At Cognichip, we are building AI-native tools that transform how semiconductor engineers create, verify, and optimize chips. Our platform combines large proprietary models, agentic workflows, domain-specific engineering intelligence, and high-performance simulation infrastructure to accelerate one of the world's most complex engineering disciplines. Staff CAD/EDA Tools Engineer We are seeking a Staff CAD/EDA Tools Engineer to own the application layer of our EDA tool ecosystem: the wrapper scripts, CLI tooling, and container images that let engineers and AI systems run open-source and commercial chip design tools reliably and consistently.

If you like turning EDA tool quirks into clean, dependable software that other engineers and AI agents can build on, this role is for you. Maintain and evolve wrapper scripts and CLI tooling that give a single, consistent interface across open-source EDA tools (Verilator, Yosys, slang, Icarus Verilog, cocotb) and commercial tools. Own the application layer of the EDA tool stack end-to-end: evaluate and integrate current open-source tools, and write the scripts and configuration that make them usable in real design and verification flows.

Support application-layer license configuration for commercial EDA tools (e.g., FlexLM-based license servers), partnering with DevOps, who own the underlying infrastructure. Collaborate with DevOps on how containerized tools are deployed and consumed,



while owning the container image content and correctness yourself. Partner with RTL design, verification, and AI/ML engineers to understand workflow needs and translate them into reliable, documented tooling.

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a closely related field. 10+ years of experience in software/tools engineering, and CAD/EDA infrastructure. Strong scripting and software engineering skills in Python and Bash, including building CLI tools or wrappers around third-party software.

Solid working knowledge of Docker: writing Dockerfiles, building and versioning images, and troubleshooting containerized environments. Familiarity with digital design EDA tools from Synopsys, Cadence and Siemens Comfortable working in Linux environments and debugging tool, build, and dependency issues independently.

Experience with declarative build/dependency systems for hardware projects Familiarity with cloud environments (AWS, GCP, or Azure) as a consumer of container images built for cloud deployment. We're a fast-moving AI startup with a collaborative, high-trust culture. We value technical excellence, ownership, and the freedom to experiment.

We operate on a hybrid schedule with four days in office, one day remote. If you're excited to build cutting edge tools that empower semiconductor engineers and reshape how chips are designed, you'll feel right at home. #

📌 Staff Cad/Eda Tools Engineer (Toronto)
🏢 Cognichip
📍 Toronto