Virtual Platform R&D Engineer

HiPEAC; Town of Belgium (WI); On-site; USD 69,000 - 104,000; Full time

Job summary

IMEC is seeking a Virtual Platform R&D Engineer to develop and maintain virtual platforms for compute architectures, spanning software models, RTL prototyping, and simulation environments.

You will work at the intersection of compute architectures, system software, and system modeling, contributing to workload mapping, performance validation, and mentoring students.

Qualifications

• Requires a Master’s or PhD in Electrical/Electronics/CS/Engineering with hands-on compute architecture experience.
• Strong background in computer architecture, memory systems, and SoC components.
• Proficient in C/C++, scripting (Python/Bash), and familiar with AI-assisted automation.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain virtual platforms across simulated and hardware-prototyping environments.
• Support workload mapping and enable model bring-up on QEMU, gem5, RTL, FPGA.
• Contribute to performance and functional validation across ISA to RTL to FPGA.
• Build system models representing novel compute architectures balancing accuracy, speed, and ease of use.
• Evaluate new architectural features and translate concepts into executable platforms.
• Contribute to project definitions and technical scope with senior members as needed.
• Mentor students when necessary.

Skills

C/C++ proficiency

Python scripting

Bash scripting

System-level design

English communication

Education

Master’s or PhD in Electrical/Electronics/Computer Engineering/Science

Tools

GCC/LLVM toolchains

RTOS (FreeRTOS)

QEMU

gem5

Job description

Compute System Architecture (CSA) is a center of excellence at imec for hardware-software-technology co-design for future compute systems. We work in close collaboration with other expertise centers in imec specializing in applications, technology, circuits and design to innovate and pathfind next-generation compute system architectures across multiple domains - AI, HPC, Automotive, Space, and more. CSA has presence in 6 centers of IMEC, in Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, UK, USA and Qatar. This position is primarily for Leuven, Belgium.

We are looking for a Virtual Platform R&D Engineer to develop, enable, and maintain our baseline platform across software models, RTL prototyping, and simulation environments. This role sits at the intersection of compute architectures, system software, and system modeling.

What you will do

• Develop and maintain virtual platforms across both simulated, and hardware-prototyping environments.
• Support workload mapping and enable functional models bring-up on various execution platforms such as: QEMU, gem5, RTL, FGPA.
• Contribute to performance and functional validation across abstraction levels (ISA --> RTL --> FPGA).
• Build system models that represent novel compute architectures, while balancing accuracy, execution speed, and ease of use.
• Evaluate new architectural features, translating architectural concepts into executable platforms.
• Contribute to project definitions and the technical scope of work (timeline, work packages, milestones, deliverables) in cooperation with senior members, if needed.
• Supervise or assist in mentoring of students when necessary.

Who you are

• You hold a Master’s or PhD in Electrical/Electronics/Computer Engineering/Science or other relevant domains with hands-on compute architecture systems.
• You are passionate about computer architecture and system-level design, with a solid understanding of modern compute and memory systems, and SoC components.
• You have strong background in embedded systems, including toolchains (GCC/LLVM), RTOS (e.g., FreeRTOS), and low-level debugging.
• You are proficient in C/C++, in bash and Python scripting and you are familiar with AI-assisted automation.
• You are a hands-on engineer who enjoys bringing systems to life.
• You have experience in RISC-V-based system architecture.
• You are open-minded, and flexible in accommodating changing priorities to support business needs.
• You are a team player, as you will be part of a dynamic and distributed team.You are fluent in English and you have strong communication skills, enabling effective collaboration across a multicultural team

Imec is a premier research hub in nanoelectronics and digital technologies, blending microchip and software expertise. We foster innovation across various sectors while uniting 3,500 experts from 70+ nationalities.

Summary

Join IMEC as a Virtual Platform R&D Engineer in Leuven, Belgium. Develop and maintain virtual platforms for compute architectures, supporting workload mapping, performance validation, and mentoring students.

Join IMEC as a Virtual Platform R&D Engineer in Leuven, Belgium. Develop and maintain virtual platforms for compute architectures, supporting workload mapping, performance validation, and mentoring students.

Compute System Architecture (CSA) is a center of excellence at imec for hardware-software-technology co-design for future compute systems. We work in close collaboration with other expertise centers in imec specializing in applications, technology, circuits and design to innovate and pathfind next-generation compute system architectures across multiple domains - AI, HPC, Automotive, Space, and more. CSA has presence in 6 centers of IMEC, in Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, UK, USA and Qatar. This position is primarily for Leuven, Belgium.

We are looking for a Virtual Platform R&D Engineer to develop, enable, and maintain our baseline platform across software models, RTL prototyping, and simulation environments. This role sits at the intersection of compute architectures, system software, and system modeling.

What you will do

• Develop and maintain virtual platforms across both simulated, and hardware-prototyping environments.
• Support workload mapping and enable functional models bring-up on various execution platforms such as: QEMU, gem5, RTL, FGPA.
• Contribute to performance and functional validation across abstraction levels (ISA --> RTL --> FPGA).
• Build system models that represent novel compute architectures, while balancing accuracy, execution speed, and ease of use.
• Evaluate new architectural features, translating architectural concepts into executable platforms.
• Contribute to project definitions and the technical scope of work (timeline, work packages, milestones, deliverables) in cooperation with senior members, if needed.
• Supervise or assist in mentoring of students when necessary.

Who you are

• You hold a Master’s or PhD in Electrical/Electronics/Computer Engineering/Science or other relevant domains with hands-on compute architecture systems.
• You are passionate about computer architecture and system-level design, with a solid understanding of modern compute and memory systems, and SoC components.
• You have strong background in embedded systems, including toolchains (GCC/LLVM), RTOS (e.g., FreeRTOS), and low-level debugging.
• You are proficient in C/C++, in bash and Python scripting and you are familiar with AI-assisted automation.
• You are a hands-on engineer who enjoys bringing systems to life.
• You have experience in RISC-V-based system architecture.
• You are open-minded, and flexible in accommodating changing priorities to support business needs.
• You are a team player, as you will be part of a dynamic and distributed team.You are fluent in English and you have strong communication skills, enabling effective collaboration across a multicultural team