MCU SoC Architect

Job Title

MCU SoC Architect

Role Summary

Define and drive the architecture of next-generation microcontrollers, focusing on real-time determinism, performance, power efficiency, safety, and security. Lead architectural decisions and collaborate with SoC design teams, system and software architects, IP owners, and product planning to deliver scalable, production-ready MCU architectures for industrial, automotive, and IoT markets.

Primary focus areas include SoC integration, clock/reset/power design, memory subsystems, microarchitectural trade-offs, and early performance/power estimation.

Experience Level

Senior-level. The posting does not specify years of experience; this architect role typically requires substantial prior experience leading SoC or MCU architecture efforts.

Responsibilities

Key responsibilities include architecture definition, microarchitecture design, security, integration, and optimization.

• Lead definition and evolution of MCU SoC architectures aligned with product strategy and industry standards.
• Design scalable multi-core compute architectures and memory hierarchies (TCMs, SRAM, DMA, interconnect).
• Define and integrate security features such as secure boot, root-of-trust, isolation, and cryptographic acceleration; support functional safety lifecycle requirements.
• Collaborate with hardware, firmware, IP and software teams to integrate processing, memory, power management, peripherals and analog IP (ADC, DAC, PLL, SERDES).
• Develop strategies for performance-per-watt optimization and support early performance and power estimation to reduce program risk.
• Create architecture specifications, best practices, and technical documentation to guide development teams.

Requirements

Must-have technical skills and experience. Education requirements are listed separately.

• Proven experience in MCU SoC architecture, microarchitecture, RTL design, and/or physical design.
• Strong understanding of CPU cores, interconnects, memory management, bus protocols, and peripheral integration.
• Experience in low-power design and performance optimization, including early power/performance estimation.
• Familiarity with Ethernet, USB, SPI, and I3C protocols.
• Understanding of analog IP and SoC integration considerations.
• Strong collaboration skills across silicon, hardware, firmware, and software teams.

Nice-to-have:

• Experience with ARM Cortex-M architectures.
• Background in power and performance modeling, HW/SW co-design, and debugging.
• Knowledge of functional safety and security standards.
• Familiarity with Wi-Fi integration, networking protocols, and secure wireless communication.

Education Requirements

Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field (as stated in the posting).

About the Company

Company: NXP Semiconductors

Headquarters: Nijmegen, Netherlands

NXP Semiconductors N.V. is a global semiconductor company that provides High Performance Mixed Signal and Standard Product solutions. With over 45,000 employees and operations in more than 35 countries, NXP is a leader in secure connectivity solutions for embedded applications, catering to automotive, industrial IoT, mobile, and communication infrastructure markets. The company is committed to innovation and sustainability, advancing a smarter, safer, and more sustainable world through technology.