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Chip Architect Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Firmware Architect

San Jose, CA · On-site

$150 - $300/hr

Define the firmware/hardware interface with Chip Architects, MCU subsystem architecture from the firmware perspective, and the chip's debug interface and features. * On‑die tasks: boot and secure ...

ASIC Chip Design Lead

Saratoga, CA · On-site

$250 - $280/hr

Micro-Architecture Specification * Draft detailed micro-architecture specifications derived from ... Run chip-level synthesis, define constraints, and close chip-level timing * Deliver timing-clean ...

New

ASIC Chip Design Lead

Saratoga, CA · On-site

$250K - $280K/yr

Draft detailed micro-architecture specifications derived from architecture documents and feature ... Run chip-level synthesis, define constraints, and close chip-level timing * Deliver timing-clean ...

ASIC Engineer

San Jose, CA

$194K/yr

ASIC Design, FPGA, RTL Design, Chip Architecture, ASIC, Implementation,Synthesis /Conformal (Cadence Tool for formal verification) Description: Should have 2-5 years of experience in FPGA/ASIC ...

Chip Lead

Austin, TX · On-site

$101K - $133K/yr

AI & Chip Engineering team defines and develops System on Chip, ASIC's, Digital and Analog IP's for ... Generate and analyze data to take right and cost effective architecture decision * Work with IP ...

Showing results 41-60

Chip Architect information

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$46.5K

$128.8K

$201.5K

How much do chip architect jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 3, 2026, the average yearly pay for chip architect in the United States is $128,756.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $91,000.00 and $166,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a chip architect?

To thrive as a Chip Architect, you need deep expertise in computer architecture, digital circuit design, and strong analytical skills, usually supported by an advanced degree in electrical engineering or a related field. Familiarity with hardware description languages (like Verilog or VHDL), EDA tools, and simulation platforms is essential, along with knowledge of industry-standard protocols. Strong problem-solving abilities, effective communication, and leadership skills set outstanding chip architects apart when collaborating across multidisciplinary teams. These competencies are crucial for designing efficient, innovative chips that meet performance, power, and cost requirements in a highly competitive technology industry.

What are some common challenges faced by chip architects when translating system requirements into chip designs?

Chip Architects often face the challenge of balancing performance, power consumption, and cost constraints while translating high-level system requirements into detailed chip architectures. They must ensure that their designs can be efficiently implemented in silicon, taking into account factors like manufacturability, scalability, and integration with existing hardware and software. Collaborating closely with cross-functional teams—such as hardware, software, and verification engineers—is essential to address issues early and ensure alignment throughout the development process. Staying updated with rapidly evolving semiconductor technologies and industry standards is also a key part of overcoming these challenges.

What is the difference between Chip Architect vs Hardware Design Engineer?

AspectChip ArchitectHardware Design Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related fields; experience in chip design and architectureBachelor's or Master's in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related fields; focus on circuit design and implementation
Work EnvironmentDesign teams, R&D labs, collaborative project settingsDesign labs, testing facilities, manufacturing environments
Employer & Industry UsageSemiconductor companies, tech firms, integrated circuit manufacturersElectronics companies, semiconductor firms, hardware development labs

The main difference is that a Chip Architect focuses on designing the overall architecture and high-level specifications of chips, while a Hardware Design Engineer concentrates on implementing circuit designs based on specifications. Both roles require electrical engineering expertise, but the Chip Architect is more involved in conceptual and architectural decisions, whereas the Hardware Design Engineer handles detailed circuit development and testing.

What does a chip architect do?

A chip architect designs the overall structure and specifications of integrated circuits, including processors and other hardware components. They analyze performance requirements, create architectural models, and collaborate with engineers to ensure the design meets technical and functional goals, often using tools like CAD software and simulation environments.
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What states have the most Chip Architect jobs?

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What job categories do people searching Chip Architect jobs look for?

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Infographic showing various Chip Architect job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 94% Full Time, 1% Part Time, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 79% Physical, 7% Hybrid, and 14% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $128,756 per year, or $61.9 per hour.

Machine Learning Architect, Platform Architecture

Apple

Cupertino, CA • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 20 days ago


Apple rating

8.1

Company rating: 8.1 out of 10

Based on 680 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

6th of 30 rated technology retailers


Job description

At Apple, our Platform Architecture group is responsible for connecting our hardware and software into one unified system. You'll collaborate with engineers across Apple to design how our technologies work in unison, drive development of our renowned system-on-a-chip architecture and forward-looking prototype systems. Our team works at the intersection of ML applications and Apple silicon architecture. We collaborate with SoC/IP architecture, system, software, and algorithm teams to develop integrated, highly optimized solutions for machine learning applications.
Description
In this role, you will explore different ways of mapping ML workloads to Apple silicon and develop performance models/simulations. Your work will inform and validate architecture decisions. You will critically evaluate ML model optimization techniques from the literature, analyzing what works and why, and proposing new ideas that build on what you learn. You will gain insights on how to make workloads run efficiently on our SoCs and provide guidance to software and algorithm teams.
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor's degree
Experience in C/C++ and/or Python
Experience in hardware IPs: ML HW accelerators, GPU/CPU, image/video processors or similar.
Experience with ML frameworks (e.g. PyTorch) and efficient implementations of machine learning algorithms
Preferred Qualifications
MS or PhD in EE/CE/CS or related field
20+ years of relevant experience
Experience in optimizing and deploying ML models and/or runtime frameworks in production inference/training environments
Experience designing experiments to evaluate ML model optimization techniques
Ability to prototype algorithms on CPU/GPU/Neural Engine, analyze performance metrics, and create high-level complexity models
Verbal and written communication skills for collaborating with partner teams
Understanding of compilers

What Apple employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom


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About Apple

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Imagine what you could do here! At Apple, new ideas have a way of becoming extraordinary products, services, and customer experiences very quickly. Bring passion and dedication to your job and there's no telling what you could accomplish. Dynamic, intelligent people and inspiring, innovative technologies are the norm here. The people who work here have reinvented entire industries with all Apple Hardware products. The same real passion for innovation that goes into our products also applies to our practices strengthening our dedication to leave the world better than we found it.

Industry

Computer and electronic product manufacturing

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Cupertino, CA, US

Year founded

1976