Principal RISC-V CPU/GPU Architect

What you will do

The Compute System Architecture (CSA) unit at imec desires to build RISC-V based zetta-scale AI/HPC hardware and software solutions co-designed. We are backed by a broad in-house R&D expertise, creating a new AI computing paradigm that will move the industry forward for many years to come. Designed in tune with advanced silicon geometry, novel communication technology, our architecture provides high-performance AI computing solutions in reliability, security, and power consumption at scale. We analyze emerging usage models, build hardware and software prototypes for data-driven computing hardware capable of zetta-scale performance.

As we expand our research to better optimize computing systems, we are looking for a Principal RISC-V CPU/GPU Architect to join a small, growing CPU group, advancing the art of high-performance RISC-V CPU. The role provides high levels of flexibility to define the next generation RISC-V Core for exa-scale system platform. Ideal candidates will channel their creativity to contribute in cross-spectrum flow and methodology, working closely with a team of micro-architects. He or she will work closely with partners to identify and customize infrastructure and workloads to inform and influence future technology definitions. In this role you will:

• Lead the definition of a new HPC OoO RISC-V core.
• Analyze CPU/GPU performance, power, cost and understanding technology limitations required to breakthrough.
• Facilitate design development efforts, performance estimation, and performance analysis through methodology and hands-on contributions.
• Drive the direction of the CPU/GPU performance model with senior team members and help develop and analyze microarchitecture studies for future products.
• Create and maintain technical documents including architecture specifications, implementation guides, and user guides.
• Participate in the design of a server-class SoC including mesh interconnect, a PCIe subsystem, or a memory subsystem.
• Mentor junior and senior architects with your domain expertise. imec is built on a culture of learning.
• Reach out and ask questions without hesitation, using your strong communication skills (this is a very important to be successful in this position!)
• Understand the pipeline of ideas from research to workloads to ISA to microarchitecture to physical technology.
• Learn and grow. Nobody around you will have all the answers!

What we do for you

We offer you the opportunity to join one of the world’s premier research centers in nanotechnology at its headquarters in Leuven, Belgium. With your talent, passion and expertise, you’ll become part of a team that makes the impossible possible. Together, we shape the technology that will determine the society of tomorrow.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and proud of our open, multicultural, and informal working environment with ample possibilities to take initiative and show responsibility. We commit to supporting and guiding you in this process; not only with words but also with tangible actions. Through imec.academy, 'our corporate university', we actively invest in your development to further your technical and personal growth.

We are aware that your valuable contribution makes imec a top player in its field. Your energy and commitment are therefore appreciated by means of a market appropriate salary with many fringe benefits.

Who you are

• You have a MS or PhD degree in computer or electrical engineering with at least 8 years of architecture, design and/or verification experience.
• You have meaningful industry expertise in SoC architecture, such as Clocks, Resets, Automotive safety, Interconnects, Memory Controller, Boot, Virtualization, Power Management, Security, System Performance, IO technologies, (PCIE, Camera Interfaces, etc), Multimedia accelerator pipelines, CPU/GPU coherency, Platform integration.
• You have deep knowledge and expertise of CPU/GPU architecture / microarchitecture acquired through extensive experience with CPU/System performance analysis/modeling/design and/or, extensive experience in workload analysis/characterization/software optimization.
• You are comfortable communicating and solving issues at all levels of architecture definition from micro-architecture to system level to software architecture.
• You are used to working on immature technologies and follow up latest advancements in Research.
• You thrive in an open collaborative working culture that provides an opportunity to impact products and roadmaps with your ideas/prototypes/empirical analysis.
• You work in a structured, transparent, and accurate way.
• You are a constructive team player and actively share experience and knowledge with colleagues.
• Your networking skills, creativity, persistence, and passion for what you do are highly valued.
• We are looking for your excellent communication skills in English, as you will work in a multicultural team and closely with our partners.