Principal EDA Software Architect

You will take a key technical role in defining, architecting, and developing next-generation EDA software for advanced semiconductor technologies. You will work at the intersection of EDA, semiconductor technology, and design, developing new software and algorithms to address topics that are not adequately supported by today's industrial or open-source EDA solutions. Main focus of the work will be geared towards addressing EDA challenges within a CMOS 2.0 context. Fine-grain 3D integration of heterogeneous technologies poses novel requirements across the whole EDA spectrum from logic synthesis to thermal modelling.

As Principal EDA Software Architect, you will provide technical direction for imec's growing EDA research activities. You will make key architectural choices, develop scalable software architectures, and establish software engineering practices that enable research software to grow into robust and reusable EDA research solutions. This is a hands-on technical role. You will design and implement software and algorithms yourself, while providing technical guidance and mentoring to other researchers and software developers. You will help translate new research ideas into well-engineered software and drive larger software developments across multiple contributors. You will work closely with imec researchers, semiconductor technology experts, universities, and imec's industrial partners. Through these interactions, you will identify emerging EDA challenges, influence research directions, and help turn new concepts into practical EDA capabilities.

This is a rare opportunity to combine the freedom of advanced research with the experience of developing capable EDA software, while gaining early access to semiconductor technologies and integration concepts that will shape future generations of computing.

We offer you the opportunity to join one of the world’s premier research centers in nanotechnology at its headquarters in Leuven, Belgium or in Cambridge, UK. With your talent, passion and expertise, you’ll become part of a team that makes the impossible possible. Together, we shape the technology that will determine the society of tomorrow.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and proud of our open, multicultural, and informal working environment with ample possibilities to take initiative and show responsibility. We commit to supporting and guiding you in this process; not only with words but also with tangible actions. Through imec.academy, 'our corporate university', we actively invest in your development to further your technical and personal growth. We are aware that your valuable contribution makes imec a top player in its field. Your energy and commitment are therefore appreciated by means of a market appropriate salary with many fringe benefits.

You have a PhD in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field. You have significant industrial and/or academic experience in developing EDA software, with a strong preference for candidates who have experience in both environments. You have a proven track record of designing, developing, and delivering substantial software systems for EDA or closely related domains. You combine deep knowledge of EDA algorithms and methodologies with strong software engineering skills. Experience with digital implementation is highly valued. You have experience defining software architecture and making technical choices that allow complex software systems to remain scalable, maintainable, and extensible. You are an accomplished programmer and are comfortable working directly on complex software systems. You value modern software engineering practices, including testing, version control, code review, continuous integration, documentation, and reproducible development. You enjoy mentoring researchers and developers, reviewing technical approaches, challenging assumptions, and helping teams converge on sound engineering solutions. You can bridge research and engineering: you can recognize a promising research idea, understand the underlying algorithms, and identify how to turn it into high-quality software that can be used on real semiconductor design problems. You are a strong communicator and collaborator who can work effectively with researchers, software engineers, semiconductor experts, universities, and industrial partners.

For imec UK: this position is open only to candidates who already hold a valid UK residence permit or work authorization. We are currently not able to provide UK visa sponsorship.