Founding Machine Learning Architect

Our client is a startup building AI agents and a code editor workflow to revolutionize semiconductor design, an industry grappling with skyrocketing costs and slow timelines. By making silicon engineers up to 4x more productive
, their platform addresses critical bottlenecks in hardware architectural exploration, System Verilog construction, and physical design. The company, founded in 2025, is a small team of six with a mission to cut chip design from three years to just six months. They are backed by top advisors, including Stanford professors and Deep Mind Chief Scientists
, and have a high‑profile investor in Jeff Dean
.

Our client is seeking a Founding Machine Learning Architect to define and lead their AI roadmap. This is a foundational hire who will report directly to the Head of ML and work closely with the founders. You will have a rare opportunity to architect and deploy agent‑based systems from the ground up, impacting a massive industry. This is a hands‑on role for an individual who is excited to go from 0 to 1 and shape the core ML architecture.

The hiring window for this critical role closes on September 15th.

• Building the ML roadmap and research strategy for RTL and physical design domains
• Architecting and deploying agent‑based systems for RTL code generation and physical design automation
• Leading, mentoring, and scaling a top-tier ML engineering team
• Collaborating with hardware engineers to identify and solve pipeline bottlenecks with ML

• Deep expertise in LLMs and Reinforcement Learning
• A PhD is strongly preferred, as it indicates a strong research depth (5+ years of research vs. 8 months for a Master’s)
• Exceptional ability to read and synthesize research papers
• 5+ years of experience in ML at a top‑tier AI lab or company
• Proven leadership in high‑performance engineering teams

• Strong proficiency in Python, PyTorch, and RL libraries
• Experience with Transformers and MLOps
• A strong track record of publications or product development
• A startup builder mindset and a passion for working in an early‑stage environment
• Willingness to work in‑person, 5 days a week, in Palo Alto, CA

• Prior experience with AI for chip design
• Experience at a top‑tier research lab (e.g., Google, NVIDIA, OpenAI, Deep Mind)

• Salary: $300,000‑$400,000
• Equity:
  Competitive
• Visa Sponsorship: O1 and H1B sponsor ships are available

At MLabs, we are committed to offer equal opportunities to all candidates. We ensure no discrimination, accessible job adverts, and providing information in accessible formats. Our goal is to foster a diverse, inclusive workplace with equal opportunities for all. If you need any reasonable adjustments during any part of the hiring process or you would like to see the job‑advert in an accessible format please let us know at the earliest opportunity by emailing human-resourcesy.