Director - Silicon Product & Test Engineering

About UsAxelera AI is not your regular deep-tech startup. We are creating the next-generation AI platform to support anyone who wants to help advancing humanity and improve the world around us. In just four years, we have raised a total of $370 million and have built a world-class team of 220+ employees (including 49+ PhDs with more than 40,000 citations), both remotely from 18 different countries and with offices in Belgium, France, Switzerland, Italy, the UK, headquartered at the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven, Netherlands.We have also launched our Metis™ AI Platform, which achieves a 3-5x increase in efficiency and performance, and have visibility into a strong business pipeline exceeding $100 million.Our unwavering commitment to innovation has firmly established us as a global industry pioneer.Are you up for the challenge?Position OverviewYou'll own Silicon Product Engineering and our Bristol validation lab end-to-end — from tapeout through NPI to volume production — and lead the teams that get us there. The NPI Engineering Manager and Lab Manager report to you; you report to the executive team and partner closely with Design, Sales, and our external manufacturing ecosystem.This is a director-level leadership role. It needs someone with the technical depth to make sound ATE, NPI and OSAT calls and earn senior engineers' respect, plus the commercial judgement to own budgets, headcount, and the day-to-day running of two technical departments as we scale across concurrent chip programs.Key responsibilities:Product engineering & strategyThe product engineering roadmap across all silicon programs, from tapeout planning to high-volume manufacturingATE strategy and major NPI decisions: build-vs-buy, test-coverage trade-offs, OSAT selectionTapeout-to-production timelines — surfacing risk early and coordinating resolution across design, validation, and partnersProduct qualification strategy for datacentre and automotive marketsNPI governance: phase gates, cross-functional reviews, executive reportingExternal partnersStrategic relationships with OSATs, ATE vendors, foundries, and test houses — selection, negotiation, production readinessTest program transfer, ramp, and ongoing yield improvement with OSAT and foundry partnersBristol labEvolving the validation lab into a scalable, well-run operation; owning its budget, standards, and safetyThrough the Lab Manager, overseeing silicon bring-up, characterization, and production test developmentEnsuring validation capability (power, JTAG/scan, signal integrity, thermal) keeps pace with the roadmapTeamBuilding, leading, and mentoring a multidisciplinary team of test engineers, validation engineers, and lab techniciansRecruiting and retaining senior talent in a competitive marketTranslating executive strategy into clear direction, and representing both functions to the exec team, board, and key customersWhat we are looking for:A background spanning product, test, assembly, and qualification of complex SoCs — ideally including hands-on lab time and exposure to startup or high-growth environmentsDeep command of ATE platforms and test program development, from early silicon to volumeStrong grasp of reliability physics and qualification methodology, including automotive and datacentre standardsWorking knowledge of DFT, silicon debug/FA workflows, and test/manufacturing economicsA proven track record leading and scaling technical teams in fast-moving semiconductor environmentsSenior-level OSAT/foundry/test-house management, including commercial negotiationDirector-level department ownership: budgets, headcount, resourcingStrong executive communication — able to take complex technical topics to a board-level audienceComfort building process and infrastructure from scratch, and making high-impact calls with incomplete informationNice to have: automotive (AEC-Q100) or datacentre qualification experience; prior time in AI hardware or a high-growth deep-tech startup.Success in the first 12 monthsNext chip program brought up and qualified on scheduleCurrent products transitioned into qualified, cost-effective productionA clear, executive-aligned test and product engineering strategy across all active programsA better-structured, better-equipped, better-controlled Bristol labKey OSAT and foundry partnerships strengthened and formalisedLocationOur Bristol (UK) office in an on-site / hybrid capacity.What we offer This is your chance to shape and be part of a dynamic, fast-growing, international organisation. We offer an attractive compensation package, including a pension plan, extensive employee insurances and the option to get company shares. An open culture that supports creativity and continual innovation is awaiting you. Collaborative ownership and freedom with responsibility is characteristic for the way we act and work as a team. At Axelera AI, we wholeheartedly embrace equal opportunity and hold diversity in the highest regard. Our steadfast commitment is to cultivate a warm and inclusive environment that empowers and celebrates every member of our team. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds to join us in shaping the future of AI.Find more English Speaking Jobs in United Kingdom on Arbeitnow