PCB Layout Engineering Lead

Cerebras Systems

$210K — $230K *
Telecommunications & Hardware
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in electrical or electronics engineering or equivalent experience.
  • 10+ years of hands-on experience with complex, high-speed multilayer PCBs.
  • Expertise in Cadence Allegro PCB Designer; knowledge of Altium Designer is a plus.
  • Strong understanding of component placement and controlled-impedance routing.
  • Experience with dense BGA escape routing and microvias.
  • Knowledge of signal integrity, power integrity, EMI/EMC, and thermal design.
  • Excellent collaborative skills with multi-disciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

  • Oversee the entire multilayer PCB layout process from component placement to production release.
  • Convert schematic designs and engineering requirements into practical board layouts using industry tools.
  • Implement board specifications including stackups, routing rules, and length-matching constraints.
  • Conduct placement and routing for high-speed digital and sensitive analog circuits, ensuring optimal performance.
  • Utilize best practices for signal integrity and power integrity to reduce signal interference.
  • Collaborate with engineers across various domains to define project constraints and troubleshoot layout issues.
  • Engage with manufacturing partners to select materials and enhance production yield.

Benefits

  • Remote work with an option for hybrid in Sunnyvale, CA.
  • Opportunity to work on cutting-edge AI hardware projects.
  • Collaboration with a multidisciplinary team in a dynamic environment.
Full Job Description
Cerebras is seeking an exceptional PCB Layout Lead to own the physical implementation of complex, high-performance printed circuit boards for AI systems. This role will translate schematics and engineering requirements into production-ready layouts, optimizing signal integrity, power integrity, thermal performance, reliability, and manufacturability.

Responsibilities
  • Own multilayer PCB layout from initial component placement through fabrication and assembly release.
  • Translate schematics, mechanical constraints, and electrical requirements into constraint-driven board designs using industry-standard PCB layout tools.
  • Define and implement board stackups, controlled-impedance structures, routing rules, reference planes, return paths, and length- and phase-matching constraints.
  • Place and route high-speed digital, high-current power, and sensitive analog circuits, including dense BGA fanout and differential interfaces.
  • Apply signal-integrity and power-integrity best practices to minimize crosstalk, discontinuities, noise, voltage drop, and electromagnetic interference.
  • Collaborate with electrical, SI/PI, mechanical, thermal, compliance, manufacturing, and test engineers to establish constraints and resolve layout issues.
  • Work with fabrication and assembly partners to select materials, validate stackups and via structures, and improve yield, cost, and schedule.
  • Perform design reviews and DFM, DFA, and DFT checks; generate and verify fabrication drawings, assembly drawings, drill data, Gerbers, ODB++, IPC-2581, and related release packages.
  • Maintain component footprints, padstacks, design libraries, layout standards, and release documentation.
  • Support prototype builds, board bring-up, failure analysis, and layout revisions through production.

Minimum Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, electronics engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
  • 10+ years of hands-on experience laying out complex, high-speed, multilayer printed circuit boards.
  • Expertise with Cadence Allegro PCB Designer and Constraint Manager; experience with Altium Designer or equivalent tools is also relevant.
  • Strong knowledge of component placement, controlled-impedance routing, differential pairs, length matching, return-path continuity, and power distribution.
  • Experience with dense BGA escape routing, HDI structures, blind and buried vias, microvias, via-in-pad, and backdrilling.
  • Working knowledge of signal integrity, power integrity, EMI/EMC, thermal design, creepage and clearance, and high-current routing.
  • Experience applying IPC standards and fabrication, assembly, test, and manufacturability requirements.
  • Ability to create and review complete PCB fabrication and assembly release packages.
  • Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and adapt to changing priorities.
  • Excellent collaborative and interpersonal skills with multi-disciplined teams.
  • Experience working on server hardware, AI accelerators, hardware accelerator, datacenter, AI Hardware, enterprise product, GPU, CPU, TPU, server platform etc.

Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience designing large, high-layer-count boards for compute, networking, server, or AI accelerator systems.
  • Experience routing high-speed interfaces such as DDR4/DDR5, PCIe Gen4/Gen5 or later, Ethernet, USB, and multi-gigabit SerDes.
  • Experience with high-current, low-voltage power delivery, VRM placement, decoupling strategy, copper balancing, and thermal optimization.
  • Experience developing Allegro SKILL, scripts, or automation that improves layout quality and release efficiency.
  • Demonstrated success delivering first-pass functional boards and supporting products from prototype through volume production.

Location: Remote. Sunnyvale, CA (Hybrid) is highly preferred.
  • The base salary range for this position is $210,000 - $230,000+ annually. Actual compensation may include bonus and equity, and will be determined based on factors such as experience, skills, and qualifications.

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