Senior System Power Architect, Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality Workloads

Google Inc.; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 159,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Google is seeking a Senior System Power Architect for AR/VR workloads to drive architectural analysis shaping the Pixel SoC power envelope. You will assess workloads such as spatial mapping and hand tracking, identifying bottlenecks and proposing silicon-level optimizations to maintain market leadership in immersive experiences.

The role partners with cross-functional teams across software, product, and hardware to translate insights into actionable requirements for future Pixel SoCs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in EE/CS or related field or equivalent experience.
• 4 years in SoC architecture, power/perf modeling, or pre-silicon verification.
• Experience with low-power design methodologies or power management techniques.
• Experience with memory subsystems, interconnects, or data paths to DDR.

Responsibilities

• Benchmark AR/VR workloads vs competitors to identify gaps.
• Analyze spatial mapping/hand-tracking/passthrough video power impact.
• Leverage LPIs to keep AR/VR tasks power-efficient.
• Map data paths from display/sensors through SoC to DDR for bandwidth with low power.
• Collaborate with software/product/hardware teams to translate insights into silicon requirements.

Skills

SoC architecture

Power modeling

Pre-silicon verification

Low-power design

Power management

DDR data paths

Education

Bachelor's degree

Masters/PhD preferred

Tools

Synopsys PrimePower

ANSYS PowerArtist

Modeling frameworks

Job description

Senior System Power Architect, Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality Workloads

Share Senior System Power Architect, Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality Workloads

Mid

Experience driving progress, solving problems, and mentoring more junior team members; deeper expertise and applied knowledge within relevant area.

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or a specialized field (e.g., Optics, Sensors, Audio/DSP, etc.), or equivalent practical experience.
• 4 years of experience in SoC architecture, power/performance modeling, or pre-silicon verification.
• Experience with low-power design methodologies or power management techniques (e.g., power gating, DVFS, low-power states).
• Experience with memory subsystems, interconnects, or data paths to DDR.

Preferred qualifications:

• Master's degree or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, or a related field (e.g., Optics, Sensors, Audio/DSP).
• Experience specifically analyzing or architecting mobile/wearable SoCs for AR, VR, or computer vision applications.
• Experience with architectural simulators or power estimation tools (e.g., Synopsys PrimePower, ANSYS PowerArtist, or proprietary modeling frameworks).
• Practical knowledge of low-power islands (LPI) or always-on subsystem architectures.
• Excellent communication skills to translate complex architectural trade-offs into clear product decisions for leadership.

About the job

As a Silicon Power and Performance Architect for Pixel AR/VR, you will drive the engaged and architectural analysis that defines the future of Google's consumer hardware. AR and VR use cases demand immersive, zero-latency experiences under incredibly tight thermal and power constraints. You will analyze how spatial computing workloads impact the broader Pixel system-on-chip (SoC) power envelope, identifying bottlenecks, evaluating competitor architectures, and proposing silicon-level optimizations to ensure Pixel remains a market leader.

The Platforms and Devices team encompasses Google's various computing software platforms across environments (desktop, mobile, applications), as well as our first party devices and services that combine the best of Google AI, software, and hardware. Teams across this area research, design, and develop new technologies to make our user's interaction with computing faster and more seamless, building innovative experiences for our users around the world.

Individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

US: $159000 - $230000 (USD) + 15% bonus target + equity + benefits

Learn more about benefits at Google .

• Benchmark and model next-generation AR/VR use cases against industry competitors to identify architectural gaps and opportunities.
• Analyze end-to-end workloads (spatial mapping, hand tracking, passthrough video) to quantify their impact on total Pixel power consumption.
• Leverage low-power design techniques, specifically optimizing the utilization of low-power islands (LPIs) to keep ambient AR/VR tasks highly efficient.
• Map and optimize critical data paths from the display/sensors through the SoC fabric and the path to DDR, ensuring maximum bandwidth with minimal power overhead.
• Partner with software, product, and hardware teams to translate architectural insights into actionable silicon requirements for future Pixel SoCs.

Google is proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. We are committed to building a workforce that is representative of the users we serve, creating a culture of belonging, and providing an equal employment opportunity regardless of race, creed, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy or related condition (including breastfeeding), expecting or parents-to-be, criminal histories consistent with legal requirements, or any other basis protected by law. See also Google's EEO Policy , Know your rights: workplace discrimination is illegal , Belonging at Google , and How we hire .

Google is a global company and, in order to facilitate efficient collaboration and communication globally, English proficiency is a requirement for all roles unless stated otherwise in the job posting.

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