Software Engineer, C++ Frontend
- Hybrid
- Full-time
- Mid-Level
- Posted 4 days ago
- Listed here until Oct 25, 2026
$160K to $220K a year as published by the employer
Applications are completed on the employer's own site.
Summary
Develop and improve C++ frontend features for PCB and schematic design workflows with a focus on layout interactions and performance.
About this role
Software Engineer, C++ Frontend
Full-TimeSan Francisco Bay Area or RemoteEngineering$160,000–$220,000 + equity
3+ years preferred
What you'll doRequired qualificationsNice to have
We are looking for PCB designers who can code, or software engineers with real PCB design experience, to help improve the core Trace C++ frontend. This role is focused on the actual design experience: layout, editing, routing, constraints, visualization, performance, and the everyday workflows PCB designers rely on.
What you'll do
- Build and improve C++ frontend features for PCB and schematic design workflows
- Work on layout interactions: selection, movement, snapping, placement, routing, measurement, alignment, and layer visibility
- Implement workflows for components, nets, pads, vias, traces, polygons, planes, constraints, and design rules
- Translate real PCB designer pain points into practical software improvements
- Improve frontend performance for larger and more complex boards
- Test features using real PCB design scenarios, not simple demo files
- Contribute to technical decisions around architecture, interaction models, and user-facing behavior
Required qualifications
- Experience designing PCBs — professionally, academically, or through serious personal projects
- Strong programming ability, especially in C++
- Understanding of PCB concepts: components, footprints, nets, routing, vias, copper pours, layers, clearances, and constraints
- Strong eye for software usability and interaction details
- Ability to think like both a PCB designer and a software developer
- Comfort working on complex frontend systems where precision and performance matter
Nice to have
- Experience building desktop applications, CAD tools, EDA tools, graphics editors, or game engines
- Experience with rendering, geometry, spatial data structures, or canvas-based editing systems
- Familiarity with Qt, OpenGL, Vulkan, ImGui, or similar frontend/rendering technologies
- Experience with PCB manufacturing files: Gerbers, drill files, pick-and-place, IPC formats
- Familiarity with DRC, constraint systems, autorouting, or interactive routing behavior
- Experience working with hardware engineers or PCB layout teams
Apply for this Role
Skills named in this posting
- C++
- PCB design
- Qt
- OpenGL
- Vulkan
- ImGui
- Gerbers
- DRC
- constraint systems
- autorouting
- interactive routing
About Buildwithtrace
Buildwithtrace is a company focused on PCB design software and tools.
- Technology