisions and work quality directly affect project timelines and product quality. Errors may cause short- to mid-term delays impacting costs and customer commitments. Careful execution and teamwork are essential to mitigate risks.

What's in It for You

Work closely with cutting-edge technology. You'll be hands-on with novel neural haptic technology that's defining the future of spatial computing and immersive experiences.

Work in a close-knit, startup environment. We strive to create an intellectually stimulating and collegial working environment. Our energy for inventing, creating, and learning spans work and play: we have regular happy hours, plan field trips, play games, play music, and generally have a good time.

An early employee experience. We are an early-stage deep tech startup company that requires all members to contribute across the entire business. On any given day, there will be new challenges and new demands to propel the business forward. We expect all employees to be able to dive into any new challenges that present themselves, even if they are beyond the job description above. If your are driven by the desire to see success and to create new tech not seen by the world previously, you will fit right in to the team's culture.

Compensation & Benefits

Afference is committed to providing the sense of touch for the evolution of the human connection to technology and the future of the digital experience. We are leading this effort through deep science and technology, which provides unique experiences compared to classical haptic technologies. Our lean team of experts demands a high level of excellence but can compensate with the commensurate upside potential of an early-growth startup in a high-growth sector of extended reality.

Compensation offers depend on skills, qualifications, and experience, and range between:

$116,005 to $174,009 per year at 100% FTE

Benefits include:

• Medical, dental vision, life, STD, FSA, additional company perks

• Equity Incentives

• Self-managed PTO

Location: On-site; Cleveland, OH office