Principal Systems Architect

Axiado Corporation; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Axiado Corporation in Silicon Valley seeks a Lead System Architect to define end-to-end architecture bridging ASIC/SoC, board hardware and firmware. Translate customer needs into precise specifications and coordinate across engineering teams.

This senior role drives hardware/software partitioning, RoT/PFR security, and interfaces for BMC/OpenBMC, PCIe, Ethernet, and related I/O. You will engage enterprise customers and ecosystem partners to shape the platform.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of hardware/system architecture experience in server/data center environments.
• Proven ability to produce and maintain detailed specifications for production.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills with enterprise customers.

Responsibilities

• Define end-to-end architecture bridging silicon, board-level hardware and firmware.
• Own system architecture specs, micro-architectural details, and platform requirements.
• Define hardware/software partitioning and register-level interfaces.
• Drive security-focused SoC architecture including RoT and PFR.
• Interact with customers and ecosystem partners to scope requirements.
• Align architecture with server deployment topologies and standards.

Skills

System architecture

Server hardware

Customer facing

Communication skills

Electrical engineering background

Education

B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering or Computer Science

Tools

Cadence OrCAD/Allegro

Oscilloscopes

Logic analyzers

Job description

Axiado is an AI-enhanced security processor company redefining the control and management of every digital system. The company was founded in 2017, and currently has 100+ employees. At Axiado, developing great technology takes more than talent: it takes amazing people who understand collaboration, respect each other, and go the extra mile to achieve exceptional results. It takes people who have the passion and desire to disrupt the status quo, deliver innovation, and change the world. If you have this type of passion.

Job Description

Role Summary

As a Lead System Architect at Axiado, you will define the end-to-end architecture bridging silicon (ASIC/SoC), board-level hardware platforms, and low-level system software/firmware. Leveraging your deep expertise in the server and infrastructure industry, you will translate customer requirements into detailed technical specifications. This high-impact role requires navigating complex hardware/software tradeoffs while collaborating closely with Axiado’s engineering teams, customers, standards organizations and ecosystem partners.

Key Responsibilities

• Architectural Definition & Detailed Specification
• Own and author comprehensive, unambiguous system architecture specifications, micro-architectural specs, and/or platform requirement documents.
• Define rigorous system-level hardware/software partition boundaries and map out register-level interfaces for hardware blocks and low-level software stacks.
• Drive micro-architecture specifications for high-security, AI-driven SoCs, including on-chip interconnects (AXI/AHB), memory hierarchies, and standard I/O interfaces (PCIe, Ethernet, SPI, eSPI, I3C, LTPI).
• Customer Interfacing & Ecosystem Engagement
• Serve as a primary technical point of contact for enterprise and hyperscaler customers to gather, analyze, and scope their next-generation platform security needs.
• Present Axiado’s system architecture roadmap and technical whitepapers to strategic customers, steering-level partners, and standards committees.
• Align Axiado’s technology with modern server deployment topologies and open-source standards (such as OCP DC-SCM / DC-SCI).
• Server Infrastructure & Board-Level Integration
• Architect platform-level designs optimized for enterprise server motherboards, baseboard management systems, and cloud data center environments.
• Guide hardware and SI/PI engineers on signal integrity, power delivery networks, and thermal/mechanical constraints for modular server building blocks.
• Software, Firmware & Security Stack Partitioning
• Specify secure platform boot flows, Root-of-Trust (RoT) architecture, and Platform Firmware Resiliency (PFR) frameworks.
• Collaborate with firmware teams to define interfaces for BMC stacks (OpenBMC), Linux kernels, device drivers, and platform management protocols (MCTP, PLDM, Redfish).

Required Qualifications

• Experience: 10+ years of dedicated system architecture experience spanning SoC design, board development, and software stacks.
• Industry Focus: Proven track record of engineering and architectural success within the server, data center, or enterprise infrastructure industry.
• Specification Ownership: Demonstrated ability to independently produce and maintain highly detailed, production-grade technical specifications.
• Customer Facing: Excellent communication and presentation skills, with comfort interfacing directly with sophisticated enterprise customers and technical stakeholders.
• Education: B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
• Technical Breadth:
• Silicon: Deep knowledge of SoC design flows, interconnects, and interfaces (PCIe, Ethernet, DRAM, USB).
• Board-Level: Hands‑on experience with hardware platform design, schematic capture, and lab bring‑up tools (oscilloscopes, logic analyzers).
• Software: Clear understanding of embedded firmware, RTOS, Linux device drivers, and low-level C/C++ programming.

Preferred Qualifications

• Active participation in open infrastructure communities like the Open Compute Project (OCP).
• Deep understanding of hardware security concepts (cryptographic accelerators, HSM, TPM, Side-Channel attack mitigations).
• Experience with BMC firmware architecture (OpenBMC) and server management interfaces (MCTP, NVMe-MI, LTPI).

Qualifications

• Experience & Education: 10+ years of hardware engineering experience with a leadership track record in server, data center, or semiconductor ecosystems. B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering (EE).
• Production Track Record: Proven history of taking complex board designs to high-volume production with excellent yields and resolving field RMA issues.
• Hands‑on Technical Mastery: Deep, continuous experience with circuit design, schematic capture, laboratory equipment, and platform troubleshooting.
• DC‑SCM & Ecosystem Expertise: Strong knowledge of OCP DC‑SCM standard solutions (DC‑SCI interface, form factors) and a solid network across hyperscaler and OEM partners.
• Supply Chain Agility: Demonstrated capability to execute rapid hardware redesigns, footprint compatibility strategies, and alternative component sourcing.
• Tool & Interface Proficiency: Expert familiarity with Cadence OrCAD/Allegro and server interfaces (PCIe, USB, I2C, SMBus, SPI, UART, USB, MCTP, eSPI, LTPI).
• Architecture & Software Knowledge: Solid understanding of modern CPU/GPU architectures and the Linux environment (including Python or Bash scripting).
• Communication: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills to articulate hardware-anchored security and supply chain strategy to enterprise stakeholders.

Additional Information

Axiado is committed to attracting, developing, and retaining the highest caliber talent in a diverse and multifaceted environment. We are headquartered in the heart of Silicon Valley, with access to the world's leading research, technology and talent.

We are building an exceptional team to secure every node on the internet. For us, solving real-world problems takes precedence over purely theoretical problems. As a result, we prefer individuals with persistence, intelligence and high curiosity over pedigree alone. Working hard and smart, continuous learning and mutual support are all part of who we are.

Axiado is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Axiado does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.