Principal Systems Architect (Hardware & Software)

Title: Principal Systems Architect (Hardware & Software)
Location: San Jose, CA
Duration: Full-Time/PermRole Summary
As a Lead System Architect at Client, you will define the end-to-end architecture bridging silicon (ASIC/SoC), board-level hardware platforms, and low-level system software/firmware. Leveraging your deep expertise in the server and infrastructure industry, you will translate customer requirements into detailed technical specifications. This high-impact role requires navigating complex hardware/software tradeoffs while collaborating closely with Client's engineering teams, customers, standards organizations and ecosystem partners.Key Responsibilities
1. Architectural Definition & Detailed Specification

• Own and author comprehensive, unambiguous system architecture specifications, micro-architectural specs, and/or platform requirement documents.
• Define rigorous system-level hardware/software partition boundaries and map out register-level interfaces for hardware blocks and low-level software stacks.
• Drive micro-architecture specifications for high-security, AI-driven SoCs, including on-chip interconnects (AXI/AHB), memory hierarchies, and standard I/O interfaces (PCIe, Ethernet, SPI, eSPI, I3C, LTPI).

2. Customer Interfacing & Ecosystem Engagement

• Serve as a primary technical point of contact for enterprise and hyperscaler customers to gather, analyze, and scope their next-generation platform security needs.
• Present Client's system architecture roadmap and technical whitepapers to strategic customers, steering-level partners, and standards committees.
• Align Client's technology with modern server deployment topologies and open-source standards (such as OCP DC-SCM / DC-SCI).

3. Server Infrastructure & Board-Level Integration

• Architect platform-level designs optimized for enterprise server motherboards, baseboard management systems, and cloud data center environments.
• Guide hardware and SI/PI engineers on signal integrity, power delivery networks, and thermal/mechanical constraints for modular server building blocks.

4. Software, Firmware & Security Stack Partitioning

• Specify secure platform boot flows, Root-of-Trust (RoT) architecture, and Platform Firmware Resiliency (PFR) frameworks.
• Collaborate with firmware teams to define interfaces for BMC stacks (OpenBMC), Linux kernels, device drivers, and platform management protocols (MCTP, PLDM, Redfish).

Required Qualifications

• Experience: 15+ years of dedicated system architecture experience spanning SoC design, board development, and software stacks.
• Industry Focus: Proven track record of engineering and architectural success within the server, data center, or enterprise infrastructure industry.
• Specification Ownership: Demonstrated ability to independently produce and maintain highly detailed, production-grade technical specifications.
• Customer Facing: Excellent communication and presentation skills, with comfort interfacing directly with sophisticated enterprise customers and technical stakeholders.
• Education: B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
• Technical Breadth:
  • Silicon: Deep knowledge of SoC design flows, interconnects, and interfaces (PCIe, Ethernet, DRAM, USB).
  • Board-Level: Hands-on experience with hardware platform design, schematic capture, and lab bring-up tools (oscilloscopes, logic analyzers).
  • Software: Clear understanding of embedded firmware, RTOS, Linux device drivers, and low-level C/C++ programming.

Preferred Qualifications

• Active participation in open infrastructure communities like the Open Compute Project (OCP).
• Deep understanding of hardware security concepts (cryptographic accelerators, HSM, TPM, Side-Channel attack mitigations).
• Experience with BMC firmware architecture (OpenBMC) and server management interfaces (MCTP, NVMe-MI, LTPI).

Qualifications

• Experience & Education: 15+ years of hardware engineering experience with a leadership track record in server, data center, or semiconductor ecosystems. B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering (EE).
• Production Track Record: Proven history of taking complex board designs to high-volume production with excellent yields and resolving field RMA issues.
• Hands-on Technical Mastery: Deep, continuous experience with circuit design, schematic capture, laboratory equipment, and platform troubleshooting.
• DC-SCM & Ecosystem Expertise: Strong knowledge of OCP DC-SCM standard solutions (DC-SCI interface, form factors) and a solid network across hyperscaler and OEM partners.
• Supply Chain Agility: Demonstrated capability to execute rapid hardware redesigns, footprint compatibility strategies, and alternative component sourcing.
• Tool & Interface Proficiency: Expert familiarity with Cadence OrCAD/Allegro and server interfaces (PCIe, USB, I2C, SMBus, SPI, UART, USB, MCTP, eSPI, LTPI).
• Architecture & Software Knowledge: Solid understanding of modern CPU/GPU architectures and the Linux environment (including Python or Bash scripting).
• Communication: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills to articulate hardware-anchored security and supply chain strategy to enterprise stakeholders.

About Us:
InterSources Inc, a Certified Diverse Supplier, was founded in 2007 and offers innovative solutions to help clients with Digital Transformations across various domains and industries. Our history spans over 19 years and today we are an Award-Winning Global Software Consultancy solving complex problems with technology. We recognize that our employees and our clients are our strengths as the diverse talents and opportunities they bring to the table enable us to grow as a global platform and they are causally linked with our success. We provide strategic and technical advice, and we have expertise in areas covering Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Migration, Custom Software Development, Data Analytics Infrastructure & Cloud Solutions, Cyber Security Services, etc. We make reasonable accommodations for clients and employees and we do not discriminate based on any protected attribute including race, religion, color, national origin, gender sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or marital status. We also are a Google Cloud partner company. We align strategy with execution and provide secure service solutions by developing and using the latest technologies that thrive our resources to deliver industry-leading capabilities to our clients and customers, making it convenient for our clients to do business with InterSources Inc. Our teams also drive growth by refining technology-driven client experiences that put the users first, providing an unparalleled experience. This results in strengthening the core technologies of clients, enabling them to scale with flexibility, create seamless digital experiences and build lifelong relationships.