Research Assistant – IC Design and EDA

About the role

The School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Singapore is seeking a Research Assistant to advance open‑source processor and accelerator architectures. The role involves doctoral‑level research on IC design and electronic design automation (EDA) with a focus on RISC‑V based processors and AI accelerators.

Key responsibilities

• Conduct doctoral research on open‑source processor architectures and hardware accelerators, including RISC‑V‑based systems.
• Design, implement, and evaluate digital ICs using Verilog/SystemVerilog and related hardware description languages.
• Develop and optimise EDA workflows for processor and accelerator design, verification, and physical implementation using open‑source tools.
• Explore architecture‑algorithm co‑design for machine learning and AI acceleration.
• Perform performance, power, and area (PPA) analysis of processor and accelerator designs.
• Publish research findings in top‑tier conferences and journals and contribute to open‑source hardware and EDA communities.
• Participate in research group activities, seminars, and collaborations.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a closely related discipline.
• Strong interest in processor architecture, digital IC design, or hardware acceleration for AI.
• Knowledge of computer architecture, digital systems, and machine‑learning algorithm implementation considerations.
• Experience with ASIC design methodologies and open‑source IC design and EDA tools.
• Prior experience in digital hardware design using Verilog/SystemVerilog or equivalent HDLs.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct high‑quality research and publish in reputable venues.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Self‑motivated, curious, and willing to learn new concepts and tools.

Required skills

• Verilog/SystemVerilog
• RISC‑V architecture
• ASIC design methodologies
• Open‑source EDA tools
• Digital hardware design