Principal Compute Architect

**About Us**

Foundation is developing the future of general purpose robotics with the goal to [address the labor shortage.](https://share.polymail.io/v1/z/b/NjYyMmI4MThkNzMw/5alY8ShNDXEosfFKZyUZuTXEhYt3pLjXRmAMVunRXlK3USw6hLs5dIaPO0gp3y9abp6xEAMig9AEKzfLE8sqn9lIByRHH0wlxTOua2tLFeS4A6AYSRquJyiE_S55wF8KMdm4sNe0ayWxxaxD46QNdDhohDtkhjzHNi-B-l7-RgBpoB2A7qEGG7OREui61hIOWHLXwLekOkP6RuciamM65QXdyE_2oZNkrWnABp_ytulRmAmSkFfHSTd445MvXowZ47OKyGx2)

Our mission is to create advanced robots that can operate in complex environments, reducing human risk in conflict zones and enhancing efficiency in labor-intensive industries.

We are on the lookout for extraordinary engineers and scientists to join our team.

Your previous experience in robotics isn't a prerequisite — it's your talent and determination that truly count.

We expect that many of our team members will bring diverse perspectives from various industries and fields. We are looking for individuals with a proven record of exceptional ability and a history of creating things that work.

**Our Culture**

We like to be frank and honest about who we are, so that people can decide for themselves if this is a culture they resonate with. Please read more about our culture here [https://foundation.bot/culture](https://foundation.bot/culture).

**Who should join:**

• You like working in person with a team in San Francisco.
• You deeply believe that this is the most important mission for humanity and needs to happen yesterday.
• You are highly technical - regardless of the role you are in. We are building technology; you need to understand technology well.
• You care about aesthetics and design inside out. If it's not the best product ever, it bothers you, and you need to “fix” it.
• You don't need someone to motivate you; you get things done.

**Why are We Hiring for this Role:**

• Leading a structured evaluation of technical and business feasibility for a custom inference chip tailored to robotic workloads.
• Analyzing current bottlenecks in robotic inference pipelines and comparing off-the-shelf vs. custom alternatives.
• Developing models for performance, cost, scalability, power, and area to inform build-vs-buy decisions.
• Defining high-level chip architecture optimized for low-latency, real-time systems (e.g., CNNs, transformers, sensor fusion).
• Evaluating tradeoffs in dataflow, memory hierarchy, interconnects, and hardware/software interfaces.
• Guiding RTL prototyping, simulation, and early design exploration.
• Coordinating with external vendors, foundries, or design houses as needed.
• Delivering a comprehensive report with recommendations, including technical/financial analysis and risk/benefit tradeoffs.
• Presenting findings to leadership and, if approved, leading early custom IC design and project planning.

**What Kind of Person We Are Looking For:**

• Proven track record in designing or evaluating AI accelerators, neural network inference engines, or signal processing hardware, with a history of delivering end-to-end projects.
• Deep expertise in hardware/software co-design, embedded compute tradeoffs, and optimizing for real-time, low-power systems.
• Hands-on experience with RTL design (Verilog/VHDL/SystemVerilog), simulation, synthesis tools, and ASIC/FPGA development.
• Ability to model and evaluate AI inference workloads, including performance bottlenecks and architectural tradeoffs.
• Strong leadership and communication skills to translate complex technical insights into actionable executive recommendations.
• Experience in robotics, autonomous systems, edge computing, or similar high-stakes environments where scrappiness was key to success.
• Familiarity with low-power design, mixed-signal integration, hardware security, chip bring-up, verification, and validation.
• Prior collaboration with foundries, ASIC vendors, or design houses in resource-constrained settings.
• M.S. or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• 8+ years of experience in digital IC design, SoC architecture, or ASIC/FPGA development, with demonstrated ability to own projects autonomously.

**Benefits**

We provide market standard benefits (health, vision, dental, 401k, etc.). Join us for the culture and the mission, not for the benefits.

**Salary**

The annual compensation is expected to be between $210,000.00 - $400,000.00 Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and location.