AI-for-Chip-Design Engineer

About imec Germany

Imec Heilbronn is a new regional hub pioneering open chiplet architecture that will power the next generation of automotive innovation and AI‑driven systems. Situated at the heart of the Innovation Park Artificial Intelligence (IPAI), imec Germany brings together worldclass semiconductor expertise and a vibrant ecosystem of AI innovation. This unique combination positions the site as a catalyst for technological breakthroughs that will shape the next generation of mobility and intelligent systems. 

The Advanced Chip Design Accelerator (ACDA) is the core of our mission in Heilbronn - establishing a state-of-the-art competence center dedicated to advanced chiplet design, system integration, and cutting-edge methodologies. ACDA provides the expertise and tools needed to bridge the gap between early-stage research and industrial adoption, enabling faster, safer, and more scalable deployment of chiplet based technologies in the automotive domain and beyond. Building on the foundation of imec’s Automotive Chiplet Program (ACP), ACDA extends this work into a regional accelerator that translates imec’s research leadership into practical, industry-ready solutions. By combining advanced design capabilities with deep local collaboration, ACDA empowers both regional and global automotive players to derisk development, accelerate innovation cycles, and industrialize next generation chiplet platforms with confidence. 

What you will do

• You will be working with the most advanced chip and packaging technologies in the world. 
• Your goal is design acceleration for chiplet based developments. 
• You will contribute to improving and accelerating the chip and package design flow by, among others:
  • Assessing and introducing new EDA tools into the design flow.
  • Identifying opportunities where imec knowledge can be used to create new methodologies to optimize the design flows and supporting their creation in cooperation with groups focusing on AI models.
  • Defining where AI/LLM’s can make the difference in all aspects of ASIC design.
• Contribute with colleagues with AI expertise to define a roadmap of AI‑aided Design activities to be tackled in imec’s Heilbronn R&D Hub.
• You will collaborate with colleagues with AI expertise on operationalizing the R&D required to explore, proveconcepts, and streamline related innovation. 
• You will contribute to the eco-system of the Heilbronn IPAI campus, the local AI hub. 

What we do for you

We offer you the opportunity to join one of the world’s premier research centers in nanotechnology at its local footprint in Heilbronn, Germany. With your talent, passion and expertise, you’ll become part of a team that makes the impossible possible. Together, we shape the technology that will determine the society of tomorrow.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and proud of our open, multicultural, and informal working environment with ample possibilities to take initiative and show responsibility. We commit to supporting and guiding you in this process; not only with words but also with tangible actions. Through imec.academy, 'our corporate university', we actively invest in your development to further your technical and personal growth. 

At imec Germany, salaries are aligned with the TVL public sector pay scales, ensuring transparent and equitable compensation. 

Who you are

• You have an MSc. degree in Microelectronics and are either:
  • A digital, functional chip design engineer: from system specification to verified RTL, including IP integration and documentation, or
  • An advanced packaging design engineer.
• You are proficient in scripting your design flow.
• You are interested in optimizing the design flows and timelines.
• You have at least some basic backgrounds in AI and are interested in deepening your knowledge in the field and applying it to chip design. Existing background in this field is a great asset.
• You have a decent background in software programming.
• It is a plus if you are familiar with, or have been taking part in, projects or activities making use of iterative improvement of scientific algorithms, including conceptualization or modeling and development, testing, and deployment thereof.
• You are familiar with code, data, and model versioning and repositories.

IMEC and its affiliates will not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from a candidate. IMEC will consider unsolicited referrals and/or resumes submitted by vendors such as search firms, staffing agencies, professional recruiters, fee-based referral services and recruiting agencies (hereafter “Agency”) to have been referred by the Agency free of charge. IMEC will not pay a fee to any Agency that does not have a prior written agreement with IMEC, validated by its HR department, in place regarding a specific job opening and allowing to submit resumes.