Principal Engineer, Design Enablement

About NSTXL

The National Security Technology Accelerator (NSTXL) harvests innovative technology from the commercial and non-defense marketplace, transforming government innovation while decreasing costs compressing timelines, and improving outcomes. We offer a unique and simplified approach to rapidly develop, demonstrate, and assess prototypes that address a range of operational and installation needs, from individual Warfighter technology to large-scale installation projects. NSTXL supports the delivery of technology to the Department of Defense by serving as a one-stop shop to match government requirements with innovative private-sector and academic solutions.

NSTXL is creating an ecosystem of innovators to collaborate and bring next generation technologies to the end-user. Currently, our OTAs have more than 900 corporate, non-profit, educational, and financial institution members. For these members, NSTXL offers opportunities to bid on government contracts, education and training, and live/virtual forums on a wide variety of topics.

Job Description

You’re a systems thinker. A builder. A problem solver who sees both the architecture and the nuts and bolts. Now, imagine putting those skills to work on something bigger—helping create the infrastructure behind a national-scale effort to modernize and secure the U.S. semiconductor ecosystem.

We’re looking for a Principal Engineer, Design Enablement to help lead one of the most ambitious technology programs in the country. You’ll develop the tools, workflows, and systems that power cutting-edge chip design across a growing network of partners—government, private sector, and academia—united under one shared mission.

What You'll Do

• Define and lead technical architecture and system requirements for semiconductor design enablement environments.
• Develop and maintain EDA tool workflows, software toolchains, and methodologies that optimize performance, usability, and integration across hubs.
• Partner with program managers to translate user needs into scalable solutions and long-term infrastructure strategies.
• Evaluate EDA and cloud-based platforms and work closely with vendors to assess support, licensing, and training opportunities.
• Collaborate with CHES leadership, legal teams, and stakeholders to ensure the technical viability of agreements and framework structures.
• Support negotiations by providing expert input on technical requirements, licensing models, and system constraints.
• Facilitate decision-making within the CHES Steering and Executive Committees, ensuring requirements are gathered, documented, and prioritized.
• Identify and troubleshoot design automation bottlenecks, propose optimizations, and guide tool and platform selection.
• Lead technical conversations on licensing, data management, and intellectual property protection across a multi-vendor ecosystem.

What You Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering or relevant engineering field.
• 10+ years of progressively responsible experience with technical working knowledge of EDA tools, IP management, and experience with cloud environments.
• Extensive experience developing and managing EDA tools, design workflows, or cloud-based design environments.
• Strong understanding of software licensing models, legal terminology, and intellectual property structures as they relate to tool access and usage.
• Experience working across multiple stakeholder groups—including technical teams, vendors, program managers, and legal counsel.
• A detail-oriented mindset with the ability to manage complex technical systems and agreement frameworks simultaneously.
• Demonstrated ability to drive alignment in collaborative environments and solve design enablement challenges at scale.

Nice to Have

• Experience supporting U.S. Department of Defense or federally funded technology programs
• Background in semiconductor design, IP development, or fabrication
• Familiarity with cloud-based EDA platforms or secure design collaboration tools<