Sr Director Analyst - AI Driven Compute Architecture and Custom Silicon

gartner; Irving (TX); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Gartner seeks a Senior Director Analyst remote in North America to lead research on AI-driven compute architecture and custom silicon. You will own the quantitative and market-intelligence view of ASICs and associated software, translating AI use cases into demand and supply implications.

You will produce must-have insights, engage clients via meetings and Gartner events, and mentor peers while shaping Gartner's research agenda with provocative perspectives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in electronics, semiconductor engineering, software engineering or related field.
• 12+ years of experience in semiconductors with a focus on AI platforms, compute architecture or custom silicon.
• Customer-facing experience within the semiconductor supply chain.
• Experience engaging with market-intelligence, product-planning, engineering and sales organizations.
• Strong knowledge of embedded software and the custom semiconductor supply chain.
• Understanding of AI platforms/models and their impact on ASIC design and compute architecture.
• Knowledge of GPUs, ASICs, XPUs, domain-specific accelerators, edge AI processors and AI SoCs.
• Familiarity with large language models, multimodal models, agentic systems, and automotive AI.
• Understanding of infrastructure implications: memory, interconnect, packaging and compute clustering.
• Understanding of commercial models including merchant silicon, custom silicon and hyperscaler strategy.
• Familiarity with major players like Intel, TSMC, Broadcom, Marvell, ASE, Synopsys.

Responsibilities

• Create innovative, thought-provoking, must-have insights content.
• Develop new insights through thought leadership and actionable client guidance.
• Perform in-depth analyses to identify root causes of client needs and reframes.
• Demonstrate thought leadership across a team of analysts.
• Provide independent, provocative insights to influence research agendas.
• Research, analyze and predict market trends for actionable client guidance.
• Provide clients with actionable advice via virtual or face-to-face interactions.
• Create and deliver high-value presentation materials for Gartner events and briefings.
• Support BTI and Sales by representing market voice to drive client engagement.
• Provide high-quality content peer reviews and feedback.
• Build credibility as Gartner insights representative.
• Collaborate with peers in the Insights community on research discussions.
• Identify process improvements to enhance service delivery.
• Mentor junior team members and support client engagements.

Skills

Semiconductor expertise

AI platforms

Embedded software

Customer-facing

Market intelligence

Compute architecture

GPU/ASIC knowledge

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in electronics/semiconductor

Graduate degree/MBA desirable

Job description

This is an individual contributor role, based remotely in North America.

About the role

Gartner Analysts are industry thought leaders who create must-have insights, market predictions and best practices for a broad range of world-leading organizations. A Senior Director Analyst serves as a leader within Gartner's Emerging Market Dynamics Group, establishing oneself as a credible voice within their designated market at local, regional and global levels. Utilizing exceptional research and analytical skills, a Senior Director Analyst plays a significant role in producing pragmatic and provocative insights that Gartner clients consume and apply to propel their businesses toward key objectives. They are a trusted source of advice for clients, reinforcing Gartner's value through phone and virtual meetings, sales support visits, Gartner conferences and face-to-face engagements to discuss complex client challenges and offer appropriate recommendations.

This role will focus on AI-driven compute architecture and custom silicon. The successful candidate will analyze how the evolution of AI models is changing computing architectures and creating new demand for custom silicon, accelerators, memory technologies and semiconductor platforms. The role extends beyond traditional ASIC analysis to encompass the broader evolution of compute architecture and its future implications.

The analyst will own the quantitative and market-intelligence view of ASICs and associated software, future technology transitions and related economies. They will translate AI use cases, model demand and manufacturing constraints into implications for ASIC semiconductor supply, market development and competitive strategy.

What you will do

• Create innovative, thought provoking, and highly leveraged "must-have insights" content
• Develop new insights and ideas through thought leadership and offer compelling, actionable approaches to client's needs and requests that accelerate the client's ability to act
• Develop in-depth analysis to identify the root cause of a client's barriers or overall needs and reframe thinking to drive strategy forward
• Demonstrate thought leadership in establishing Insights positions across a team of analysts
• Bring provocative, independent insights to Gartner leaders that can evolve the course of a research agenda
• Research, analyze and predict market trends and shifts to provide clients and vendors with actionable insights
• Provide clients and prospects with actionable advice aligned to their designated content area via virtual or face-to-face interactions
• Create and deliver high value presentation materials on and off stage for Gartner events, industry and professional association conferences, and client briefings
• Support BTI and Sales: Provide sales support serving as voice of the market to help Insights teams create content and to drive engagement with clients to make progress against their critical priorities to grow their business
• Provide high quality and timely content peer review
• Build credibility as an industry expert to represent Gartner insights, methodology and strategy
• Actively participate in innovation, ideation, and research discussions and collaborate effectively with peers in the Insights community
• Identify research process improvements or develop new processes that help the team and BTI provide excellent service delivery
• Be a mentor and a coach by supporting more junior team members
• Be client-centric while actively seeking to help clients engage regularly and often with Gartner insights and interactions

What you will need

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in electronics, semiconductor engineering, software engineering or a related discipline; graduate degree or MBA in marketing, operations or a related field is desirable.
• 12+ years of experience in semiconductors or a related industry, with recent experience focused on AI platforms, AI models, compute architecture or custom silicon.
• Customer‑facing experience within the semiconductor supply chain.
• Experience engaging with market‑intelligence, product‑planning, engineering and sales organizations.
• Strong knowledge of embedded software and the custom semiconductor supply chain.
• Understanding of AI platforms and models and their impact on ASIC design and compute architecture.
• Knowledge of GPUs, ASICs, XPUs, domain‑specific accelerators, edge AI processors and AI SoCs.
• Familiarity with large language models, small language models, multimodal models, agentic systems, physical AI, robotics AI, industrial AI and automotive AI.
• Understanding of infrastructure implications, including memory requirements, interconnect, packaging innovation, compute clustering and edge‑versus‑cloud deployment.
• Understanding of commercial models, including merchant silicon, custom silicon, build‑versus‑buy decisions, hyperscaler design strategies and enterprise AI appliance markets.
• Familiarity with companies and organizations such as Intel, TSMC, Broadcom, Marvell, ASE, Synopsys a