ASIC Validation Engineer

About this role

Proto is seeking an ASIC Validation Engineer to validate custom mining silicon by bringing up new chips on bench platforms, debugging cross-layer issues, and building test infrastructure. You'll work hands-on in labs to generate data that enables rapid iteration for both ASIC designers and system engineers developing bitcoin mining hardware.

What you'll do

• Bring up and debug new silicon on evaluation boards and system hardware across ASIC, firmware, and board layers
• Develop bench tests, scripts, and automation tools to exercise silicon features and collect validation data
• Build and maintain lab test setups including instrumentation, fixtures, and reusable workflows
• Partner with ASIC designers to validate functionality and root-cause silicon failures
• Ensure silicon performs correctly in target mining system environments with system engineers
• Support early manufacturing validation and debug efforts as needed; travel up to 20% to Oakland or Toronto labs

What they're looking for

• Silicon validation and hardware test (4+ years experience)
• Lab environment expertise (bench bring-up, debugging, instrumentation)
• Digital systems and basic analog concepts understanding
• Python scripting for test and data analysis
• Multi-layer debugging (ASIC, board, firmware, system interactions)
• ASIC or FPGA bring-up experience
• Common interface familiarity (SPI, I2C, JTAG, UART)
• Lab equipment operation (oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, power supplies)