Research Intern (Ph.D.)

About Us

Chips are at the center of today's tech-driven world. But how we design them has not changed in decades, while their complexity and specialization have skyrocketed due to increasing performance demands from applications like AI. We want to change that.

Our team is small, technical, and fast-moving. We’ve built and shipped at the intersection of AI, EDA, and systems software, with deep roots at companies like Qualcomm, Nvidia, Google, Meta, and the Allen Institute for AI. We’re backed by top investors including Khosla Ventures, Cerberus, and Clear Ventures, and already deployed with 10+ innovative customers—from Fortune 100s to cutting-edge AI silicon startups.

About This Role

This role offers a unique opportunity to be part of the founding team at ChipStack, where we are reinventing how modern silicon chips are designed. You will work alongside highly experienced chip designers who have built complex chips, ML scientists who have led training LLMs at large organizations, and top-notch software engineers.

This is not your typical internship. Here, you will work on novel problems, build solutions, and ship to real customers. While we will try our best to publish your work in conferences towards the end, the key goal of this internship will be to build something very valuable that end customers enjoy using. If you have an urge to "build and ship" AI technologies along with really smart people, this is for you.

Note: This role is in-person in San Jose/Seattle.

About You

1. You want to work at a startup because you love being at the center of all the dynamism it offers.

2. You are willing to put in the hours and go the extra mile to ensure every customer has an exceptional experience.

3. You are self-motivated with a sense of urgency and can operate independently without much guidance.

4. You are not afraid of difficult problems and enjoy venturing into areas you have not explored before.

This Role

We’re looking for a strong researcher with a drive to build real products. Ideally, you are pursuing a Ph.D. or an M.S. and working with leading research groups at your university. The successful candidate will be involved in all parts of the company and influence the product’s trajectory significantly.

What's needed

1. Strong research background and publications in one of the following areas: Fundamental/applied research in AI/ML, chip design and computer architecture, systems and software engineering, or related areas. We welcome anyone with related backgrounds with an appetite to learn chip design + AI to apply.

2. Strong proficiency in Python

3. Solid understanding of cloud services and containerized applications, with some exposure to building high-quality software development practices

4. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

5. Good communication skills and the ability to work directly with customers

What's good to have

1. Prior experience in building LLM-based applications

2. Exposure to chip design fundamentals (via coursework or elsewhere)

3. Experience at an early-stage startup

4. Experience in developing IDE plugins (e.g., VSCode)

Our Culture

Culture fit is important for anyone joining an early-stage team. Below are our core tenets.

1. Challenge status quo: We are innovators who can challenge the status quo and push forward our vision of the world.

2. Strong opinions, loosely held: We are low on ego, but high on collaboration. We are okay to be wrong and are always open to learning.

3. Ship fast, ship quality: We ruthlessly prioritize what matters. We build a few things, but at lightning speed with high quality.

4. Proud of our craft: Attention to detail is in our DNA. We take pride in what we build and ensure they exceed the high standards of the semiconductor industry.