OpenAI

SOC Architect

OpenAI$150K — $200K *
Telecommunications & Hardware
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5+ years in SoC or ASIC architecture development from concept to production.
  • Deep expertise in AI/ML accelerators and edge application workloads.
  • Strong grasp of various SoC subsystems: CPU, GPU, NPU, memory, and power management.
  • Proven track record of collaboration with internal teams and external partners.
  • Exceptional leadership skills in fast-paced environments.
  • Excellent communication skills to influence technical decisions.

Responsibilities

  • Define architecture for cutting-edge SoCs tailored for edge applications.
  • Conduct comprehensive tradeoff analysis across system-level components.
  • Design ML compute subsystems emphasizing energy efficiency for inference.
  • Collaborate cross-functionally with internal teams to meet architecture needs.
  • Engage with external silicon vendors and IP providers for project execution.
  • Lead hardware/software co-design to optimize system performance.
  • Support implementation through microarchitecture, validation, and bring-up.

Benefits

  • Opportunity to lead groundbreaking AI silicon development.
  • Engagement with a diverse range of cross-functional teams.
  • Influence the future of on-device intelligence and machine learning deployment.
  • Work in a dynamic and agile development environment.
Full Job Description
About the Role

We are seeking an experienced SoC Architect to lead the definition and development of next-generation custom AI silicon for edge deployments. This role will be responsible for shaping the architecture of highly efficient, high-performance SoCs optimized for machine learning inference and on-device intelligence.

You will work cross-functionally with internal engineering teams and external ecosystem partners to translate product requirements into scalable silicon solutions, driving execution from concept through delivery.
In this role you will:
  • Define the architecture and technical roadmap for custom SoCs targeted for edge applications.
  • Drive system-level tradeoff analysis across compute, memory, interconnect, power, thermal, and cost constraints.
  • Architect energy-efficient ML compute subsystems optimized for inference workloads and real-world deployment environments.
  • Collaborate with internal hardware, software, systems, and product teams to align architecture with platform needs.
  • Partner with external silicon vendors, IP providers, and manufacturing partners to execute development plans.
  • Lead hardware/software co-design efforts to maximize performance per watt and end-to-end system efficiency.
  • Guide implementation teams through microarchitecture, RTL development, validation, and bring-up phases.
  • Operate effectively in agile development environments and help teams deliver against aggressive schedules and milestones.

You might thrive in this role if:
  • Proven experience defining and delivering complex SoC or ASIC architectures from concept to production.
  • Deep understanding of AI/ML accelerators, edge inference workloads, and energy-efficient compute design.
  • Strong knowledge of SoC subsystems including CPU/GPU/NPU architectures, memory hierarchies, interconnects, and power management.
  • Experience working with both internal engineering organizations and external strategic partners.
  • Ability to lead cross-functional teams in fast-paced, execution-driven environments.
  • Strong communication skills with the ability to influence technical direction across organizations.

Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience with edge AI devices, embedded systems, or consumer hardware platforms.
  • Background in performance modeling, silicon cost optimization, and workload-driven architecture.
  • Familiarity with advanced process nodes and modern semiconductor development flows.


To comply with U.S. export control laws and regulations, candidates for this role may need to meet certain legal status requirements as provided in those laws and regulations.

About OpenAI

OpenAI is an artificial intelligence research laboratory consisting of the for-profit corporation OpenAI LP and its parent company, the non-profit OpenAI Inc. The company was founded in 2015 by a group of technology leaders, including Elon Musk, Sam Altman, Greg Brockman, Ilya Sutskever, and John Schulman. OpenAI's mission is to develop and promote friendly AI for the betterment of humanity. The company has developed a number of cutting-edge AI technologies, including GPT-3, a language processing system that can generate human-like text. OpenAI has received funding from a number of high-profile investors, including LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and venture capitalist Peter Thiel.
Learn more about OpenAI
Size
100 employees
Industry
Founded
2015

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