Principle Digital ASIC Architect

Cochlear; Antwerpen; Hybrid; EUR 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Cochlear is seeking a Senior Principal Digital ASIC Architect in Mechelen, offering hybrid work. You will own the semiconductor technology roadmap, lead the digital ASIC/SoC architecture from system intent to silicon, and guide collaborations with external partners.

You’ll balance power, performance, area, and reliability while shaping product-ready architectures and verification strategies. You will influence stakeholders across teams, drive de-risking through modelling and formal verification,

Qualifications

• 10+ years in digital ASIC/SoC architecture, design or verification.
• Experience translating system requirements into implementable architectures.
• Experience with ASIC design houses, semiconductor suppliers or external partners.

Responsibilities

• Own semiconductor technology roadmap and evaluate strategies.
• Own the digital ASIC/SoC architecture from system intent to implementation and verification.
• Define architectures across interfaces, processors, DSP, NN, HW/SW partitioning.
• Lead trade-offs across power, performance, area, cost, reliability, testability, schedule.
• Collaborate with ASIC/ASSP partners to define delivery and evidence.
• Provide governance across external design partners with gates and deliverables.
• Lead design reviews and make evidence-based acceptance decisions.
• DRIVE de-risking via modelling, simulation, formal verification, FPGA prototyping and silicon evidence.
• Support product integration, silicon bring-up, debug and lifecycle investigations.
• Evolve workflows with AI, modelling, automation while ensuring validation.
• Coach engineers and contribute to Cochlear’s longer-term digital roadmap.

Skills

Digital ASIC/SoC

System requirements to architecture

External partners collaboration

PPA/DFT/DFM knowledge

Influence without authority

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Electrical/Electronics/CE

Job description

Change people’s lives and love what you do! Cochlear develops world-leading medical devices that help people hear. As a top 100 medical device company and market-leader in implantable hearing devices, more people choose a Cochlear-branded cochlear implant system than any other. Our employees tell us that the number one reason they enjoy working for Cochlear is the opportunity to make a difference to people’s lives.

Mechelen, hybrid working arrangements | Individual Contributor | Digital ASIC / SoC

Cochlear is looking for a Senior Principal Digital ASIC Architect to help shape the next generation of ASIC technology underpinning our hearing solutions.

Joining an experienced team with a strong track record in ASIC development for implantable and external hearing solutions, you will operate at the intersection of system architecture, digital ASIC technology and product development. As a digital design authority, you will have genuine technical ownership, translating system architecture and product use cases into implementable digital architectures, requirements and acceptance criteria. You will help determine when product needs are best addressed through custom ASIC development, partner-delivered solutions or existing semiconductor technologies, while retaining architectural ownership and accountability for the final outcome.

This is a highly influential individual contributor role for an experienced ASIC/SoC architect who wants to remain technically close to the work while influencing how complex semiconductor solutions are designed, delivered and integrated into products.

What you’ll do

• Own semiconductor technology roadmap recommendations and evaluate custom ASIC, partner-developed and commercially available component strategies against product needs.
• Own the digital ASIC/SoC architecture from system intent through to implementation, verification and acceptance.
• Define architectures across interfaces, control, processors, DSP, Neural Networks, hardware/software partitioning and platform reuse.
• Lead technical trade-offs across power, performance, area, configurability, cost, reliability, testability and schedule.
• Work closely with specialist ASIC/ASSP partners, defining what needs to be built, determining the most appropriate delivery approach and establishing the evidence required to demonstrate readiness and acceptance.
• Provide technical governance across external design partners, including requirements, review gates, deliverables, technical risks and acceptance criteria.
• Lead technical design reviews, challenge assumptions and make evidence-based recommendations on acceptance.
• Drive de-risking through modelling, simulation, formal verification, FPGA prototyping and silicon evidence.
• Support product integration, silicon bring-up, debug, yield improvement and lifecycle investigations at design-authority level.
• Help evolve semiconductor engineering workflows by identifying opportunities for AI, modelling and automation, while ensuring outputs remain secure, reproducible and appropriately validated.
• Coach engineers and contribute to Cochlear’s longer‑term digital technology, engineering capability and partner roadmaps.

What you’ll bring

• Extensive experience in digital ASIC/SoC architecture, design or verification, typically 10+ years.
• Deep knowledge of digital architectures across processor, DSP, control and interface subsystems.
• Strong experience translating system requirements into implementable architectures and testable technical requirements.
• Demonstrated experience working with ASIC design houses, semiconductor suppliers or external implementation partners.
• Strong technical judgement across PPA, reliability, DFT/DFM, quality, risk and schedule.
• Experience owning architectural decisions, technical reviews and acceptance of complex engineering deliverables.
• The ability to influence technical stakeholders and partners without relying on direct reporting‑line authority.
• A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics, Computer Engineering or a related discipline, or equivalent substantial experience.

Experience with system modelling, formal verification, FPGA prototyping, low‑power processor/DSP architectures, silicon bring‑up or safety‑critical product development would be highly regarded.

What we offer

An attractive remuneration package and flexible extra‑legal benefits

An extensive onboarding and training program

An enjoyable work environment with attention to life‑work balance and homeworking

A stimulating environment with growth opportunities and opportunity to meet multi‑disciplinary colleagues across the globe

This is your chance to be part of a premier organization with a great culture, working in a dynamic, growing and rapidly evolving environment to deliver outstanding results that benefit our customers every day.

Cochlear Summary

Cochlear’s mission is to help people hear and be heard. Around the world, more people chose a Cochlear‑branded hearing implant system than any other. Our employees tell us that the number one reason they enjoy working for Cochlear is the opportunity to make a difference to people’s lives. Learn and grow with us as we tackle the most complex challenges in helping people to Hear Now. And Always. Cochlear is the global market leader in implantable hearing solutions including cochlear implant systems (CI) and bone anchored hearing aids (Baha™).

Equal opportunities

Cochlear is committed to providing equal opportunities to avoid unlawful discrimination on the grounds of race, sex, disability, sexual orientation, religion/belief or age. In line with our corporate ethics and statutory obligations we strive to ensure that the work environment is free of harassment and bullying and that everyone is treated with dignity and respect - this is an important aspect of ensuring equal opportunities in employment.