Principal Software Architect (Laguna Hills)

Principal Software Architect

Define how developers build AI on next-generation hardware

At BrainChip, we’re building a new class of AI. Our neuromorphic processors are designed to process data the way the brain does, enabling ultra-efficient, real-time intelligence directly on devices.

We’re looking for a Principal Software Architect to define how developers interact with this technology.

This is not a typical platform role. You will own the full developer experience for our next-generation NPU, shaping how AI models are built, optimized, deployed, and run on neuromorphic hardware.

You’ll work directly with the CTO, compiler, and silicon teams to translate cutting-edge hardware capabilities into intuitive, high-performance software systems that developers actually want to use.

If you care about the intersection of AI, systems, and developer experience, this is a rare opportunity to define a new paradigm.

What you’ll own

• The end-to-end developer experience for building and deploying AI on BrainChip hardware
• The software layer that bridges neuromorphic silicon and real-world AI applications
• How developers optimize performance, power efficiency, and real-time inference

What you’ll do

• Architect and integrate a unified AI toolchain across compiler, runtime, IDE, and deployment
• Build a modern developer environment with LLM-assisted workflows and intelligent tooling
• Design profiling and observability systems tailored for real-time AI workloads
• Enable efficient deployment of AI models onto resource-constrained, edge devices
• Lead bootloader architecture and RTOS integration for AI-enabled systems
• Extend debugging and tracing capabilities to expose AI model behavior at runtime
• Partner with silicon and compiler teams to shape hardware-software co-design
• Use real-world AI workloads to influence architecture decisions and performance tradeoffs

What you bring

• 7+ years of experience in systems software, developer platforms, or low-level architecture
• Strong background in AI systems, embedded systems, or performance-critical software
• Experience building or integrating developer tools, compilers, or runtime environments
• Expertise in C or C++ with strong proficiency in Python

Strong experience in several of the following:

• AI or ML frameworks and model deployment workflows
• Compiler ecosystems such as LLVM or MLIR
• Debugging and profiling tools such as GDB, LLDB, eBPF
• Embedded systems and RTOS environments such as Zephyr or FreeRTOS
• IDE tooling such as VS Code extensions, LSP, or DAP

Nice to have

• Experience with edge AI, neuromorphic computing, or low-power inference
• Contributions to open-source developer tools or AI frameworks
• Experience integrating LLMs into developer workflows
• Background in robotics, embedded AI, or real-time systems

Why this role

• Define how developers build AI on a fundamentally new hardware architecture
• Work directly with leadership and influence product direction
• Solve challenges at the intersection of AI, systems, and hardware
• Be part of a team building real-world AI that runs beyond the cloud