Sr Principal Engineer, NPU Architecture

Job Description

Renesas is seeking a Sr Principal NPU Architect to define and lead the next generation of AI acceleration technologies for Automotive High Performance Compute (HPC) platforms. This role will be responsible for driving the architectural vision, hardware-software co-design strategy, and technical roadmap for Neural Processing Units (NPUs) deployed across future microcontroller (MCU), microprocessor (MPU), and heterogeneous compute platforms.

The successful candidate will combine deep expertise in AI accelerator architecture, system-level design, memory hierarchy, interconnect architecture, and performance optimization with a strong understanding of compiler technology and AI software frameworks. As a senior technical leader, this individual will influence long-term product strategy, guide investments in AI compute technologies, and collaborate across hardware, software, compiler, systems, and product teams to deliver industry-leading AI performance, efficiency, and scalability.

Responsibilities:

AI and NPU Architecture Leadership

• Define the long-term architectural vision and roadmap for Renesas AI acceleration technologies.
• Lead the specification and development of next-generation NPU architectures targeting automotive inference, edge AI, generative AI, autonomous driving, and software-defined vehicle applications.
• Drive architectural decisions across tensor processing engines, vector processors, activation units, sparse computing architectures, and emerging AI compute paradigms.
• Evaluate emerging AI hardware architectures, industry trends, and competitive products to influence future product direction.

System Architecture and Hardware-Software Co-Design

• Define system-level architectures enabling efficient interaction between NPUs, CPUs, GPUs, DSPs, memory subsystems, and security domains.
• Partner with compiler, runtime, and AI software teams to optimize the complete AI execution stack.
• Drive NPU instruction set architecture (ISA), programming models, graph execution frameworks, and compiler-aware architectural features.
• Ensure alignment between hardware architecture and emerging AI frameworks such as PyTorch, ONNX, TensorFlow, MLIR, and LLVM-based toolchains.

Memory, Interconnect and Data Movement Optimization

• Architect high-bandwidth, low-latency memory hierarchies addressing modern AI workload requirements.
• Define cache architectures, scratchpad memory structures, DMA subsystems, data compression techniques, and memory management mechanisms.
• Design scalable interconnect and Network-on-Chip (NoC) solutions utilizing AXI, ACE, CHI, and coherent fabric technologies.
• Optimize system bandwidth, latency, and power efficiency to maximize AI performance per watt.

Performance Modeling and Architecture Exploration

• Develop and lead architecture modeling frameworks using C++, SystemC, TLM, or equivalent modeling environments.
• Conduct quantitative tradeoff analysis covering performance, area, power, scalability, safety, and cost.
• Drive workload characterization and benchmarking using real-world AI applications including CNNs, Transformers, LLMs, vision workloads, and multimodal AI systems.
• Identify system bottlenecks and define architectural innovations to improve throughput, utilization, and efficiency.

Functional Safety, Security and Virtualization

• Define automotive-grade architectures compliant with ISO 26262 and other relevant safety standards.
• Architect virtualization, partitioning, and isolation technologies supporting software-defined vehicle platforms.
• Ensure security and safety requirements are incorporated into NPU architecture from concept through implementation.
• Enable multi-domain workload execution across safety-critical and non-safety-critical environments.

Technical Leadership

• Act as the technical authority for NPU architecture within Renesas.
• Provide mentorship and guidance to architects, designers, performance engineers, and software teams.
• Influence product strategy, technology investments, and external partnerships.
• Represent Renesas in technical discussions with customers, ecosystem partners, IP vendors, and industry forums.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related discipline.
• PhD preferred.

Experience

• 15+ years of semiconductor architecture experience, including significant experience in AI accelerators, NPUs, GPUs, DSPs, or other high-performance compute architectures.
• Demonstrated ownership of architecture definition through silicon execution and product delivery.
• Proven track record leading cross-functional architecture initiatives spanning hardware and software domains.

Technical Expertise

• Deep knowledge of AI/ML workloads including:

  • Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs)
  • Transformers
  • Large Language Models (LLMs)
  • Generative AI
  • Computer Vision
  • Multi-modal systems

• Strong understanding of:

  • NPU architecture
  • Computer architecture
  • Memory hierarchy design
  • Cache coherency
  • Data movement optimization
  • Hardware performance modeling

• Expertise with:

  • AXI / ACE / CHI protocols
  • NoC architectures
  • SystemC/TLM
  • C++
  • Performance simulation frameworks

• Familiarity with:

  • LLVM
  • MLIR
  • ONNX
  • TensorFlow
  • PyTorch
  • AI compiler technologies

Preferred

• Experience developing automotive AI or ADAS computing platforms.
• Experience with functional safety (ISO 26262) and safety-compliant architectures.
• Experience architecting systems used in NVIDIA, Qualcomm, Samsung, AMD, Arm, Intel, Tesla, Mobileye, Google, Amazon, or equivalent AI compute environments.
• Contributions to industry standards, patents, publications, or significant architectural innovations.

Additional Information

Why This Role Matters

This role will help define Renesas' AI compute strategy and next-generation NPU roadmap, enabling future HPC, autonomous driving, edge AI, and software-defined vehicle platforms. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to shape products that influence the future of intelligent automotive systems at a global scale.

Renesas is an embedded semiconductor solution provider driven by its Purpose, To Make Our Lives Easier. With a global team of over 21,000 engineers and problem solvers in more than 30 countries, we offer the opportunity to work on world‑leading technology for Automotive, Industrial, Infrastructure, and IoT, shaping a safer, healthier, greener, and smarter future.

At Renesas, TAGIE is our culture, grounded in being Transparent, Agile, Global, Innovative, and Entrepreneurial. It shapes how we work, grow and deliver on our purpose together. This collaborative spirit and mindset drive our semiconductor technology to transform industries and impact millions of lives.

We believe in rewarding our employees with a competitive benefits package alongside their salary. More information will be provided during the hiring process.

Are you ready to join our team and shape the future with us?

Renesas Electronics is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, committed to supporting diversity and fostering a work environment free of discrimination on the basis of sex, race, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, military status, veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. For more information, please read our Diversity & Inclusion Statement.

Renesas Electronics deals with dual-use technology that is subject to U.S. export controls regulations. Under these regulations it may be necessary for Renesas to obtain U.S. government export license prior to release of technology to certain persons. The decision whether or not to file or pursue an export license application is at the sole discretion of Renesas.