Principal AI & High-Performance Computing Architect

Leuven; Heverlee; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Imec in Leuven is seeking a Principal AI & High-Performance Computing Architect to drive innovation across the computing stack, from AI applications and system software to processors and accelerators. You will create models and simulations, evaluate architectures, and guide research directions to improve performance, energy efficiency, and sustainability for next-generation AI computing systems.

Join a multidisciplinary team shaping the future of AI hardware and large-scale computing

Responsibilities

• Exploring architectural solutions for next-generation AI and high-performance computing clusters.
• Analysing the behaviour and performance characteristics of large-scale AI workloads.
• Developing performance models that identify bottlenecks and opportunities for innovation.
• Evaluating future processor, accelerator, memory, and system designs.
• Collaborating with experts in computer architecture, AI, semiconductor technology, system software, and modelling.
• Defining requirements for future AI computing platforms and processor architectures.
• Guiding strategic research directions through data-driven performance analysis and projections.
• Contributing to breakthrough innovations that improve performance, energy efficiency, operational cost, and environmental impact.

Job description

Shape the architecture behind the next generation of AI supercomputers.

Join imec and design the future of AI computing

What if your architectural decisions could influence the future of artificial intelligence at the scale of the world's most advanced computing systems?

At imec, you will work at the intersection of AI, semiconductor innovation, and large-scale computing architectures. Together with leading experts in computing systems, chip technology, software, and artificial intelligence, you will help define how future AI infrastructure is built, optimized, and scaled.

This is not a product maintenance role. It is an opportunity to explore breakthrough architectures that could shape the next decade of AI and high-performance computing.

What you will do

As a Principal AI & High-Performance Computing Architect, you will drive innovation across the entire computing stack, from AI applications and system software to processors, accelerators, and semiconductor technologies.

You will create models, simulations, and design explorations that help identify the most promising paths toward future AI computing systems that deliver significant improvements in performance, energy efficiency, and sustainability.

Your responsibilities include:

• Exploring architectural solutions for next-generation AI and high-performance computing clusters.
• Analysing the behaviour and performance characteristics of large-scale AI workloads.
• Developing performance models that identify bottlenecks and opportunities for innovation.
• Evaluating future processor, accelerator, memory, and system designs.
• Collaborating with experts in computer architecture, AI, semiconductor technology, system software, and modelling.
• Defining requirements for future AI computing platforms and processor architectures.
• Guiding strategic research directions through data-driven performance analysis and projections.
• Contributing to breakthrough innovations that improve performance, energy efficiency, operational cost, and environmental impact.