Senior R&D Engineer - System Architecture; Italy

About the Company

Axelera AI is a deep‑tech startup building next‑generation AI platforms that enable humanity to advance and improve the world. With more than 40,000 citations from 49+ PhDs and a global team of 220+ employees spread across 17 countries, we have launched the Metis™ AI Platform that delivers a 3‑5x increase in efficiency and performance and a strong business pipeline exceeding $100 million.

Join the R&D System Architecture team as a Senior R&D Engineer focused on memory design, intra‑ and inter‑chip networking, and interconnect technology. You will design, architect, and optimize the hardware architecture that underpins Axelera’s cutting‑edge AI acceleration platforms, collaborating closely with software engineers, digital designers, ML scientists, and product managers.

• Contribute to the design, architecture, and implementation of next‑gen AI accelerators, focusing on memory and network architectures.
• Build architectural models, validate performance across a range of AI workloads, and research optimal configurations.
• Develop advanced hardware prototypes and create detailed architectural specifications.
• Define and perform rigorous performance evaluation tests for architectural verification.
• Collaborate cross‑functionally to align on project goals and requirements.
• Communicate complex technical concepts effectively to both technical and non‑technical stakeholders.
• Document knowledge, share best practices, and participate in technical discussions.
• Collaborate with academia or industry partners on joint research projects.
• Contribute to intellectual property through patent filings, whitepapers, or conference publications.

• Master’s or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related fields with a focus on circuit design, architecture, or high‑performance computing.
• Basic knowledge of neural networks, specifically convolutional or transformer models for computer vision and sequence modelling.
• Experience in software development and hardware development.
• Strong programming skills in Python.
• Excellent communication skills and teamwork orientation.
• Preferred:
  Experience with networking protocols such as RoCE or Infini Band and direct‑memory access technologies.
• Preferred:
  Basic knowledge of common computer architectures (CPU, GPU, AI accelerators) and SoC architecture.
• Preferred:
  Proven track record of innovative contributions to AI/ML research, publications, or patents in neural networks, system architecture, or related areas.

Based in Italy. Relocation supported to Bologna, Florence, or Milan for talent based abroad.

Competitive compensation package including pension plan, extensive employee insurances, and option to receive company shares. Open culture that supports creativity, continuous innovation, collaborative ownership, and responsibility.