Principal System Software Architect
Core
Principal System Software Architect making real, data-driven architecture decisions early in the SoC and IP design cycle by writing code, building virtual platforms, and validating system designs before silicon exists.
Role type
Principal System Software Architect (HW/SW Co-Design)
Builds
SystemC-based functional virtual platforms, early transactional models, and validated system designs for SoC and IP blocks.
Domain
Semiconductor / SoC Design / Hardware-Software Co-Design
Required skills
System software architecture, embedded systems, SoC platform software, AMBA protocols, SystemC (TLM 2.0), C/C++ firmware and drivers, RTL reading (Verilog/SystemVerilog), computer architecture fundamentals (memory hierarchies, bus protocols, DMA, interrupts), hardware accelerator integration, early-stage SoC/ASIC development workflows.
Preferred skills
FPGA prototyping, hardware emulation platforms (Palladium), signal processing and mixed-signal architectures, debug/trace infrastructure (CoreSight, JTAG), performance modeling and benchmarking, RISC-V or Arm architecture, Zephyr RTOS and Embedded Linux, DevOps practices (CI/CD).
Technologies
SystemC, TLM 2.0, Verilog, SystemVerilog, C, C++, AMBA, AXI, AHB, APB, CoreSight, JTAG, Zephyr, Embedded Linux, RISC-V, Arm, Palladium.
Responsibilities
Drive hardware/software tradeoff analysis for performance and usability; assess system designs and IP blocks from a software perspective; act as customer advocate for software teams; co-define new IP blocks and accelerators with hardware teams; champion debuggability and observability; build and use virtual platforms for early validation; use simulation and profiling to justify architectural choices.
Seniority
Principal, hands-on IC with strategy influence
