Sr AI Driver Architect - Neuromorphic Computing

Intel; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Intel's Neuromorphic Computing Lab is seeking a lead to architect and develop the device drivers and firmware for neuromorphic AI execution stacks aimed at edge and robotic systems.

You will own this layer from pre-silicon modeling through production release while remaining hands-on in architecture and implementation, collaborating with hardware and validation teams to deliver robust software foundations.

Qualifications

• Five or more years shipping production device drivers and firmware for complex hardware.
• Five or more years leading architecture and design of driver/firmware subsystems.
• Five or more years defining interfaces with hardware architects and bringing up software.
• Five or more years designing production-ready driver/firmware subsystems including security and diagnostics.
• Five or more years mentoring engineers across hardware, firmware, and software teams.
• A decade of C/C++ development with Python tooling and rigorous engineering practices.
• Over one year of hands-on experience with agentic AI software engineering.

Responsibilities

• Define vision, architecture, and roadmap for the neuromorphic driver and firmware stack.
• Architect, develop, and optimize device driver and firmware components for host-attached or standalone use.
• Collaborate with hardware architects to define hardware/software interfaces for future silicon.
• Ensure production readiness including security, reliability, and diagnosability.
• Work with runtime, compiler, application, and validation teams to meet platform workloads.
• Provide technical leadership and mentoring across the team.

Skills

Device drivers development

Firmware architecture

Pre-silicon to post-silicon bring-up

Production readiness

Mentoring engineers

C/C++ development

Python tooling

Agentic AI software engineering

Education

BSc, MSc, or PhD in CS/CE/EE or related field

Tools

Simics

FPGA

Python

CI/CD

Job description

Job Description

For nearly a decade, Intel's Neuromorphic Computing Lab, together with a global ecosystem of 250+ research groups, has explored architectures, algorithms, and software inspired by the brain's extraordinary efficiency, scalability, and adaptability. Our Loihi series of research chips pioneered event-driven, sparse, and massively parallel neuro-inspired processing, fueling over 100 peer-reviewed publications that validate the promise of this novel approach. Now, we're entering an exciting new chapter: transforming these breakthroughs into real-world products that will power the coming era of physical AI systems - beyond the reach of GPUs and mainstream AI accelerators. If you are passionate about pushing the boundaries of computing, from transistor-level innovation to software abstractions, join us. Help define the next wave of AI technology that harnesses the proven advantages of Intel's neuromorphic computing technology with the versatility demanded by modern AI workloads.

Position Overview

Join the team building Intel's product-grade neuromorphic AI execution stack targeting edge and robotic systems. In this role, you will architect and lead the development of the device drivers and firmware, working closely with hardware, runtime, and validation teams to deliver a robust and efficient foundation for devices attached to a host or running standalone. You will own this layer from pre-silicon definition through production release while remaining hands-on in architecture and implementation.

Responsibilities

• Define and drive the technical vision, architecture, and roadmap for Intel's neuromorphic driver and firmware stack, while contributing hands-on to critical design and implementation.
• Architect, develop, and optimize the driver and firmware components that operate the device, covering command submission and execution control, memory mapping and data movement, interrupts, power management, and reset and recovery, whether the device is attached to a host or runs standalone.
• Partner with hardware architects to define the hardware/software interface of future silicon and drive software bring-up from pre-silicon modeling and emulation through post-silicon power-on and tuning.
• Own the production readiness of this layer, including security, reliability, diagnosability, and serviceability, along with the validation needed to release it and support it in the field.
• Collaborate with runtime, compiler, application, and validation teams, as well as customers and external partners, to translate platform and workload requirements into robust software capabilities.
• Provide technical leadership across the driver and firmware area by establishing engineering practices and mentoring engineers.

About the Organization

As part of Intel's CTO Office, you will join a vertically integrated incubation effort dedicated to bringing Intel's neuromorphic technology innovations to market. Our diverse team of engineers and researchers has pioneered sparse, event-based, neuromorphic architecture over multiple generations and is now focused on commercializing the technology in future Intel and partner products.

Qualifications

Minimum qualifications

• BSc, MSc, or PhD in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 5+ years of experience developing and shipping production device drivers and device firmware, or comparable low-level systems software, for accelerators, GPUs, or other complex hardware devices, including the interfaces between them.
• 5+ years of experience leading the architecture and design of driver or firmware subsystems for complex hardware platforms, including defining technical direction and guiding implementation.
• 5+ years of experience defining hardware/software interfaces together with hardware architects, and leading software bring-up from pre-silicon development on virtual platforms, simulators such as Simics, emulation, or FPGA, through post-silicon power-on, validation, and tuning.
• 5+ years of experience designing driver or firmware subsystems for production readiness, covering security, reliability, recovery, and the tracing, telemetry, and diagnostics needed to debug across hardware, firmware, driver, operating system, and runtime boundaries and to support a product in the field.
• 5+ years of experience mentoring engineers and leading delivery across cross-functional teams spanning hardware, firmware, systems software, and validation.
• 10+ years of hands-on experience developing maintainable, production-grade systems software in C/C++, with proficiency in Python for tooling, automation, and validation, using disciplined engineering practices such as design and code reviews, profiling, benchmarking, regression testing, build/toolchain management, and CI/CD.
• 1+ years of hands-on experience with agentic software engineering, routinely using AI agents to design, implement, test, and re