Applied AI researcher for semiconductor innovation of autonomous systems

Organisation/Company IMEC Research Field Engineering Researcher Profile Established Researcher (R3) Leading Researcher (R4) Positions PhD Positions Application Deadline 6 Jan 2027 - 12:26 (Europe/Brussels) Country Belgium Type of Contract Permanent Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

What you will do

As an AI hire in Germany, you contribute to the growth of local AI capabilities while delivering immediate impact on chiplet, ASIC, packaging, and EDA workflows. The role involves hands-on AI research and cross-domain and cross-organizational collaboration. You investigate how advanced AI techniques can accelerate the design, optimization, and operation of modular chiplet-based computing systems for future autonomous applications. You work in a diverse and multidisciplinary team of chip designers, compute, as well as with data scientists and physicists, researching and developing innovative solutions for environmental sensing and robotics. Your main responsibilities involve:

• Contribute to establish and grow the local AI capability within imec's R&D Center in Heilbronn.
• Research, develop, and apply AI methods to accelerate semiconductor R&D workflows across chiplet architectures, ASIC development, packaging technologies, and design automation.
• Research and implement AI-assisted workflows for architecture exploration, design space optimization, verification, validation, scheduling, simulation, and engineering productivity.
• Collaborate with chiplet, architecture, packaging, and system teams to identify high-impact opportunities for AI-enabled productivity improvements.
• Drive AI-assisted design approaches for emerging autonomous edge computing and chiplet-based systems.
• Design and implement digital twins, simulations, and surrogate-models that accelerate semiconductor and system development processes.
• Interface technically with industrial partners and technology providers in the IPAI ecosystem. These collaborations will help identify opportunities for enabling and applying AI techniques across the development lifecycle of semiconductors for autonomous systems.
• Support the development of new AI-enabled offerings and capabilities within the Advanced Chip Design Accelerator initiatives in Germany.
• Contribute to the definition of future AI hiring needs, technical roadmaps, and research priorities for the Heilbronn site.
• Regularly document and communicate your research output, contributing and authoring demonstrators, publications, conferences, and patents
• You are an applied AI or ML researcher with the following experience, skills, and background:
• PhD or MSc with significant experience in Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Semiconductor Engineering, or related disciplines.
• Strong expertise in machine learning, generative AI, foundation models, optimization, or AI-assisted engineering systems.
• Experience applying AI to engineering, semiconductor, EDA, system design, simulation, optimization, or digital twins.
• Familiarity with semiconductor development flows, chip design, chiplets, packaging, ASIC development, or design automation is highly desirable.
• Comfortable engaging with industrial partners, translating business and technology challenges into research and innovation opportunities.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to build new capabilities from the ground up.
• Strong communication skills and a demonstrated ability to lead technical initiatives across multidisciplinary teams.

Languages ENGLISH Level Good

Additional Information

What we do for you

We offer an inspiring and international research environment where scientific excellence meets real-world impact. At imec, you will work with leading experts in artificial intelligence, semiconductors, sensing, system engineering, and advanced computing, collaborating across disciplines to solve complex technological challenges and translating research into meaningful applications.

As one of the world's leading R&D organizations in nanoelectronics and digital technologies, imec combines deep scientific expertise with a strong ecosystem of industrial partners, startups, universities, and research institutes worldwide.

This unique combination gives you the opportunity to be part of world-class research, develop innovative technologies, build working systems and demonstrators, and see your work contribute to solutions that can shape the future of industry and society.

We invest strongly in personal growth, giving you access to exceptional technical expertise, industrial collaborations, and the freedom to develop your own ideas in an environment