Semiconductors, IoT, Microcontrollers, Electronics

Sr. Director, SoC Architecture

Austin, TXOnsiteFull TimeDirectorPosted 2 months agoVisa sponsorship available

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Required skills

ultra-low-power
AI SoCs
wearables
edge devices
IoT
battery-constrained
SoC architecture
processors
memory
interconnect

Nice to have

AI/ML accelerators
NPUs
DSPs
GPUs
heterogeneous compute
graphics

Role summary

Ambiq seeks a Senior Director of SoC System Architecture to lead the definition and delivery of next-generation ultra-low-power AI SoCs for wearables, IoT, and edge devices. This influential technical leadership role involves broad ownership from concept through production, focusing on power, performance, and system-level tradeoffs. The ideal candidate has 15+ years of SoC architecture experience, deep understanding of low-power embedded systems, and strong cross-functional leadership skills. Experience with AI/ML accelerators and advanced semiconductor processes is a plus. This role offers the opportunity to shape future technology roadmaps and define what comes next in intelligent edge devices.

Company Overview

Ambiq is on a mission to enable intelligence everywhere — powering the AI edge revolution with the world's lowest-power semiconductor solutions.

Built on our proprietary sub- and near-threshold technology, our chips deliver multi-fold improvements in energy efficiency without costly process scaling. Since 2010, we've shipped over 300 million units to customers building smarter wearables, medical devices, IoT products, and AI-powered edge applications.

Our cross-functional teams span design, research, development, production, marketing, sales, and operations across Austin, Hsinchu, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Singapore. We move fast, tackle hard problems, and create space for people to grow through complex, meaningful work that shapes the future of technology.

We're looking for self-motivated, creative problem-solvers who are eager to push technological limits and make a real impact in energy efficiency.

At Ambiq, we live by five values: Innovate. Collaborate. Focus. Learn. Achieve.

If that's you, join us — the intelligence everywhere revolution starts here.

Ambiq is looking for a Senior Director of SOC System Architecture to help define the next generation of ultra-low-power AI SoCs powering wearables, intelligent edge devices, IoT, and other battery-constrained products.

This is a highly influential technical leadership role with broad ownership of SoC architecture—from early product concepts and architectural tradeoffs through implementation, silicon validation, and production.

You’ll work across Architecture, Advanced Development, Hardware, Software, Marketing, and customer-facing teams to answer a challenging question:

How do we deliver significantly more intelligence and performance at the edge while consuming dramatically less power?

If you’re an experienced SoC architect who wants to stay close to the technology while having a major voice in what gets built next, this is that opportunity.

What You’ll Do

Lead architecture definition for Ambiq’s next-generation ultra-low-power AI SoCs from concept through production

Define system architecture across processors, memory, interconnect, clocking, power management, and hardware accelerators

Drive power, performance, area, and system-level tradeoffs for highly constrained embedded devices

Develop architecture and microarchitecture specifications, system dataflows, and power/performance models

Make key hardware/software partitioning decisions in partnership with software and systems teams

Evaluate internal and third-party IP, including AI/ML accelerators, and influence Ambiq’s long-term technology roadmap

Partner with design, verification, FPGA, physical design, and software teams to translate architecture into working silicon

Work with customers and product teams to understand critical use cases and translate them into future SoC capabilities

Support pre-silicon development, silicon bring-up, post-silicon analysis, and production readiness

Provide technical leadership and mentorship across Ambiq’s architecture and engineering organization

What We’re Looking For

15+ years of SoC, processor, microcontroller, or related system architecture experience

Proven experience defining and delivering complex SoC architectures from concept through silicon

Deep understanding of low-power embedded systems, ideally for wearable, IoT, mobile, or other battery-powered products

Strong knowledge of SoC architecture, including:

CPU/MCU subsystems

Memory architecture and topology

Fabric/interconnect

Clocking and power management

Hardware/software partitioning

Power and performance modeling

Experience creating architecture and/or microarchitecture specifications used by hardware and software engineering teams

Strong cross-functional technical leadership and the ability to influence across engineering disciplines

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

BS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field

Even Better If You Have

MS or PhD

Experience with AI/ML accelerators, NPUs, DSPs, GPUs, or heterogeneous compute

Experience with graphics, display, video, imaging, or computer vision architectures

Knowledge of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC, GPS, or other wireless technologies

Experience with advanced semiconductor process nodes

Experience with FPGA prototyping and post-silicon validation

Why Ambiq?

At Ambiq, ultra-low power isn’t simply another design target—it’s our core technology.

This role offers the opportunity to influence the architecture behind future generations of intelligent edge devices while working directly with senior technical and business leadership.

You won’t be responsible for maintaining someone else’s roadmap.

You’ll help define what comes next.

Work Authorization: Candidates must be currently authorized to work in the United States for any employer.

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