Senior Modeling Engineer

The demand for new datacenters and AI compute is rapidly outpacing the planet's energy capacity. Digital solutions are hitting a power wall as we approach the physical limits of traditional silicon. Conquering this bottleneck isn’t about bigger chips or more of them; it means rethinking the fundamental architecture. The industry's current path isn’t going to meet the need, so we took a different approach.

Instead of traditional electronic circuits, we use silicon photonics and an active, programmable metasurface to perform matrix multiplications at the speed of light. Our optical cells are 10,000x smaller than traditional photonic components, enabling unprecedented density. By using photonics instead of electricity, our chips become more efficient as they scale. This architecture will deliver up to 100 times the energy efficiency of existing solutions while significantly improving performance for large-scale AI inference.

We’ve assembled a world-class team of industry veterans and recently raised a $110M Series A led by Gates Frontier. Participants include M12 (Microsoft’s Venture Fund), Carbon Direct Capital, Aramco Ventures, Bosch Ventures, Tectonic Ventures, Space Capital, and others. We have also been recognized on the EE Times Silicon 100 list for several consecutive years.

Join us and shape the future of computing!

Position Overview:

We are seeking experienced hardware modeling engineers to develop sophisticated functional and performance models that define the next generation of Neurophos chips. You will implement models of novel compute blocks, including optical GEMM engines, SRAM vector processors, and dataflow architectures within our YinYang event-driven framework. This role offers the opportunity to work on cutting-edge hardware that doesn't exist anywhere else while shaping modeling methodology from the ground up.

Location: San Mateo, CA or Austin, TX. Full-time onsite position.

Key Responsibilities:

• Implement functional models (fmod) of optical compute engines, vector processors, and memory systems

• Develop performance models (pmod) with discrete-event timing and power estimation

• Work within the YinYang (libyy) event-driven framework to build modular, reusable components

• Design clean abstractions and interfaces between hardware blocks

• Integrate with Verilator/SystemVerilog for RTL co-simulation and validation

• Build trace infrastructure for both coupled and independent simulation modes

• Validate models against RTL and contribute to architectural validation efforts

• Collaborate with architects, RTL designers, and software engineers

• Optimize simulation performance while maintaining modeling fidelity

Qualifications:

• BS, MS, or PhD in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or Computer Science

• 5-7+ years of experience in hardware modeling, functional simulation, or performance modeling

• Strong C++ programming skills (modern C++17/20/23 preferred)

• Experience with hardware modeling frameworks, transaction-level modeling, or event-driven simulation

• Understanding of computer architecture fundamentals (pipelines, memory systems, accelerators)

• Ability to balance modeling fidelity with simulation speed based on analysis objectives

• Strong debugging and validation skills for complex hardware models

• Effective communication and collaboration across hardware/software teams

• Python proficiency for scripting, analysis, and automation

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with SystemC, TLM 2.x, or custom event-driven simulation frameworks

• Background in accelerator modeling (GPU, TPU, NPU, DSP)

• Familiarity with Verilator, SystemVerilog, or RTL co-simulation

• Knowledge of memory system modeling (HBM, DRAM, caches)

• Understanding of ML workloads and framework internals (PyTorch, TensorFlow)

• Experience with performance analysis, profiling, and bottleneck identification

• Exposure to power modeling frameworks (McPAT, Cacti)

• Background in optical computing, photonics, or analog computing

• Experience with trace-driven simulation methodologies

This is an opportunity to play a pivotal role in an innovative startup redefining the future of AI hardware. Work on a game-changing technology at the intersection of photonics and AI as part of a collaborative and brilliant team. You’ll contribute to a platform that redefines computational performance and accelerates the future of artificial intelligence. Come help us bring this transformative technology to the world.

Join a team that invests in your future and your well-being. At Neurophos, we offer:

• 100% coverage of base health plan premiums for you and your dependents, plus HSA contributions.

• Unlimited PTO. No rigid vacation banks, just a focus on delivery.

• 401(k) matching and stock option opportunities to ensure our success is your success.

• Full suite of voluntary benefits, including Dental, Vision, Life, Hospital, Critical Illness, and Accident insurance.

• Personalized Benefits. Choose the plans that fit your life and take the cash back for those that don’t.