Technical Chief of Staff for ASIC Engineering

Technical Chief of Staff for ASIC EngineeringSan Jose, California, United StatesAstera Labs provides rack-scale AI infrastructure through purpose-built connectivity solutions. By collaborating with hyperscalers and ecosystem partners, Astera Labs enables organizations to unlock the full potential of modern AI. Astera Labs' Intelligent Connectivity Platform integrates CXL®, Ethernet, NVLink, PCIe®, and UALink™ semiconductor-based technologies with the company's COSMOS software suite to unify diverse components into cohesive, flexible systems that deliver end-to-end scale-up, and scale-out connectivity. The company's custom connectivity solutions business complements its standards-based portfolio, enabling customers to deploy tailored architectures to meet their unique infrastructure requirements.Role Summary We are seeking a technically strong Chief of Staff to the Head of Engineering who will also lead Engineering Program Management across Silicon Engineering. This role is a force-multiplier for Engineering leadership — driving org scale, decision velocity, and execution rigor. The ideal candidate brings deep technical fluency, structured problem-solving, and the ability to drive outcomes through influence rather than hierarchy. The role is fully in person in San Jose.Responsibilities — What You Will Own1) Chief of Staff to Head of Engineering• Drive operational cadence: engineering all hands, staff meetings, agenda/material prep, tech talks, university engagements, action follow-through, and leadership syncs.• Frame and resolve high-leverage decisions — proactively surface blockers (technical, operational, organizational) before they escalate.• Manage escalations and organizational friction — diagnose root causes, coordinate resolution paths, and ensure durable fixes.• Partner cross-functionally with Hardware, Product, and Quality teams to ensure clarity of communication, alignment on priorities, and disciplined follow-through on decisions.• Support org design, headcount planning, and hiring prioritization for engineering teams.• Maintain alignment across functions through clear messaging and communication, validate exitance and validation of processes.• Navigate org dynamics, build trust, and constructively challenge assumptions; maintain psychological safety.• Support the head of engineering with administrative and org related activities2) Lead ASIC Tape out Management (Silicon Programs)• Status management — collect and track status across functions contributing to ASIC tapeouts.• Milestone tracking — maintain methodology checklists and boundary agreements to ensure schedule adherence.• IP and vendor tracking — own visibility into IP deliveries, version inventory, vendor issues, and escalation loops.• Quality & documentation — monitor quality KPIs, ensure engineering documentation completeness.• Requirements tracking — ensure PRDs/features are captured, tracked, baselined.• Resource monitoring — track compute, hardware, storage consumption and thresholds.• Internal reporting — generate status reporting for Silicon Engineering leadership.3) Influence Without Authority• Drive cross-engineering outcomes through credibility, clarity, and follow-through — not hierarchy.• Create order in ambiguous spaces; shape scope where it is undefined.Qualifications• 10+ years in semiconductor/SoC/ASIC or adjacent high-complexity engineering environment (e.g., CPU/IP/System companies).• Proven success in Chief of Staff, Staff Program Manager, TPM Director, or similar technical leadership-enablement role.• Strong technical acumen — able to understand engineering trade-offs and make decisions with limited information, challenge assumptions, and earn credibility with senior ICs.• Demonstrated experience running program cadence for complex silicon programs (tapeout, IP integration, etc.).• Proven ability to organize complex workflows and drive consistent follow-through.• High EQ and organizational awareness; can navigate tension and align diverse viewpoints.• Exceptional written/verbal communication, structured thinking, and execution discipline.• Prior experience in leading RTL2GDSII chip design is a huge plus.What Success Looks Like• Engineering leadership spends more time on strategic and technical decisions, less on coordination.• Milestones hit with fewer escalations and clearer accountability.• Status, risks, and decisions are crisp — never ad hoc or late.• Teams feel supported, not policed — trust increases, friction decreases without compromising on accountability.• Ambiguity decreases over time as clarity and execution rhythm scale with the org.Salary range is $216,000 to $300,000 depending on experience, level, and business need. This role may be eligible for discretionary bonus, incentives and benefits.We know that creativity and innovation happen more often when teams include diverse ideas, backgrounds, and experiences, and we actively encourage everyone with relevant experience to apply, including people of color, LGBTQ+ and non-binary people, veterans, parents, and individuals with disabilities.