Sr. Director, Applications Engineering

Synaptics•San Jose, CA

32d•$202,000 - $317,900

About The Position

Synaptics is leading the charge in AI at the Edge, bringing AI closer to end users and transforming how we engage with intelligent connected devices, whether at home, at work, or on the move. As the go-to partner for the world's most forward-thinking product innovators, Synaptics powers the future with its cutting-edge Synaptics Astra AI-Native embedded compute, Veros wireless connectivity, and multimodal sensing solutions. We're making the digital experience smarter, faster, more intuitive, secure, and seamless. From touch, display, and biometrics to AI-driven wireless connectivity, video, vision, audio, speech, and security processing, Synaptics is the force behind the next generation of technology enhancing how we live, work, and play. Overview Synaptics is seeking a Sr. Director, Applications Engineering, Processors to join our growing organization. You will drive customer success and productization for our ASTRA native AI processor family, lead Level 1 customer support, ensure technical excellence, and guide a global team building scalable solutions across Linux, Android, and RTOS. This position reports to the VP, Software Engineering. The typical base pay range for this position is USD $202,000 - $317,900 per year. Individual pay is determined by many factors including work location, job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. This position is also eligible for a discretionary annual performance bonus, equity, and other benefits. Note that compensation listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only, and do not include bonus, equity, or benefits.

Requirements

Bachelor's (Master's preferred) in Electrical/Computer Engineering or related field or equivalent
15+ years in embedded systems and applications engineering including 7+ years managing teams
Deep expertise in SoCs, firmware, drivers, embedded Linux, and RTOS
Strong familiarity with AI inference at the edge, including camera/vision and voice pipelines
Strong track record of working in a fast-paced, innovative, global environment with a history of success in customer-facing roles, especially with Tier 1 OEMs
Ability to identify and target key accounts with potential for Synaptics products
Ability to lead and motivate a diverse team to achieve key priorities, to provide clear direction, to actively delegate, communicate, coach, and hold fellow team members accountable
Ability to influence and lead through change and is motivated by the challenge of a fast-paced, high-growth global environment
High integrity, responsive with an inherent sense of urgency and accountability
Ability to balance multiple competing priorities, with very strong attention to detail, able to transition easily between the strategic and the detailed
Ability to solve problems that are not clearly defined and require in depth understanding of technology and organizational objectives
Strong analytical and business acumen; able to make informed decisions based on experience
Establishes clear expectations, sets objectives and brings multiple parties together to drive key initiatives
Positive attitude and work ethic; unafraid to ask questions and explore new ideas
Excellent communication that is clear, concise, and compelling
Experienced at working effectively across multiple levels of an organization and building successful cross functional partnerships
Experience supporting customers from prototype through production

Nice To Haves

Experience with ASTRA AI processor family or similar SoCs (e.g., NXP, Ambarella) preferred
Hands-on with edge ML frameworks like TensorFlow Lite, ONNX, or custom ML deployments
Working knowledge of Yocto, Android, and embedded Linux stacks
Domestic and international travel up to 15% required

Responsibilities

Lead, motivate, scale a high-performing global Applications Engineering team responsible for customer support, issue resolution, and reference application development for ASTRA AI processors
Drive Level 1 support excellence - establish metrics, improve resolution SLAs, and enhance customer satisfaction
Provide technical leadership and mentorship to the team working on current customer and new use adoption of EEPD Processor Family
Guide the delivery of edge AI solutions leveraging ASTRA processors across vision, voice, and sensor fusion applications
Engage directly with global customers and OEMs to facilitate successful integration and deployment of Synaptics platforms
Collaborate cross-functionally with Product, Software, and Architecture teams to align technical enablement with roadmap execution
Implement robust tooling, diagnostics, and knowledge-sharing systems for scalable customer support operations
Partner with Marketing and strategy teams to analyze competitive landscape, market share
Engage with key customers through the executive level and drive thought leadership of Synaptics in the industry
Gather and analyze customer feedback on the company's products, features, and performance, and share this information with internal teams for product improvement
Stay informed about industry trends (e.g. market trends in Processors, IoT, etc.), competing products, and emerging technologies to provide valuable insights to the company's sales and product development teams