Automotive MCU Chip Architect at Hop (Duesseldorf, Germany)Automotive MCU Chip Architect

We are looking for an experienced Automotive MCU Chip Architect to define the system and subsystem architecture of next-generation automotive microcontrollers. The role includes ownership of chip-level architecture concepts, subsystem partitioning, compute and memory architecture, interconnect strategy, safety and security integration, power/reset/clock concepts, and hardware/software interface definition. The successful candidate will work closely with product management, safety, security, design, verification, software, and implementation teams to ensure the MCU architecture meets demanding automotive requirements for real-time performance, functional safety, cybersecurity, reliability, scalability, and cost efficiency.

System Architecture Definition

• Define the overall automotive MCU architecture from product, customer, and market requirements.
• Translate use cases into chip-level requirements covering performance, safety, security, power, cost, and scalability.
• Drive system partitioning across CPUs, memories, interconnects, peripherals, safety/security functions, debug, test, and power domains.
• Own architecture trade-offs and document decision rationale for reuse across MCU families and derivatives.

Subsystem Architecture Ownership

• Align subsystem concepts and interfaces across compute, memory, bus/interconnect, peripheral, safety, security, power/reset/clock, debug/trace, and DFT/test domains.
• Ensure subsystem requirements are implementation-feasible and verifiable at RTL, subsystem, chip, silicon, and software levels.
• Define hardware/software-visible architecture elements such as memory maps, register model principles, interrupts, DMA, boot flow, and access-control concepts.

Cross-Functional Technical Leadership

• Lead architecture reviews and resolve trade-offs between product management, system engineering, safety, security, design, verification, software, backend, test, and validation teams.
• Provide technical guidance during concept, design, verification, silicon bring-up, qualification, and customer support phases.
• Ensure architectural consistency, requirement traceability, and risk closure across global engineering teams.

Required Technical Expertise

MCU / SoC Architecture

• Deep understanding of real-time MCU architectures, CPU subsystems, memories, peripheral integration, low-power design, product-family scalability, and silicon implementation constraints.

Automotive Functional Safety

• Practical ISO 26262 expertise including ASIL concepts, safety goals, technical safety requirements, FMEDA/DFA/FTA awareness, and definition of safety mechanisms at system and subsystem level.

Automotive Cybersecurity

• Understanding of secure boot, hardware root of trust, HSM integration, cryptographic accelerators, key management, lifecycle states, secure debug, and ISO/SAE 21434 concepts.

Digital Design and Implementation Awareness

• Ability to reason about RTL feasibility, timing, area, power, DFT, backend constraints, IP integration, verification closure, and bring-up observability.

Embedded Software Awareness

• Working knowledge of startup software, boot flows, drivers, AUTOSAR concepts, RTOS use, interrupts, memory protection, debug, and software-visible register behavior.

Required Experience

• 10+ years in semiconductor, MCU, SoC, or embedded systems development.
• Several years in system architecture, subsystem architecture, or senior technical leadership.
• Hands-on experience with automotive MCU or automotive SoC products.
• Experience across concept definition, architecture specification, design support, verification support, silicon bring-up, qualification, and customer support.
• Proven ability to work with international and cross-functional engineering teams.