Senior Processor Architect in London

Senior Processor Architect in London

London Full-Time 75600 - 92400 £ / year (est.) No working from home possible
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead the architecture of cutting-edge compute engines for AI technology.
  • Company: Fractile, a fast-growing tech company redefining AI with innovative silicon and software.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, dynamic work environment, and opportunities for rapid career growth.
  • Other info: Collaborative culture with a focus on innovation and problem-solving.
  • Why this job: Join a passionate team and make a real impact on the future of AI technology.
  • Qualifications: Proven experience in processor architecture and strong communication skills.

The predicted salary is between 75600 - 92400 £ per year.

Fractile is building silicon, systems and software which will redefine the frontier of AI: running the world’s most advanced models at radically higher speed and lower cost.

We have an exceptional team across hardware and software capable of bringing about this change, and we are growing fast to meet demand and deliver our product at scale.

As Processor Architect, you'll define and drive the architecture of our core compute engines, ISA definitions and programming models through to memory hierarchies, and on-chip interconnects.

This isn't just about hitting PPA targets on a spreadsheet; you'll work closely with logical design, physical design, and verification teams to translate architectural intent into working silicon that performs in the real world.

Expect to be hands-on in performance modelling, detailed specification writing, bottleneck analysis, pre and post-silicon validation.

You'll be the driving force behind the computational heart of our products ensuring every cycle counts and every watt is well spent.

Key Responsibilities

  • Define and own the compute engine architecture specifications, balancing performance, flexibility, power, area, and design complexity.
  • Lead architectural exploration from early concept through to specification, coordinating with modelling, implementation, verification, and physical design teams.
  • Specify execution units, memory hierarchy, instruction sets and flow — making principled trade-offs at every level.
  • Help build and maintain performance models and simulators to guide architectural decisions with data.
  • Partner with the system architecture and software/modelling teams to ensure the processor delivers real-world application performance, not just benchmark wins.
  • Evaluate emerging techniques — compact number formats, novel compute paradigms, advanced packaging options — to inform the architectural roadmap.
  • Act as a technical mentor, raising the bar for rigour in performance analysis and architectural documentation across the team.
  • Represent compute engine architecture in technical reviews, partner discussions, and customer engagements.

Skills & Experience

  • Proven experience as a Processor Architect, CPU/GPU Architect, or similar role in semiconductor or high-performance computing domains.
  • Deep understanding of compute engine and processor architecture and design, including matrix and vector centric floating-point arithmetic and memory hierarchies.
  • Strong grasp of RTL design flows and physical design constraints and how they feed back into architectural choices.
  • Experience taking processor designs from early exploration through to tapeout and post-silicon performance characterisation.
  • Demonstrated ability to define and manage performance and power budgets and navigate complex trade-offs.
  • Comfortable working across many disciplines, including architecture, modelling, implementation, verification, and software.
  • Excellent communicator who can bridge architectural depth with system-level and product-level context.

Desirable

  • Background in AI acceleration, vector/matrix compute, or domain‑specific processor design.
  • Experience with architectural performance modelling tools and frameworks (gem5, System C, custom cycle‑accurate simulators).
  • Familiarity with compiler and toolchain interactions, understanding how software maps to hardware.
  • Prior start‑up or scale‑up experience, someone who thrives in ambiguity and fast iteration.
  • How we work
  • Ownership and execution: you will have full agency to drive your work forward
  • Rapid iteration: we all work directly with top leadership to move from idea to hardware on ambitious timelines
  • Full‑stack engagement: hardware, software, silicon, and modelling teams all work closely together to create a product with generational impact
  • Optimistic and pragmatic: we possess the will to win, and to do the hard work to get us there
  • Team player mentality: the mission is bigger than any of us, and we have the curiosity and technical focus to see the best idea shipped, no matter whose it is

About us

  • Founded in 2022, a team of 80+, which is expanding rapidly
  • Modern, open offices in London and Bristol
  • Collaborative, problem‑solving culture built on deep curiosity, entrepreneurial initiative and technical fluency
  • Export control and security clearance

Certain roles may involve working on technologies subject to export restrictions.

Applicants may be required to undergo additional eligibility checks to ensure compliance with applicable law.

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Senior Processor Architect in London employer: NIF

At SatVu, we pride ourselves on fostering a dynamic and innovative work culture that empowers our employees to thrive. As a Product Marketing Manager in the exciting field of satellite imagery and geospatial technology, you will have access to unparalleled growth opportunities, collaborative teams, and a commitment to professional development. Located in a vibrant tech hub, we offer competitive benefits and a supportive environment where your contributions directly impact our mission to deliver cutting-edge Earth Observation services.

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Contact Details:

NIF Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Senior Processor Architect in London

Join Local Tech Meetups

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Contribute to Open Source Projects

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We think you need these skills to ace Senior Processor Architect in London

Processor Architecture
CPU/GPU Design
Performance Modelling
Memory Hierarchies
RTL Design Flows
Post-Silicon Validation
Power Budget Management

Some tips for your application 🫡

Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.

Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at NIF.

Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at NIF and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!

Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!

How to prepare for a job interview at NIF

Brush Up on Your Coding Skills

For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.

Know Your Tools and Frameworks

Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If NIF uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.

Showcase Your Projects

Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.

Prepare for Behavioural Questions

While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.