Hardware Engineering Architect, Networking Devices - Remote

Jabil; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Jabil is seeking an experienced Hardware Engineering Architect for Networking Products to lead architecture concept work in the early design phase. You will translate customer use cases and trends into scalable networking architectures for RFQ/RFI and new business engagements, collaborating with CTO, BU, and Marketing to define system-level strategy and high-level configurations.

Role is remote, requiring strong cross-functional coordination across EE, thermal, mechanical, BMC, and firmware

Qualifications

• Proven experience in leading architecture for enterprise or carrier-grade networking products.
• Strong understanding of TOR, aggregation, and core switch configurations.
• Experience with Ethernet switch ASIC trends and related architectures.

Responsibilities

• Lead system-level architecture planning for Networking platforms, including configuration definition and feasibility alignment.
• Drive system requirements, interface specifications, and early topology options.
• Conduct trade-off analyses balancing performance, cost, power, and scalability.
• Collaborate with EE, thermal, mechanical, BMC, and firmware teams for a full concept package.
• Evaluate RFQ/RFI requirements and generate architecture proposals.
• Define system topologies, mechanical footprints, and I/O mappings.
• Interface with customers and internal stakeholders to align design intent.
• Present concept proposals with diagrams, strategy, trade-offs, and risk reviews.
• Stay updated on Ethernet switch ASIC trends, SONiC ecosystems, and modular platforms.
• Integrate tech enablers like PCIe Gen5/6, 112G SerDes, and high-efficiency power stages.

Skills

Networking architectures

TOR/core switches

Feasibility research

ASIC topologies

PCB materials

Voltage regulators

ECAD tools

ECAD layout editing

FPGA sizing

Cross-domain fluency

Thermal engineering

Education

Electrical/Computer Engineering degree

15+ years data center or networking architecture

Leadership in concept-phase architecture

Tools

ECAD tools

Job description

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced Hardware Engineering Architect for Networking Products to lead architecture concept work during the early design phase. This role focuses on translating customer use cases and technical trends into viable, scalable networking architectures to support RFQ/RFI and new business engagements. You will collaborate closely with stakeholders (e.g., CTO, BU, Marketing) to define system-level strategy, high-level configurations, and functional requirements for next-generation Ethernet switch platforms. This role is Remote.

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced Hardware Engineering Architect for Networking Products to lead architecture concept work during the early design phase. This role focuses on translating customer use cases and technical trends into viable, scalable networking architectures to support RFQ/RFI and new business engagements. You will collaborate closely with stakeholders (e.g., CTO, BU, Marketing) to define system-level strategy, high-level configurations, and functional requirements for next-generation Ethernet switch platforms. This role is Remote.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead system-level architecture planning for Networking platforms, including product configuration definition, functional partitioning, and mechanical/thermal/power/cooling feasibility alignment.
• Drive the definition of system requirements, interface specifications, and early configuration options (e.g., TOR, aggregation, core switch).
• Conduct architectural trade-off analysis balancing performance, cost, power, scalability, and manufacturability.
• Collaborate with EE, thermal, mechanical, BMC, and firmware architects to form a complete product-level concept package.
• Work with Architecture and BU teams to evaluate RFQ/RFI requirements and generate competitive architecture proposals.
• Define and propose system topologies, mechanical footprints, airflow design, I/O mappings, and cabling options.
• Interface with customers and internal stakeholders to align design intent and value proposition during the concept phase.
• Present and document concept proposals that include block diagrams, design strategy, trade-off summary, and risk evaluation.
• Stay up to date with Ethernet switch ASIC trends, switch software/SONiC ecosystems, and modular platform strategies.
• Evaluate and integrate technology enablers such as PCIe Gen5/6, 112G PAM4 SerDes, high-efficiency power stages, and new materials.
• Participate in roadmap planning with BU/CTO to ensure platform reusability and alignment with future-generation technologies.
• Define how electrical, mechanical, thermal, and firmware domains interact to support functional and performance goals.
• Coordinate platform-level integration strategies including MB placement, airflow optimization, and system serviceability.
• Align system-level DFM/EMC/thermal reliability requirements in early phase and guide downstream teams with clear targets.
• Lead the creation of architecture decks, system requirements, platform-level block diagrams, and BoM-level feasibility plans.
• Drive internal and customer-facing design reviews for architecture alignment and requirement sign-off.
• Maintain issue-tracking and lessons-learned documentation to improve future concept efficiency.

Technical Skills

• Strong knowledge in networking system architectures (TOR, aggregation, core switches).
• Ability to research and explore unfamiliar technologies and concepts with an eye towards feasibility.
• Familiar with Networking ASIC topologies (e.g., Broadcom Tomahawk/Trident/Monaco, Marvell Prestera), and their implications on I/O mapping, cooling, and power.
• Familiarity with PCB board materials and construction techniques. Specifically, an understanding of trade-offs and optimizations around insertion loss, via construction, stack-ups and sizing of power planes and shapes.
• High-level understanding of voltage regulators related to types of VR architectures, trade-offs, efficiency, thermals, and critical VR components.
• Ability to use industry standard ECAD tools to review layouts and schematics is required.
• Ability to manipulate existing ECAD layouts and schematic databases for purposes of architectural planning and assessment preferred.
• Experience coding, sizing, and planning FPGAs, preferred.
• Fluency in the mechanical, firmware and software domain. Specifically, an understanding of basics nomenclature, concepts and tools used by your architectural teammates.
• Fluency in the thermal domain. Specifically, an understanding of component cooling techniques, when components require cooling and what information your thermal engineering teammate needs during concept assessment.

Desired Traits & Skills

• Preferred 10+ years in Hardware Engineering
• Familiarity with networking system-level architecture
• Strong leadership and cross-functional coordination skills
• Comfortable working in fast-paced, cross-functional, global teams
• Proactive, self-driven, with high adaptability
• Clear technical communicator, able to present trade-offs and justify proposals
• Capable of NRE estimation and abstract requirement hardening
• Fluent in English; able to work with global teams and customers

Education & Experience Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Computer Engineering, is required
• 15+ years of experience in data center or networking system architecture, including switch/router design required
• Demonstrated experience leading concept-phase architecture for enterprise or carrier-grade networking products

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s Degree is preferred
• Server Design experience is a plus