Re:We do hardware research here at Google (Score 1)

PCB layout by itself is hardly "development". These days the actual layout work is very often outsourced to layout houses. ASIC design is also not a requirement for "hardware development". What did people do before ASICs were invented? There are a lot of advanced systems that don't require ASICs, because the designers are smart enough to work around with cheap commodity components, while they could have used ASICs to waste money.

We in fact also do a lot of research more advanced than these. More advanced than most things in my Ph.D. study.

Nevertheless, even to your point specifically -- didn't I say "server motherboard"? What do you think that involves, if not including PCB layout?