Senior Platform Architect

Axelera AI

About Us Axelera AI is not your regular deep-tech startup. We are creating the next-generation AI platform to support anyone who wants to help advancing humanity and improve the world around us. In just four years, we have raised a total of $370 million and have built a world-class team of 220+ employees (including 49+ PhDs with more than 40,000 citations), both remotely from 18 different countries and with offices in Belgium, France, Switzerland, Italy, the UK, headquartered at the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven, Netherlands. We have also launched our Metis™ AI Platform, which achieves a 3-5x increase in efficiency and performance, and have visibility into a strong business pipeline exceeding $100 million. Our unwavering commitment to innovation has firmly established us as a global industry pioneer. Are you up for the challenge? Position Overview We are looking for an entrepreneurial, technically exceptional engineering leader to establish and run Axelera’s AI Infrastructure Systems division within the AI Integrated Systems (AIS) group. This is a new function, created to realize and deliver our next-generation accelerator silicon into datacenter-class form factors from PCIe accelerator cards and OAM-class modules to full 1U/2U rack systems and dense compute nodes targeting enterprise AI, sovereign cloud and HPC customers. You will build the team, shape the technical roadmap, and own end-to-end delivery of board- and system-level products for two strategic programmes. You will partner closely with the engineering leadership of the Embedded AI product line within AIS, System and Platform Architecture within R&D, the silicon organisation, the Voyager SDK/software group, and Axelera’s go-to-market teams serving hyperscalers, sovereign AI initiatives and the European HPC ecosystem. This role is deeply hands-on, owning implementation, validation, and delivery of platform systems. You will review schematics and layouts, challenge power and thermal budgets, shape the BMC and platform-firmware stack, and walk the lab floor during bring-up. Strategic leadership without technical depth will not work here. Key responsibilities: * Build the Infrastructure Systems engineering team from the ground up: hire, structure and mentor a multidisciplinary organisation covering hardware architecture, PCB design, power/thermal/mechanical engineering, firmware and platform validation with in-house and 3rd-party resources * Define the technical roadmap for the division’s board- and system-level server products—PCIe Gen6/CXL accelerator cards, OAM modules and UBB baseboards, and full 1U/2U rack systems, evolving toward rack-scale solutions including networking fabric and storage architecture—aligned with the next-generation system and silicon roadmap. * Serve as the technical authority across system implementation, including schematics, PCB stack-ups, high-speed signaling (PCIe Gen5/6, CXL, high-speed SerDes), enterprise memory, power delivery and VRM design, SI/PI methodology, and mechanical/thermal integration. * Own end-to-end execution from concept through design reviews, bring-up, validation, reliability qualification, DFM/DFT/DFR and mass-production readiness, including NPI and ramp with tier-1 CMs and ODMs. Make the build-vs-partner call on each program leading designs in-house where it differentiates, and co-designing with ODM partners where time-to-market or scale demands it. * Drive datacenter-grade platform engineering: BMC-based management, Redfish/IPMI, UEFI/BIOS firmware, secure boot and root-of-trust, platform firmware resilience, enterprise RAS features, and out-of-band telemetry. * Lead the thermal and mechanical strategy for high-power accelerator platforms, including air-cooled rack designs and, where appropriate, direct liquid cooling (DLC) and immersion-ready variants. * Partner with the Embedded AI engineering leadership within AIS to align board and system-level execution across the two product lines, sharing reference designs, validation assets and CM/ODM relationships wherever it accelerates both streams. * Collaborate with Platform Architecture, product management, silicon, SDK and software teams to refine and realize platform requirements (e.g. memory topology, interconnect, power states, telemetry) so that the server products showcase the accelerator’s capabilities at rack and cluster scale. * Engage directly with strategic customers, system integrators and ecosystem partners (hyperscalers, sovereign cloud operators, HPC centres, OEMs/ODMs) to shape requirements and win design-ins. * Define and enforce engineering processes, documentation standards, validation methodologies and quality gates for the new division, mapped to Axelera’s NPD framework. * Identify and mitigate technical risks, resolve engineering escalations, and drive debugging and root-cause analysis during development, qualification and early production. * Own the division’s engineering budget, CAPEX, external engineering spend and vendor relationships. Qualifications: * 15+ years in hardware engineering for complex electronics products, with at least 5 years in senior leadership roles running multidisciplinary teams. * Proven track record of shipping datacenter- or server-class compute hardware into volume production: accelerator cards, OAM modules, UBB baseboards, GPU/xPU-class server platforms, compute nodes or rack-level systems. * Deep expertise in high-speed interfaces (PCIe Gen4/5/6, CXL, high-speed SerDes), server memory, high-current power delivery and VRM design, and high-density PCB layout with rigorous SI/PI methodology. * Experience with BMC-based platform management, Redfish/IPMI, UEFI/BIOS or equivalent firmware stacks, secure boot/root-of-trust, and enterprise RAS features. * Working knowledge of datacenter thermal and mechanical design: air-cooled 1U/2U chassis, direct liquid cooling and/or immersion-ready platforms, and rack power delivery at 12V, 48V and OCP power-shelf level. * Familiarity with datacenter and AI infrastructure compliance and with PCIe and OCP standards. * Experience working with tier-1 CMs/ODMs on server-class products, including DFM, MP transfer, yield ramp and sustaining engineering. * Hands-on ability to review schematics, layouts, simulation results and lab validation data and to make the call when the team is stuck. * Strong strategic thinker, excellent communicator, skilled at decision-making in fast-moving environments, comfortable engaging at C-level with customers and partners. Preference: * Experience building or significantly scaling an engineering team is strongly preferred. * Experience with AI accelerator platforms, GPUs or custom silicon in a datacenter context is a strong plus. * Exposure to sovereign AI, EuroHPC, HPC or European defence/dual-use datacenter programmes is a plus . * Fluent English required; additional European language is a plus. Location We offer a flexible working arrangement, with options to:  * Work from one of our Axelera AI offices (Florence and Milan in Italy, Amsterdam and Eindhoven in the Netherlands, Leuven in Belgium, Paris in France, Zurich in Switzerland, or Bristol in the United Kingdom) if you're already based in the vicinity.  * Work fully remotely from the US or any European country (incl. the UK) you are already in.  * Relocate with us and work from Amsterdam or Eindhoven in the Netherlands, or Bologna, Florence or Milan in Italy. What we offer  This is your chance to shape and be part of a dynamic, fast-growing, international organisation. We offer an attractive compensation package, including a pension plan, extensive employee insurances and the option to get company shares.    An open culture that supports creativity and continual innovation is awaiting you. Collaborative ownership and freedom with responsibility is characteristic for the way we act and work as a team.  At Axelera AI, we wholeheartedly embrace equal opportunity and hold diversity in the highest regard. Our steadfast commitment is to cultivate a warm and inclusive environment that empowers and celebrates every member of our team. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds to join us in shaping the future of AI.

Axelera AI

About Us Axelera AI is not your regular deep-tech startup. We are creating the next-generation AI platform to support anyone who wants to help advancing humanity and improve the world around us. In just four years, we have raised a total of $370 million and have built a world-class team of 220+ employees (including 49+ PhDs with more than 40,000 citations), both remotely from 18 different countries and with offices in Belgium, France, Switzerland, Italy, the UK, headquartered at the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven, Netherlands. We have also launched our Metis™ AI Platform, which achieves a 3-5x increase in efficiency and performance, and have visibility into a strong business pipeline exceeding $100 million. Our unwavering commitment to innovation has firmly established us as a global industry pioneer. Are you up for the challenge? Position Overview Axelera AI is seeking a talented Senior/Staff Engineer – Computing Architecture to design and develop the next generation of AI computing systems. In this critical role, you will work closely with hardware, software, and product teams to define architectural requirements, optimize system performance, and ensure scalability for our AI solutions. As a Computing Architecture Engineer, you will contribute to the conceptualization, specification, and implementation of advanced computing architectures, enabling Axelera AI to deliver cutting-edge solutions that meet the demanding needs of our customers. Key responsibilities: * Architecture Design: Define and develop computing architectures for AI accelerators. * Performance Optimization: Analyze and optimize computational workloads, ensuring low power consumption, high efficiency, and maximum performance for AI applications. * Technology Leadership: Drive innovation in architectural design by evaluating emerging technologies, industry trends, and academic advancements. * Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work with hardware, software, and product teams to translate system requirements into architectural solutions that balance performance, cost, and power. * System Modeling & Tooling Development: Develop simulation and modeling tools to validate architectural designs and predict system performance across target AI workloads. * Mentorship: Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior engineers, fostering a culture of excellence and innovation within the team. Qualifications Essential: * Master’s or PhD in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field. * 5+ years of experience in computing architecture or system design, preferably within AI, semiconductor, or computing domains. * Strong expertise in AI accelerator designs, including neural processing units (NPUs) or graphics processing units (GPUs). * Proficiency in architectural modeling, simulation tools, and performance analysis frameworks. * Proficiency in Python or C++ programming with a strong understanding of language features and best practices. * Deep understanding of state-of-the-art AI inference workloads, algorithms, and dataflow. * Proven track record of delivering complex computing architectures from concept to implementation. * Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work in a multidisciplinary and global environment. Additionally preferred: * Familiarity with the modern IC design flow from architecture to GDSII to communicate with silicon implementation stakeholders. * Familiarity with parallel programming models, e.g. via CUDA or similar APIs. * Hands-on experience with low-level programming close to hardware and understanding of computer system architecture basics. * Experience with AI compilation frameworks such as MLIR and/or TVM. Location We offer a flexible working arrangement, with options to: * Work from one of our Axelera AI offices (Leuven in Belgium, Amsterdam and Eindhoven in the Netherlands, Zurich in Switzerland, Florence and Milan in Italy or Bristol in the United Kingdom) if you're already based in the vicinity. * Work fully remotely from any European country (incl. the UK) you are already in. * Relocate with us and work from Italy (Florence or Milan) or the Netherlands (Amsterdam or Eindhoven). Kindly note that priority will be given to candidates who are [interested in being] based in Belgium or Italy. What we offer  This is your chance to shape and be part of a dynamic, fast-growing, international organization. We offer an attractive compensation package, including a pension plan, extensive employee insurances and the option to get company shares.    An open culture that supports creativity and continual innovation is awaiting you. Collaborative ownership and freedom with responsibility is characteristic for the way we act and work as a team.  At Axelera AI, we wholeheartedly embrace equal opportunity and hold diversity in the highest regard. Our steadfast commitment is to cultivate a warm and inclusive environment that empowers and celebrates every member of our team. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds to join us in shaping the future of AI.

Axelera AI

About Us Axelera AI is not your regular deep-tech startup. We are creating the next-generation AI platform to support anyone who wants to help advancing humanity and improve the world around us. In just four years, we have raised a total of $370 million and have built a world-class team of 220+ employees (including 49+ PhDs with more than 40,000 citations), both remotely from 18 different countries and with offices in Belgium, France, Switzerland, Italy, the UK, headquartered at the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven, Netherlands. We have also launched our Metis™ AI Platform, which achieves a 3-5x increase in efficiency and performance, and have visibility into a strong business pipeline exceeding $100 million. Our unwavering commitment to innovation has firmly established us as a global industry pioneer. Are you up for the challenge? Position Overview As a Senior or Staff Logical Design Engineer, you will join a team responsible for the micro-architecture, implementation and execution of in-house designed AI products. Your role will be critical in achieving the highest level of quality and performance as well as ensuring continued innovation in both design and design flow. This is an opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology and a dedicated team of professionals who share your passion for pushing the boundaries of what's possible. Key responsibilities: * Collaborate with cross-functional teams to clarify and comprehend intricate design specifications and requirements. * Architect and implement advanced micro-architectures from high-level specifications for silicon components, adhering to performance, power, and area (PPA) metrics. * Employ industry-standard design tools and methodologies to fashion and optimize digital logic circuits. * Conduct block and system-level RTL coding, ensuring optimal performance, power, and area (PPA) metrics. * Integrate various IPs/Sub IPs into the top-level SoC. * Perform static checks (lint, cdc, equivalence checks) to enhance the quality of the RTL. * Automate tasks using scripting for efficiency gains. * Undertake comprehensive functional verification and collaborate closely with verification engineers to ensure the correctness of the design. * Actively engage in design reviews, contributing technical expertise to enhance overall design quality. * Work collaboratively with physical design engineers to address design-for-manufacturability (DFM) and design-for-test (DFT) considerations. Qualifications / skills Education: A degree in electronics engineering, electrical engineering or computer science or other relevant discipline. Experience: A minimum of 5 years of experience and proven expertise in silicon logical design, with a successful track record in RTL coding and synthesis, digital design, SoC, and integration of 3rd-party IPs (PCIe, LPDDR), with fluency in Verilog. Expertise: Mastery of industry-standard Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools for design and verification. Deep understanding of intricate digital design principles, covering clock domain crossing, low-power design, and timing closure. Scripting: Proficiency in scripting languages such as Python, shell or Tcl for automation. Collaboration / Team Player: Demonstrated ability to work closely with architecture, verification, physical design and software teams to ensure comprehensive verification coverage. Problem Solving: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English. Comfortable working with a team spread across 15 countries. Location We offer a flexible working arrangement, with options to: * Work from one of our Axelera AI offices (Leuven in Belgium, Amsterdam and Eindhoven in the Netherlands, Zurich in Switzerland, Florence and Milan in Italy or Bristol in the United Kingdom) if you're already based in the vicinity. * Work fully remotely from any European country (incl. the UK) you are already in. * Relocate with us and work from Italy (Florence or Milan) or the Netherlands (Amsterdam or Eindhoven). What we offer  This is your chance to shape and be part of a dynamic, fast-growing, international organization. We offer an attractive compensation package, including a pension plan, extensive employee insurances and the option to get company shares.    An open culture that supports creativity and continual innovation is awaiting you. Collaborative ownership and freedom with responsibility is characteristic for the way we act and work as a team.  At Axelera AI, we wholeheartedly embrace equal opportunity and hold diversity in the highest regard. Our steadfast commitment is to cultivate a warm and inclusive environment that empowers and celebrates every member of our team. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds to join us in shaping the future of AI.