Director of AI-Driven Silicon Design

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THE ROLE:

AMD is searching for a Director of Silicon Design to lead the organization-wide adoption of AI-driven methodologies across our x86 Core Development Organization. This role owns the technical vision and execution strategy for embedding AI/ML into engineering workflows spanning functional verification, RTL design, and physical design. You will build and lead a team of engineers and technical leaders, set the multi-year vision for AI adoption in core development, and be accountable for measurable improvements in engineering efficiency and design quality. You will engage directly with Cores engineering leadership to align investments, technical priorities, and organizational adoption, and will represent AI strategy and technical direction to executive stakeholders.

THE PERSON:

The ideal candidate combines proven engineering leadership with credible depth in AI/ML and a working understanding of CPU core development across verification, RTL design, and/or physical design. You can set and defend a multi-year AI adoption strategy, translate it into technical execution and measurable outcomes, and build organizational buy-in from engineers and executives alike. Broad knowledge of AI/ML technology, algorithms, and tooling, and how they map to EDA and silicon development workflows, is essential for this position.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Own the strategy, roadmap, and organizational adoption of AI-driven methodologies across verification, RTL design, and physical design within x86 core development.
• Build, lead, and grow a team of engineers and technical leaders driving AI adoption initiatives (e.g., predictive coverage modeling, intelligent test generation and triage, RTL code assistance, timing/congestion prediction, floorplan and place-and-route optimization).
• Partner with Cores engineering leadership, architecture, design, verification, physical design, and internal tooling/data engineering teams to prioritize investments and align AI initiatives to business and engineering priorities.
• Define and own organizational success metrics, including verification velocity, coverage closure, PPA (power, performance, area) targets, design-cycle schedule adherence, and defect escape rate, and communicate progress to executive stakeholders.
• Drive evaluation and adoption decisions on emerging AI tools and platforms (open-source, EDA-vendor, and internally built), including build-versus-buy and infrastructure investment recommendations.
• Lead organizational adoption of AI-augmented workflows, including technical enablement, training, and best-practice development.
• Identify, escalate, and resolve cross-organizational technical challenges and barriers to successful AI adoption.
• Manage organizational headcount planning and resource allocation for the AI engineering team.
• Serve as the primary executive point of contact for AI adoption initiatives within core development, presenting strategy, progress, and business impact to senior and executive leadership.
• Mentor engineers and technical leaders on applying AI/ML methods to solve complex design and development challenges.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE:

• Significant experience leading engineering organizations, with a track record of driving large-scale, cross-functional technical initiatives; prior people-management experience leading engineers and technical leaders.
• Direct experience in CPU or SoC development, including verification, RTL design, and/or physical design, sufficient to credibly set priorities and evaluate tradeoffs across these domains.
• Demonstrated experience applying AI/ML or data science approaches (or leading teams that do) to engineering, hardware design, or EDA problems, with measurable business or engineering outcomes.
• Ability to set and defend a multi-year technical strategy, translate it into execution plans, and adjust direction based on a changing technical and business landscape.
• A mindset that accepts accountability for organizational outcomes, ensuring technical decisions align with business and engineering goals.
• Superb communication skills at the executive level; experience managing organizational investments, external vendors (including EDA vendors), and complex technical initiatives.
• Experience spanning more than one of verification, RTL design, and physical design.
• Hands-on technical background with AI/ML tooling and frameworks sufficient to engage credibly with engineering teams on model approaches, data pipelines, and tooling architecture.
• Experience building an organization or practice from the ground up, including hiring, defining operating processes, and establishing new organizational capabilities.
• Familiarity with EDA tooling and vendors (e.g., Synopsys, Cadence, Siemens EDA) and how AI/ML capabilities are being integrated into commercial and open-source EDA flows.

ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS:  

• BS, MS, or equivalent in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field, with direct experience. 

LOCATION:  

Fishkill, NY is preferred, open to other AMD locations

This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship. 

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Benefits offered are described:  AMD benefits at a glance.

AMD does not accept unsolicited resumes from headhunters, recruitment agencies, or fee-based recruitment services. AMD and its subsidiaries are equal opportunity, inclusive employers and will consider all applicants without regard to age, ancestry, color, marital status, medical condition, mental or physical disability, national origin, race, religion, political and/or third-party affiliation, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.   We encourage applications from all qualified candidates and will accommodate applicants’ needs under the respective laws throughout all stages of the recruitment and selection process.

AMD may use Artificial Intelligence to help screen, assess or select applicants for this position.  AMD’s “Responsible AI Policy” is available here.

This posting is for an existing vacancy.