Director, System Architecture (CPU/GPU)

SBT is the exclusive executive recruiting firm for this confidential position.

This confidential startup company is developing next-gen compute silicon, designed to advance AI high-performance computing. Led by seasoned semiconductor and technology executives, the company is building highly scalable SoC products focused on delivering significant improvements in performance, efficiency, and system-level capability. This Architect role offers the opportunity to contribute to foundational technology, influence product development from an early-stage, and help shape the future of advanced computing.

Role

• Define the overall SoC and system architecture for next-generation CPU and compute-focused silicon products
• Drive 0-to-1 architecture development, transforming early product concepts into executable silicon roadmaps, system specifications, and implementation plans.
• Lead architectural tradeoff analysis across performance, power, area, memory, interconnect, and scalability
• Translate product requirements into system specifications, subsystem definitions, and clear hardware interfaces
• Partner with CPU, SoC, RTL, verification, software, and physical design teams throughout the development lifecycle
• Provide technical leadership from early architecture and performance modeling through implementation, validation, and silicon bring-up

Qualifications

• Experience in SoC, CPU, accelerator, or system architecture, with demonstrated technical leadership on complex silicon programs.
• Proven ownership of multiple chip development cycles from initial concept and architecture through tapeout, bring-up, and production readiness.
• Strong 0-to-1 product development experience, including defining a new architecture, establishing requirements, and driving execution from a blank-sheet design.
• Deep understanding of SoC integration, memory hierarchy, interconnects, compute subsystems, power management, and hardware/software interfaces.