Silicon Product Engineering Lead (Bristol)
About Us
Axelera AI is not your regular deep-tech startup. We are creating the next-generation AI platform to support anyone who wants to help advancing humanity and improve the world around us.
In just four years, we have raised a total of $370 million and have built a world-class team of 220+ employees (including 49+ PhDs with more than 40,000 citations), both remotely from 18 different countries and with offices in Belgium, France, Switzerland, Italy, the UK, headquartered at the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven, Netherlands.
We have also launched our Metis™ AI Platform, which achieves a 3-5x increase in efficiency and performance, and have visibility into a strong business pipeline exceeding $100 million.
Our unwavering commitment to innovation has firmly established us as a global industry pioneer.
Are you up for the challenge?
Position Overview
We’re looking for a hands-on technical leader to own product engineering from tapeout to production and day-to-day operation of our Bristol validation lab.
You’ll be responsible for the full journey of our AI accelerator silicon—from first silicon bring-up, characterization, qualification, and ATE development through NPI and OSAT handoff—while leading the team and infrastructure that make this possible. This is a deeply practical role, combining test development, silicon debug, and lab leadership with external partner management.
You’ll lead test engineers, validation engineers, and lab technicians, ensuring our silicon meets datacentre and automotive quality standards and that our lab operates efficiently as we scale to multiple concurrent chip programs.
Key responsibilities:
Product Engineering & Test (Tapeout → Production)
Own ATE strategy and test program development from early silicon through high-volume manufacturing
Drive first-silicon bring-up, working closely with design teams to validate functionality and performance
Define production test architecture, balancing coverage, cost, and throughput
Lead qualification and reliability activities across voltage, temperature, and aging conditions
Establish qualification methodologies for automotive and datacentre markets
Own NPI processes, including phase gates, cross-functional reviews, and documentation
Manage OSAT relationships: partner evaluation, test transfer, and production readiness
Collaborate with foundries on yield analysis, process monitoring, and improvement actions
Bristol Lab Leadership
Lead the Bristol validation lab where dev board bring-up, silicon characterization, and test development are performed
Manage lab operations: equipment, calibration, procurement, stock control, and safety
Oversee validation work including power sequencing, JTAG/scan testing, clock and signal integrity characterization, and thermal validation
Guide development of test fixtures, cable assemblies, and lab tooling
Prioritize and oversee small engineering projects that support product development
Evolve the lab from an informal setup into a scalable, well-controlled engineering operation
What You'll Build
A scalable product engineering function supporting multiple silicon programs
Robust ATE infrastructure from engineering characterization to volume manufacturing
Strong DFT and testability practices embedded early in design
A structured, well-run validation lab with clear procedures, maintained equipment, and improved stock control
Trusted external partnerships with OSATs, test houses, and foundries
Qualifications:
Significant hands-on experience in semiconductor test development and silicon characterization
Strong understanding of ATE platforms and test program optimization
Deep knowledge of reliability physics and qualification of complex SoCs
Experience with silicon debug and failure analysis tools (oscilloscopes, logic analysers, thermal tools, FA workflows)
Practical lab management experience including calibration, equipment management, and safety
Solid understanding of test and manufacturing economics
Build, mentor, and scale a multidisciplinary engineering team
Act as a senior technical leader in architectural reviews and roadmap discussions
Communicate complex technical topics clearly to engineers and executives
Manage multiple parallel workstreams across internal teams and external partners
Operate comfortably from strategic planning down to hands-on problem solving in the lab
Experience with automotive or datacentre qualification standards is a strong plus.
Location
This position is based in Bristol on an on-site/hybrid basis,
What Success Looks Like
Year 1:
Successful bring-up and qualification of the next chip program
Smooth transition of current products into qualified production
Clear test strategy aligned with quality and cost goals
More efficient, better-structured Bristol lab operations
Longer term:
Faster tapeout-to-production cycles
Strong, repeatable quality metrics
A product engineering team and lab that scale cleanly as the company grows
What we offer
This is your chance to shape and be part of a dynamic, fast-growing, international organization. We offer an attractive compensation package, including a pension plan, extensive employee insurances and the option to get company shares.
An open culture that supports creativity and continual innovation is awaiting you. Collaborative ownership and freedom with responsibility is characteristic for the way we act and work as a team.
At Axelera AI, we wholeheartedly embrace equal opportunity and hold diversity in the highest regard. Our steadfast commitment is to cultivate a warm and inclusive environment that empowers and celebrates every member of our team. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds to join us in shaping the future of AI.