# Emulation Test Engineer at Positron AI

- Company: Positron AI
- What the company does: About Positron AI Positron AI specializes in developing custom hardware systems to accelerate AI inference. Backed by NEA.
- Company website: https://www.positron.ai/
- Type: Startups (AI role)
- Level: Mid level
- Location: Austin, TX
- Work setup: On-site
- Pay: $180K to $300K base salary per year (USD)
- Posted: 2026-06-16
- Apply by: 2026-10-08
- Apply: https://ats.rippling.com/positron/jobs/83edf241-c477-4309-845e-00e7fbe75f63
- Page: https://www.1752.vc/careers/jobs/positron-ai-emulation-test-engineer/

## About the role

As Emulation Test Engineer, you'll provide technical direction for pre-silicon validation of Positron's next-generation AI inference ASIC. You'll own the end-to-end emulation strategy on the Cadence Palladium platform, architecting complex model builds, managing multi-rack partitioning, and driving the "left-shift" of our software development.

## What they're looking for

- Massive-Scale Model Architecture: Lead the partitioning and compilation of our design across a multi-rack Palladium environment, optimizing for performance and debug visibility
- Full-Stack Validation: Design and execute comprehensive emulation test plans to verify high-speed interfaces ( PCIe Gen 6/7, 112G+VSR, Ethernet ) and complex AI memory hierarchies
- Performance & Power Analysis: Utilize Palladium’s Dynamic Power Analysis (DPA) and throughput monitors to identify "true peaks" and performance bottlenecks that simulation cannot capture
- Vendor Management: Act as the primary technical point of contact with Cadence R&D to troubleshoot tool issues and leverage the latest Palladium Z3 capabilities
- Deep Palladium Expertise: Extensive hands-on experience with Cadence Palladium (Z1/Z2/Z3) , including advanced clocking, ICE (In-Circuit Emulation), and Virtual Interface (VIF) flows
- Complex SoC Background: A track record of emulating multi-billion gate designs where partitioning, runtime predictability, and compile efficiency were critical success factors

Tags: Engineering