Principal Systems Engineering Architect

MaxLinear • San Jose, CA

2d

About The Position

MaxLinear is seeking a Principal Systems Engineering Architect to join its Analog Mixed Signal (AMS) group. The AMS team develops integrated solutions spanning high-speed and embedded connectivity interfaces, including bridges, serial transceivers, and isolators, as well as power management for data center, industrial, and embedded platforms. The role defines and owns end-to-end systems architecture for SoC, connectivity, and interface products, spanning silicon architecture, firmware, software drivers, and hardware integration. It works closely with design, applications, product management, customers, and ecosystem partners to deliver differentiated, production-ready solutions.

The architect leads system-level technical decisions and cross-functional alignment, owns system requirements and architecture documentation, and guides products from concept and feasibility through silicon bring-up, characterization, qualification, and production. The role also mentors engineers and serves as a technical authority in SoC and connectivity domains.

Requirements

• Strong systems-level understanding of SoC architecture, including embedded processor subsystems (such as Arm), on-chip interconnect, and memory subsystems, as well as USB and PCIe architectures and serial and peripheral interfaces such as UART, I²C/I3C, SPI, and GPIO.
• Experience defining architectures spanning silicon, boot and embedded firmware, drivers, and hardware, including integration of third-party licensed IP.
• Experience working with external design partners and IP vendors on SoC development.
• Ability to lead technically across multiple disciplines and global teams.
• Track record of delivering products from architecture definition through high-volume production.
• Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering or a related field plus 9 years of experience, or a master's degree plus 7 years of experience, or a Ph.D. plus 4 years of experience.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with data center server management and platform security concepts, such as hardware root of trust, secure boot, and sideband management protocols.

Responsibilities

• Drive end-to-end systems definition across silicon architecture, firmware, software drivers, and hardware integration in collaboration with design, applications, product management, and customers.
• Define and own systems-level architecture for SoC, connectivity, and interface products, including embedded processor subsystems, USB- and PCIe-based interfaces, memory and networking interfaces, and serial and control protocols.
• Lead architectural decisions involving hardware/firmware partitioning, bus fabric and system integration, performance, latency, power, security, scalability, register maps, configurability, and extensibility.
• Define platform-level management, security, and telemetry capabilities, including secure boot, hardware root of trust, sideband management buses, and system health monitoring, with ecosystem and software partners.
• Partner with Product Management on product definition, roadmap planning, and competitive and system-level differentiation.
• Engage directly with customers to capture system-level requirements and support complex technical discussions and escalations.
• Drive cross-functional alignment across analog, digital, firmware, software, package, test, and applications teams.
• Own system requirements, architecture documents, and design reviews.
• Guide products through concept, feasibility, silicon bring-up, characterization, qualification, and production.
• Mentor engineers and act as a technical authority within the SoC and connectivity domains.

Benefits

• Health care benefits
• 401(k) savings plan
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)
• Paid time off
• Annual discretionary bonus eligibility
• Stock-based compensation for many positions

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal