Forward-looking: Current-gen game consoles from Microsoft and Sony have technically been available for a year and a half. Finding one at retail is still a challenge due to a variety of factors but none of them are stopping chipmaker AMD from turning its attention to what is next.
AMD recently posted a job listing on LinkedIn for a system-on-chip verification engineer. The person they are seeking will work with the team behind the chip that powers the PlayStation and Xbox at AMD’s Markham location to help develop its next-gen SoC design.
The successful candidate will be responsible for working closely with front-end and physical designers on multiple verification efforts. They’ll also need to interact with internal and external design verification dev teams and communicate directly with tool vendors and silicon IP holders.
Strong knowledge of object-oriented programming languages is preferred, as is a solid understanding of digital logic, circuits and Verilog.
It may seem premature to start developing hardware for next-gen systems when current consoles remain scare, but it is par for the course. Projects of this size take many years to cultivate and there are several factors that must be taken into consideration including industry health, increased competition and the speed at which tech is evolving.
At this point, it would be more surprising if Microsoft, Sony and hardware vendors weren’t considering what is next.
Image credit Fidel Fernando, Billy Freeman
