gradiated
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Silicon

Founding Silicon Engineer

Design model-specific inference hardware across architecture, implementation, and verification.

Location
Bristol, London
Office
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Compensation
£240,000–£500,000 base + significant equity

About Gradiated

Gradiated is a research lab focused on inference. We build software and hardware for open-weight models.

Our goal is to maximize tokens per joule. We work across model behavior, software, systems, and silicon to find better ways to run models.

We treat each model as a mathematical function. We map that function onto hardware and build a custom software stack for it.

We are early. You will help set the technical direction and the way the company works.

Why this role exists

We want silicon engineers who understand the full path from model behavior to hardware activity. We do not want separate teams that pass incomplete specifications to each other.

You will go deep where the problem requires it. You will also follow your work across the surrounding layers.

What you will do

  • Study model workloads with the inference research team.
  • Build analytical and cycle-accurate performance models.
  • Explore compute, memory, dataflow, and interconnect designs.
  • Turn selected designs into clear microarchitecture and RTL.
  • Build verification environments and close functional and performance coverage.
  • Use power, performance, and area results to change the design.
  • Help build the hardware-software interface and low-level execution model.
  • Automate design, simulation, verification, and analysis work.
  • Support emulation, tape-out, and silicon bring-up as the program advances.

Problems you may work on

  • Model-shaped compute and numerical units.
  • Memory hierarchies for hot and cold model state.
  • Sparse access, expert routing, and data movement.
  • Network and chip-to-chip communication for inference.
  • Performance models that stay useful as the design changes.
  • Verification of long-running and highly parallel model workloads.
  • Tools that let a small team explore and verify more designs.

What we are looking for

  • You have deep digital silicon experience.
  • You can work across architecture, modeling, RTL, verification, and software.
  • You can use SystemVerilog and a programming language such as Python or C++.
  • You understand pipelines, memory systems, interconnects, and ASIC design flows.
  • You can turn incomplete workload evidence into a testable design question.
  • You measure your work and explain the trade-offs clearly.
  • Tape-out or silicon bring-up experience is useful, but it is not required for every candidate.

This role is not for you if

  • You want to work on one block without understanding the complete system.
  • You want to pass specifications or bugs to another team without following them through.
  • You do not want to read model or software code.
  • You need a complete specification before you can start.
  • You prefer familiar design patterns when workload evidence points elsewhere.
  • You want verification, performance, or implementation to be someone else's problem.

How we work

We prefer evidence to assertion. State the question, measure the result, and record what you learned. A failed idea is useful when it gives us a clear decision.

We work in the office on Monday, Wednesday, Friday. We value working in person to solve hard problems, but we are flexible. Some of the team work abroad for short periods.

Pay and equity

The base salary is £240,000–£500,000. Every offer also includes significant equity.

We pay at the top of the market because talent density is what will allow us to build the most efficient inference. We want a small team of exceptional people who can solve hard problems together.

Interview process

  1. A 60-minute call about your goals and the role.
  2. We get together in person and talk through the problems we will work on.
  3. A paid in-person working session, so we can get to know you and you can meet the team.
  4. References and an offer decision.

Apply

Let's talk.

If this work interests you, we would like to hear from you. You do not need to prepare anything. We will start with a conversation.

Start a conversation →