Principal Camera & Vision System Architect

Job Title

Principal Camera & Vision System Architect

Role Summary

Own and define the Camera and Vision subsystem architecture for next-generation high-end MPU/application-processor platforms. Serve as the architectural bridge between Product, Camera/Vision core technology, SoC architecture, and HW/SW development through definition, implementation, integration, and validation.

Work in a global, multidisciplinary organization to deliver scalable camera-to-vision solutions covering multi-camera acquisition, ISP and image processing, vision preprocessing, AI integration, data movement, synchronization, control, and system-level behavior.

Experience Level

Senior (Principal-level). Specific years of experience not stated in the source.

Responsibilities

Lead architecture definition and cross-functional alignment for Camera/Vision subsystems from product definition through silicon bring-up and product validation.

• Define end-to-end subsystem architecture: HW/SW/FW partitioning, blocks and accelerators, interfaces, buffering, memory usage, and verification requirements.
• Translate product use cases, customer requirements, workloads, and algorithms into practical architectures, performance budgets, and specifications.
• Specify subsystem performance and resource requirements; collaborate on workload modeling, resource allocation, interfaces, and system-level performance analysis.
• Evaluate internal and third-party technologies and IP for technical fit, reuse, risk, and roadmap alignment across product tiers.
• Drive architecture through implementation, integration, silicon bring-up, performance characterization, and product validation.
• Coordinate technical alignment and decision making across Product, Core Technology, SoC, HW, and SW teams.
• Prepare and present architecture proposals, trade-offs, and recommendations to senior stakeholders and drive timely decisions.
• Monitor emerging use cases, customer requirements, and market trends to inform product and technology roadmaps.

Requirements

Essential skills and experience required to perform this role; education is summarized separately below.

• Extensive experience in camera, imaging, or computer vision systems, with proven ownership of subsystem architecture for production SoCs or complex embedded platforms.
• Deep knowledge of modern camera and ISP pipelines, image sensors, sensor interfaces, and multi-camera systems.
• Understanding of architectural implications of traditional and AI/ML-based vision algorithms.
• Expertise in Camera/Vision software and SoC integration: sensor/ISP control, buffer and memory management, DMA, bandwidth/latency, synchronization, interconnect behavior, and interfaces to vision/AI runtimes.
• Experience defining subsystem KPIs, resource budgets, workload models, and validation methods; proven ability to take architecture from concept through silicon and product validation.
• Ability to structure incomplete requirements, establish assumptions, evaluate alternatives objectively, and drive complex technical decisions to closure.
• Strong technical leadership and communication skills; experience working with senior technical and business stakeholders.

Nice-to-have:

• Experience with high-performance or multi-camera SoCs and camera pipelines feeding AI/NPU or heterogeneous-compute workloads.
• Experience in industrial, robotics, automotive, surveillance, or other real-time vision systems.
• Experience with workload modeling, architecture simulation, or quantitative performance analysis.
• Experience with custom image-processing or vision accelerators and heterogeneous SoCs.
• Familiarity with imaging science, machine-vision image quality, third-party Camera/ISP/Vision IP integration, and safety/security considerations.

Education Requirements

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Imaging Science, or a related technical discipline (as stated in the source).

About the Company

Company: Renesas

Headquarters: Hitachinaka, Japan

Renesas is a global leader in embedded semiconductor solutions, providing high-quality products across automotive, industrial, infrastructure, and IoT sectors. With over 22,000 employees in more than 30 countries, the company focuses on scalable solutions that enhance user experience and drive innovation while committed to sustainability and energy efficiency.