Virtual Platform R&D Engineer

imec; Vlaams-Brabant; Sur place; EUR 70 000 - 110 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

IMEC's Compute System Architecture (CSA) seeks a Virtual Platform R&D Engineer in Leuven, Belgium. You will develop and maintain virtual platforms for SoC architectures, integrating models across abstraction levels and enabling architectural exploration and validation.

You will map workloads on platforms like QEMU, gem5, RTL, and FPGA, while collaborating with senior staff to define project scope and milestones.

Qualifications

• Master’s or PhD in Electrical/Electronics/Computer Engineering/Science or related domain with hands-on compute system architectures.
• Deep understanding of system-level design, modern compute/memory systems and SoC components.
• Proven expertise with simulation frameworks or virtual platforms (QEMU, gem5, SystemC).
• You can model hardware and are a hands-on engineer with research mindset.

Responsabilités

• Develop, maintain and stitch virtual platforms for complex SoC architectures.
• Build functional and performance models of compute, memory, interconnect and accelerators.
• Implement interfaces between simulation infra and tooling to improve productivity and fidelity.
• Support workload mapping and bring-up on platforms like QEMU, gem5, RTL, FPGA.
• Model and simulate new architectures to analyze trade-offs and bottlenecks.
• Contribute to project scope, timelines, milestones and deliverables with senior staff.
• Mentor students as needed.

Connaissances

C/C++

Python

SystemC

QEMU

gem5

RISC-V

Bash

Scripting

English

Formation

Master's degree or PhD in Electrical/Electronics/Computer Engineering/Science

Outils

QEMU

gem5

SystemC

Description du poste

Compute System Architecture (CSA) is a center of excellence at imec for hardware-software-technology co-design for future compute systems. We work in close collaboration with other expertise centers in imec specializing in applications, technology, circuits and design to innovate and pathfind next-generation compute system architectures across multiple domains – AI, HPC, Automotive, Space, and more. CSA has presence in 6 centers of IMEC, in Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, UK, USA and Qatar. This position is primarily for Leuven, Belgium.

We are looking for a Virtual Platform R&D Engineer to develop, enable, and maintain our baseline platform across functional models, complex simulation environments, and towards RTL prototyping. This role sits at the intersection of compute system architectures, system simulation, and HW/SW engineering.

What you will do

• Develop, maintain and stitch virtual platforms together for complex SoC architectures, enabling architectural exploration, and system validation.
• Build and integrate functional and performance models of compute, memory, interconnect and accelerators across multiple abstraction levels.
• Implement the required interfaces between simulation infrastructures and support tooling to improve productivity, scalability, and model fidelity.
• Support workload mapping and enable functional models bring-up on various execution platforms such as: QEMU, gem5, RTL, FGPA.
• Model and simulate new architectures to analyze critical trade-offs and bottlenecks.
• Contribute to project definitions and the technical scope of work (timeline, work packages, milestones, deliverables) in cooperation with senior members, if needed.
• Supervise or assist in mentoring students when necessary.

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 hold a Master’s or PhD in Electrical/Electronics/Computer Engineering/Science or other relevant domains with hands-on in compute system architectures.
• You have a deep understanding of system-level design, modern compute and memory systems, and SoC components coupled with performance analysis skills.
• You have proven expertise, both as a user and as a developer, with simulation frameworks or virtual platforms, such as: QEMU, gem5 or SystemC-based models.
• You understand the boundaries of hardware and software, but you also understand how to model hardware.
• You are a hands-on engineer; you have a research-oriented mindset with an inherited curiosity in compute system architectures.
• You are proficient in C/C++, in bash and scripting (e.g. Python).
• You have experience in RISC-V-based architecture.
• You are open-minded, and flexible in accommodating changing priorities to support business needs.
• You are a team player, as you will be part of a dynamic and distributed team.
• You are fluent in English and you have strong communication skills, enabling effective collaboration across a multicultural team.

IMEC and its affiliates will not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from a candidate. IMEC will consider unsolicited referrals and/or resumes submitted by vendors such as search firms, staffing agencies, professional recruiters, fee-based referral services and recruiting agencies (hereafter "Agency") to have been referred by the Agency free of charge. IMEC will not pay a fee to any Agency that does not have a prior written agreement with IMEC, validated by its HR department, in place regarding a specific job opening and allowing to submit resumes.