Sr. Principal MCU System Architect

Architecture Strategy & Vision

• Analyze emerging SDV architectures and application trends, including zonal and domain control, vehicle motion, electrification (xEV), body electronics, gateways, AI-enabled control systems, and cross-domain integration.
• Define system concepts, reference architectures, and technology requirements that guide future MCU platform evolution.
• Translate future vehicle challenges and customer use cases into MCU hardware, software, tools, and ecosystem requirements that shape product strategy and roadmap planning.
• Identify architectural gaps, disruptive technologies, and innovation opportunities that create competitive advantage.

Customer & Industry Leadership

• Build trusted relationships with OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, industry partners, and ecosystem leaders to understand future technology directions and market requirements.
• Serve as a senior technical advisor to customer architecture and engineering teams, guiding key system-level decisions and architectural trade-offs.
• Lead executive-level architecture reviews, technical workshops, and strategic discussions with customers and partners.
• Represent Renesas as a thought leader in automotive system architecture and emerging SDV trends.

Technology Innovation & Product Influence

• Lead system-level studies, architecture evaluations, benchmarking activities, and proof-of-concept projects to validate future technology directions.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and industry trends to influence long-term product investments and platform strategies.
• Drive alignment across MCU products, software platforms, development tools, middleware, and ecosystem solutions.

Cross-Functional Technical Leadership

• Provide architectural leadership to product planning, engineering, software, marketing, and executive management teams.
• Influence next-generation platform definitions through deep understanding of customer requirements, market dynamics, and technology evolution.
• Drive resolution of complex architectural and system-level challenges throughout customer engagements and product planning activities.

• Master's degree or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field, with 15+ years of experience in automotive semiconductors, embedded systems, or vehicle architecture.
• Deep expertise in automotive MCU architectures, including processing performance, real-time control, memory systems, functional safety, cybersecurity, networking, power management, and software platforms.
• Strong understanding of Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) architectures, including zonal and domain controllers, vehicle motion, electrification (xEV), body electronics, gateways, and cross-domain systems.
• Proven experience collaborating with OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers to evaluate architectural trade-offs involving performance, power, safety, security, scalability, software complexity, and system cost.
• Demonstrated ability to translate future vehicle requirements into MCU platform, software, and ecosystem strategies.
• Strong strategic thinking, technical leadership, and problem-solving skills with the ability to address complex business and engineering challenges.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence audiences ranging from engineering teams to executive leadership.
• Willingness to travel globally to support customers, partners, and industry engagements.

• Experience defining semiconductor product architectures, platform roadmaps, or technology strategies.
• Strong knowledge of AUTOSAR, RTOS, virtualization, hypervisors, service-oriented architectures, and modern automotive software stacks.
• Familiarity with AI/ML acceleration, edge computing, and intelligent control systems.
• Experience with ISO 26262, ISO/SAE 21434, and automotive networking technologies.
• Track record of technical leadership through patents, publications, conference presentations, standards participation, or industry forums.

This is a rare opportunity to help define the future of automotive computing. You will influence multi-generation MCU platforms, shape SDV architectures adopted by leading global automakers, and work directly with industry leaders on tomorrow's vehicle technologies. The role offers significant visibility with senior leadership, broad influence across product strategy and technology investments, and the opportunity to establish yourself as a recognized thought leader in automotive system architecture.

In this role, you will:

• Shape the future direction of Renesas MCU architecture and platform strategy.
• Influence technology decisions across leading OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers.
• Drive long-term product investments and roadmap priorities.
• Guide the evolution of SDV architectures across multiple automotive domains.
• Establish Renesas as a trusted technology leader in the next generation of intelligent and software-defined vehicles.

This position is expected to operate as a recognized industry expert and thought leader, driving architecture decisions that influence both customer platforms and Renesas' long-term technology strategy.