Sr. Director - SoC Front End Engineering

Job Application for Sr. Director - SoC Front End Engineering at Ambiq Micro, Inc. Back to jobs Sr. Director - SoC Front End Engineering Austin, Texas, United States Submit Your Application Company Overview Ambiq's mission is to enable intelligence everywhere by delivering the lowest power semiconductor solutions. Ambiq is a pioneer and a leading provider of ultra-low-power semiconductor solutions based on our proprietary and patented sub- and near-threshold technologies. With the increasing power requirements of artificial intelligence (AI) computing, our customers are relying on our solutions to deliver AI to edge environments. Our hardware and software innovations fundamentally deliver a multi-fold improvement in power consumption over traditional semiconductor designs without expensive process geometry scaling. We began in 2010 by addressing the power consumption challenges of battery-powered devices at the edge, where they were most pronounced . As of the beginning of 2025, we ' ve shipped more than 2 8 0 + million units worldwide. Our innovative and fast-moving teams of design, research, development, production, marketing, sales, and operations are spread across several continents, including the US (Austin ) , Taiwan (Hsinchu), China ( Shanghai and Shenzhen), and Singapore. We value relentless technology innovation, a deep commitment to customer success, collaborative problem-solving, and an enthusiastic pursuit of energy efficiency. We embrace candidates who also share these same values. The successful candidate must be self-motivated, creative, and comfortable learning and driving exciting new technologies . We encourage and nurture an environment that fosters growth and opportunities to work on complex, meaningful, and challenging projects, creating a lasting impact and shaping the future of technology. Join us on our quest for enabling billions of intelligent devices. The intelligence everywhere revolution starts here. This role will be on-site 5 days a week in NW Austin. Ambiq is seeking a Senior Director of Front-End Engineering to lead the design and implementation of our Edge AI MCU portfolio — driving the digital design, integration, and verification of ultra-low-power SoCs purpose-built for machine learning at the edge. This is a hands-on, strategic leadership role responsible for building and scaling a world-class engineering organization that delivers breakthrough performance-per-microwatt. The ideal candidate combines deep technical acumen with people leadership excellence and has a proven record of bringing advanced SoCs from architecture to production. Key Responsibilities Technical Leadership Own and drive the front-end design of Ambiq’s Edge AI MCU platforms — including CPU subsystems, neural accelerators, security, memory, and peripheral integration. Lead architecture definition, RTL design, and subsystem integration focused on power-optimized AI compute and real-time performance. Develop and enforce world-class design methodologies across RTL, verification (UVM), and static checks (lint, CDC, DFT readiness). Partner with Architecture and Physical Design teams to ensure seamless PPA optimization and first-silicon success. Evaluate and deploy next-generation EDA tools, design automation, and verification infrastructure to accelerate tapeout readiness. Execution & Delivery Drive design execution for multiple MCU programs concurrently, from concept through production tapeout. Define and track program milestones, deliverables, and risk management plans with cross-functional stakeholders. Establish design review frameworks and sign-off criteria ensuring predictable, high-quality execution. People & Organization Leadership Lead and grow a team of front-end engineers across design, verification, and integration disciplines. Build a culture of technical excellence, collaboration, and accountability. Mentor senior technical staff and create clear pathways for career growth and technical leadership. Cross-Functional Collaboration Collaborate closely with system architects, analog/mixed-signal, and validation teams to co-optimize hardware and software performance. Partner with Product Management to translate application requirements (vision, voice, sensing) into silicon-level specifications. Interface with Operations, Test, and Product Engineering to ensure DFT, yield, and manufacturability goals are achieved. Qualifications Required 20+ years of experience in semiconductor front-end design and verification, with 15 + years in a leadership capacity managing multi-disciplinary teams. Proven track record of delivering MCU, SoC, or ASIC products into high-volume production. Expertise in low-power digital design , including multi-voltage domains, power gating, and clock management. Strong hands-on understanding of SystemVerilog, UVM , and synthesis/STA methodologies. Familiarity with ARM Cortex-M/R/A or RISC-V architectures and on-chip interconnects (AHB/AXI). Excellent communication and leadership skills; proven ability to lead complex, cross-site teams. Education: BS/MS in Electrical or Computer Engineering required; Ph.D. preferred. Preferred Experience with subthreshold or near-threshold design techniques and power modeling. Knowledge of EDA flows at advanced process nodes (16nm and below). What Success Looks Like First-pass silicon success across multiple Edge AI MCU programs. Demonstrable improvements in design productivity, quality, and predictability. Market-leading metrics enabling industry-best energy efficiency. A cohesive, motivated team operating at high technical and cultural standards. **Must be currently authorized to work in the United States for any employer. We do not sponsor or take over sponsorship of employment visas (now or in the future) for this role. What You Need We're seeking passionate technologists who thrive on pushing boundaries, solving complex challenges, and driving transformative solutions. At Ambiq , you'll collaborate with a dynamic team that values relentless innovation, customer-centric thinking, and continuous learning. If you're a self-motivated, creative problem-solver eager to push technological limits and make a meaningful impact in energy efficiency, this is your opportunity to grow, excel, and turn groundbreaking ideas into reality. Most importantly, the successful candidate will be able to live the Ambiq Shared Values: Innovate: We tenaciously find ways to break down the barriers to possible solutions Collaborate: We proactively communicate and encourage each other to be better. Focus: We keep the voice of the customer at the center of everything we do. Learn: We strive for continuous improvement and are always curious. Achieve: We execute on quality and follow through on our commitments. 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