Principal System Architect (High‑Speed Hardware) - Photonic AI Processors (f/m/d)

Job DescriptionPrincipal System Architect (High‑Speed Hardware) - Photonic AI Processors (f/m/d)

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Architect the next of photonic AI systems. In this role, you will lead the integration of our photonic processors into complete computing platforms. You’ll own system‑level design and bring‑up for PCIe / SerDes / DDR‑based boards, including high‑speed digital design, signal & power integrity, mixed‑signal and PCB design in the GHz range. If you’ve led first‑pass bring‑up of complex processor‑based systems and want to work on photonic computing already running in production HPC environments, this role is for you.

Location: Stuttgart, Germany

Type: Full-time, hybrid (1‑2 days remote work per week)

Level: Senior Fellow / Principal / Distinguished

Your Mission

The future of AI computing is light, not electrons. Q.ANT is building photonic processing systems that compute with light – delivering a scalable, energy‑efficient alternative to transistor‑based architectures for next‑ AI and HPC applications.

Principal System Integration Architect – Photonic AI Processors

As Principal System Integration Architect – Photonic AI Processors, you will provide technical leadership for the definition, integration, and bring‑up of complete processor‑based photonic systems. You’ll oversee system‑level electrical design – both digital and analog – ensuring performance and signal integrity at GHz frequencies, while coordinating activities across processor design, board/system hardware, firmware, and validation teams.

What makes this role unique

• High complexity: Integrating cutting‑edge high‑speed digital design (GHz‑range interfaces, signal/power integrity) with novel photonic computing paradigms – an area with few industry precedents
• Strategic freedom: Broad autonomy in defining system architecture, design rules, and validation strategies, constrained only by high‑level product and business objectives
• Decision authority: You are the primary decision‑maker for system architecture trade‑offs involving performance, reliability, manufacturability, and cost
• Innovation mandate: Create best‑practice methodologies for high‑speed photonic system integration that will become institutional knowledge for future product
• Real‑world impact: Your work directly enables technology already deployed in production at world‑leading institutions like the Leibniz Supercomputing Centre

Your Impact & Responsibilities

Within your first 18‑24 months, you will:

• Ensure first‑pass success of complete processor‑based photonic systems through expert oversight from architecture definition to lab validation
• Reduce development cycle time by anticipating and resolving cross‑domain integration issues early, before they become costly bottlenecks
• Maintain system performance leadership through optimal integration of high‑speed interfaces, analog subsystems, and processor core functions that deliver up to 30x energy efficiency vs. conventional systems
• Deliver a complete system definition that meets aggressive functional, performance, and manufacturability targets to maintain competitive advantage in the rapidly scaling photonic computing market

Key responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership for the definition, integration, and bring‑up of processor‑based systems, including all peripheral subsystems
• Oversee system‑level electrical design – both digital and analog – ensuring performance and signal integrity at GHz frequencies
• Coordinate activities across processor design, board/system hardware, firmware, and validation teams
• Act as the primary decision‑maker for system architecture trade‑offs involving performance, reliability, manufacturability, and cost
• Guide lab bring‑up activities, ensuring efficient debug, test coverage, and functional validation of new systems
• Mentor senior engineers and provide architectural guidance to processor design teams to ensure alignment with overall system requirements
• Define design reviews, simulation strategies, and lab bring‑up plans to guarantee production readiness
• Ensure interoperability and compliance with high‑speed interface standards (PCIe, DDR, SerDes, etc.)
• Drive continuous improvement in system integration methodologies as we scale from pilot production to volume manufacturing

Your Profile – our requirementsEducation & Experience

• Master's degree or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, or related field; equivalent industry experience considered
• 15+ years of experience in high‑performance system design and integration, including processor‑based platforms
• Proven track record of first‑pass bring‑up success in complex, multi‑domain systems

Deep technical Expertise in:

• System architecture definition and integration planning
• Mixed‑signal and analog subsystem integration
• Lab bring‑up, debug, and validation methodologies
• High‑speed interconnect standards (PCIe, DDR, SerDes, etc.)
• Proven record of guiding processor design teams to meet system‑level requirements
• Experience with system‑level simulation tools and methodologies
• Strong understanding of thermal management and power delivery for high‑performance systems

Leadership & Coordination Skills

• Exceptional ability to lead multidisciplinary engineering teams across digital, analog, firmware, and validation domains
• Skilled in resolving cross‑domain technical challenges in fast‑paced, resource‑constrained environments
• Strong mentoring capability for senior technical staff
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate complex technical trade‑offs to management and stakeholders

Qualifications

• Understanding of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) and their system‑level integration requirements
• Experience with AI acceleration architectures and associated system‑level challenges
• Knowledge of analog computing architectures or novel computing paradigms beyond traditional von Neumann systems
• Familiarity with optical interconnects and electro‑optic integration
• Experience scaling systems from prototype to volume production

What We Offer

• Make impact at scale: Help solve one of computing's biggest challenges—making growing demand in compute and sustainability go hand in hand
• Work on the leading edge: Photonic AI acceleration technologies that will define the next decade of computing – already validated in production HPC environments
• Own your work from day one: Broad autonomy and decision authority with direct impact on product success and the future of AI infrastructure
• Fast‑track your growth: Work on challenges with few industry precedents – every problem you solve becomes new institutional knowledge and potentially industry‑defining IP
• World‑class team: Collaborate alongside a passionate, international, cross‑functional team of experts in photonics, processor design, and AI systems
• Direct access to leadership: Work closely with the company's founders, including CEO Dr. Michael Förtsch, and advisory board members who shaped the semiconductor industry (ARM, Intel, Infineon)
• Collaborative culture: Innovative work environment that values technical excellence, open communication, and pragmatic problem‑solving
• Be part of history: Join at the inflection point where photonic computing transitions from research to mainstream – your contributions will shape this transformation

Why Q.ANTWho we are and what we do

Q.ANT is a photonic deep‑tech scale‑up developing photonic processing solutions that compute with light and deliver a scalable alternative to transistor‑based systems.

Why now matters

AI data centers are projected to consume 17% of US electricity by 2030. A single GPU now draws as much power as a kitchen oven. Traditional CMOS processors require 1,200 transistors for a simple 8‑bit multiplication – Q.ANT's photonic chip does it with one optical element.

In July 2025, the Leibniz Supercomputing Centre became the world's first HPC facility to deploy photonic computing in production. This isn't research anymore – it's real, it's shipping, and it's redefining what's possible.

How to Apply

We're looking for someone who gets energized by the challenge of integrating cutting‑edge photonics with high‑speed digital systems – and who wants to see their work deployed in production systems that are already changing how the world computes.

Ready to architect the future of AI computing?

We are looking forward to receiving your application!

Q.ANT is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

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