ASIC Design Engineer - Neural Engine DMA
Computational photography, live language translation, and countless other on-device AI
capabilities depend on moving enormous amounts of data between memory and compute at
exactly the right time. As part of our Silicon Engineering Group, you will design the
high-performance DMA engines responsible for moving model weights and activation tensors
between the memory subsystem and the Apple Neural Engine.
In this role, you will take end-to-end ownership of complex DMA subsystem blocks, shape
technical direction across the team, and mentor engineers earlier in their careers. The
work you drive ships in Apple products used by billions of people every day.
Description
As an ASIC Design Engineer on the ANE DMA Design team, you will drive the design
of DMA subsystem blocks from microarchitecture specification through tapeout. ANE DMA's
scale and complexity means grappling with:
decomposing tensor surfaces into efficient fetch sequences; maximizing throughput under
real-world memory system conditions; maintaining data consistency across concurrent
streams; multi-level arbitration and ordering correctness; sizing latency-tolerant
buffering structures; and security and state isolation.
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In this front-end design role, your work will include:
- Taking end-to-end ownership of DMA subsystems through the full cycle: microarchitecture
specification, RTL implementation, front-end signoff (synthesis, timing closure, area
and power analysis, linting, LEC), and design verification closure.
- Writing well-parameterized RTL structured for clean timing and low power, including
assertions and cover points that encode design intent and ensure verification
completeness.
- Collaborating across design, architecture, and physical implementation teams to make
sound architectural trade-offs and drive solutions that meet performance, power, and
area targets.
- Working closely with design verification and formal verification teams to ensure
functional correctness: reviewing test plans, debugging failures, and confirming the
design's intended behavior is fully exercised.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience designing SoC front-end RTL in Verilog or SystemVerilog through multiple
tapeouts, including synthesis, timing closure, area and power analysis, linting, and
logic equivalence checks.
Experience collaborating across design verification, formal verification, architecture,
and physical implementation teams to specify, implement, and debug complex RTL blocks.
Experience designing DMA microarchitecture: address sequencing, flow control,
arbitration, or transaction ordering.
Experience with on-chip bus protocols (AMBA AXI, AHB, APB) and on-chip interconnect
fabrics.
Background in adjacent high-bandwidth domains: networking SoCs, image and video
processing pipelines, multimedia IP, or AI/ML accelerators.
A track record of writing precise, thorough micro-architectural specifications that
serve as the authoritative reference for design, verification, and integration teams.
Familiarity with scripting languages (Python, Perl, Tcl) for design automation.
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelors Degree plus 10 years of industry experience
Pay & Benefits
At Apple, base pay is one part of our total compensation package and is determined within a range. This provides the opportunity to progress as you grow and develop within a role. The base pay range for this role is between $184,700 and $324,800, and your base pay will depend on your skills, qualifications, experience, and location.
Apple employees also have the opportunity to become an Apple shareholder through participation in Apple's discretionary employee stock programs. Apple employees are eligible for discretionary restricted stock unit awards, and can purchase Apple stock at a discount if voluntarily participating in Apple's Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You'll also receive benefits including: Comprehensive medical and dental coverage, retirement benefits, a range of discounted products and free services, and for formal education related to advancing your career at Apple, reimbursement for certain educational expenses - including tuition. Additionally, this role might be eligible for discretionary bonuses or commission payments as well as relocation. Learn more about Apple Benefits
Note: Apple benefit, compensation and employee stock programs are subject to eligibility requirements and other terms of the applicable plan or program.
Perks and Benefits
Health and Wellness
Parental Benefits
Work Flexibility
Office Life and Perks
Vacation and Time Off
Financial and Retirement
Professional Development
Diversity and Inclusion
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