Electrical Engineer - UBB/VBB
About Etched
Etched is building AI chips that are hard-coded for individual model architectures. Our first product (Sohu) only supports transformers, but has an order of magnitude more throughput and lower latency than a B200. With Etched ASICs, you can build products that would be impossible with GPUs, like real-time video generation models and extremely deep & parallel chain-of-thought reasoning agents.
Job Summary
We are looking for an Electrical Engineer to own the design of our Universal Baseboard (UBB) and Vertical Baseboard (VBB) systems—the carrier platforms that connect our accelerator modules, interconnect fabric, and system infrastructure. You will lead high-speed board design, ensure signal and power integrity, and help bring cutting-edge AI hardware from prototype to production.
Key responsibilities
Lead schematic and PCB design for UBB/VBB platforms supporting Etched’s AI accelerator modules
Define power distribution, clocking, and high-speed interconnect topology (PCIe Gen5/Gen6, CXL)
Collaborate with SI/PI, mechanical, and thermal engineers to solve system-level challenges
Work with ODM/OEM partners on manufacturing, bring-up, and validation plans
Bring up and debug UBB/VBB systems, from prototype through production
Create and manage full PCBA documentation, including BOMs, assembly notes, and revision control
Define and execute test plans for signal integrity, power integrity, and manufacturing validation
You may be a good fit if you have (Must-have qualifications)
5–10 years of experience in server motherboard, baseboard, or backplane design
Deep expertise with high-speed serial interfaces (PCIe Gen5/Gen6, Ethernet 100G+) and low-speed control interfaces (I2C, SPI, UART)
Strong knowledge of OCP hardware standards and modular compute architectures
Proven track record of bringing complex server or accelerator systems from design to production
Experience collaborating with silicon teams and aligning hardware to chip-level requirements
Familiarity with datacenter thermal and power constraints, especially in high-power (>10 kW) AI systems
Passion for modern AI systems and willingness to learn their architectural needs on the job
Strong candidates may also have experience with (Nice-to-have qualifications)
Prior design experience with accelerator or GPU carrier boards
Knowledge of CXL protocols and emerging high-speed interconnects
Hands-on validation and debug experience with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and BERTs
Experience working with contract manufacturers on server-class hardware
Familiarity with thermal design considerations for dense, high-power compute systems
Base Salary Compensation
$175,000 - $250,000
Benefits
Full medical, dental, and vision packages, with generous premium coverage
Housing subsidy of $2,000/month for those living within walking distance of the office
Daily lunch and dinner in our office
Relocation support for those moving to San Jose (Santana Row)
How we’re different
Etched believes in the Bitter Lesson. We think most of the progress in the AI field has come from using more FLOPs to train and run models, and the best way to get more FLOPs is to build model-specific hardware. Larger and larger training runs encourage companies to consolidate around fewer model architectures, which creates a market for single-model ASICs.
We are a fully in-person team in San Jose (Santana Row), and greatly value engineering skills. We do not have boundaries between engineering and research, and we expect all of our technical staff to contribute to both as needed.
