{"id":1275970,"url":"https://alion.io/job/great-sky-integrated-circuit-layout-engineer","title":"Integrated Circuit Layout Engineer","company":{"id":2372716,"name":"Great Sky","domain":"greatsky.ai","url":"https://alion.io/company/greatsky","size_band":"11-50","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Ashby","truth_index":null},"role":"Hardware","role_family":"Hardware","seniority":"middle","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"hybrid","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Boulder, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":120000,"max":180000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":180000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":3,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":true,"technologies":[{"name":"Cadence Virtuoso","optional":false},{"name":"KLayout","optional":false},{"name":"Python","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-09-22T21:43:53Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-09-22","last_verified_at":"2026-09-28T00:48:52Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":5,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":5},"description":"About Us\nGreat Sky is a technology startup based with a mission to rebuild AI from first principles. We are pursuing neuroscience-inspired hardware and algorithms that overcome the greatest challenges in scaling AI systems.\nJob Overview\nWe’re seeking a highly motivated integrated circuit layout engineer to optimize superconducting electronic circuitry for Great Sky’s AI hardware platform.\nSemiconductor IC layout experience is highly relevant for this role; prior superconducting electronics experience is not required. We will help you ramp on superconducting design rules, devices, and workflows. We are open to mid-level through senior candidates; title and scope will depend on experience.\nThe Challenge:\nToday’s AI systems are limited by data movement, latency, and energy efficiency. Great Sky is developing superconducting neural-network hardware that combines ultra-fast analog computation, local memory, and optical fan-out. Scaling this platform requires disciplined IC layout, verification, and tapeout execution across increasingly complex superconducting circuits.\n\nYour Role:\nYou will help us realize highly efficient superconducting circuit layouts on the path to massively scaled neural networks that enable inference with orders of magnitude speedups over the state of the art.\n\nKey Responsibilities\nCreate layouts for individual superconducting device cells, reusable circuit blocks, and larger hierarchical structures such as neural-network circuits.\n\nOptimize layouts for area, parasitics, device performance, manufacturability, and scaling.\n\nExtension and improvement of our parametric/script-based layout engine to facilitate rapid scaling to even larger networks, using Python\n\nSupport post-layout simulation and verification of passive and active superconducting circuits.\n\nCollaboration with the fabrication team and external foundries to ensure successful manufacturing of chips\n\nWhat success looks like in the first year\nDeliver verified layouts for key superconducting device cells and reusable circuit blocks.\n\nImprove the reliability and scalability of our Python-based layout generation flow.\n\nIdentify and implement meaningful area reductions in key device cells while preserving performance, manufacturability, and verification closure.\n\nQualifications & Skills\nRequired:\nBachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, physics, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.\n\n3+ years of experience in integrated circuit layout engineering in semiconductor or superconducting device domains\n\nExperience with IC layout tools and formats such as Cadence Virtuoso, KLayout, Calibre, GDSII/OASIS, PCells, DRC/LVS, or similar workflows.\n\nStrong scripting ability in Python or a similar language, applied to parametric or automated layout generation\n\nFamiliarity with post-layout extraction, parasitic-aware layout, or electromagnetic simulation workflows.\n\nDirect contribution to at least one successful IC tapeout, preferably involving hierarchical layout, custom devices, or nonstandard process constraints.\n\nPreferred:\nExperience with development and customization of design rule check procedures for integrated circuit layouts\n\nExperience building or maintaining parametric cells, layout generators, or scripted layout flows.\n\nExperience with numerical analysis of superconducting circuits\n\nExperience managing large tapeouts with complex foundry processes\n\nBenefits and Perks\nMeaningful equity ownership in an early-stage deep tech company\n\nEmployer-matched 401(k)\n\nHealth, dental, vision, and life insurance\n\nFlexible PTO\n\nSupport for ongoing learning, conference attendance, and skill development\n\nOur culture is onsite by default (we're founded by scientists who are used to working in the lab), with flexibility for hybrid arrangements. For the right person and role, we're open to filling roles remotely","description_format":"text","description_chars":3873,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":3,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Equity","Life insurance"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Hardware","Servers & Data Center Hardware","Optical Communications"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-09-26T01:36:10Z"}],"liveness":{"score":89,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":1,"p_active":0.887,"p_room":1,"age_days":4,"expected_fill_days":21,"reasons":["conf:0","velocity","win:early"],"computed_at":"2026-09-27T05:45:00Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":180000,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/great-sky-integrated-circuit-layout-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/great-sky-integrated-circuit-layout-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-09-28T02:52:43Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","usage":{"tier":"crawler","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":1731,"day_limit":5000,"remaining_today":3269,"minute_limit":60,"resets_at":"2026-09-29T00:00:00Z"}}}