At Cadence, we hire and develop leaders and innovators who want to make an impact on the world of technology.Software Architect – Virtual & Hybrid Platform Integration and Software Bring-up Role Overview

We are looking for a seasoned Software Architect to join the team, responsible for Virtual and Hybrid platform integration and pre‑silicon software bring-up. The candidate will work on complex emulator- and FPGA-based platforms to enable early software development and validation for mobile, hyperscale, and automotive So Cs.

This is a hands-on individual contributor role requiring deep technical expertise, strong cross‑functional collaboration, and the ability to independently drive complex technical deliverables from architecture to execution.

Key Responsibilities

• Architect, integrate, and debug Virtual and Hybrid platforms combining RTL, transactors, and virtual models for pre‑silicon enablement.
• Develop systemC and Multithreaded C++ models and Transactors necessary for bringup of software on a Hybrid platform.
• Lead software bring-up on pre‑silicon platforms (emulators / FPGA prototypes), including:
• Bare‑metal environments
• Linux OS
• Android
• Windows (where applicable)
• Drive end‑to‑end platform readiness from early boot (ROM, bootloaders) to OS stability.
• Work closely with RTL, IP, firmware, validation, and customer teams to define requirements, align interfaces, and plan deliverables.
• Debug complex software and platform issues using:
• Waveform analysis
• Software debuggers (GDB, JTAG-based, emulator debuggers, etc.)
• Logs and traces
• Identify root causes across HW/SW boundaries and propose robust architectural fixes.

Technical Expertise & Qualifications Required Skills

• Strong background in software architecture with proven experience building and debugging complex pre‑silicon platforms.
• Hands‑on experience integrating RTL with virtual and hybrid environments.
• Deep understanding of SoC architecture and system-level behavior across:
• Mobile
• Hyperscaler / Datacenter
• Automotive platforms
• Expert knowledge of AMBA protocols and interconnects.
• Proven experience working with and integrating key SoC IPs such as:
• UFS, NVMe, PCIe
• Strong proficiency in software debugging methodologies, including waveform-based debug and HW/SW co-debug.
• Solid programming and scripting skills (C/C++, Python, shell scripting preferred).
• Hands on experience on Multi-Threaded aspects, its challenges and tools to manage deadlocks

Preferred / Value-Add Skills

• Experience with SystemC modeling and transaction-level modeling; ability to modify or develop models is a strong plus.
• Prior experience working with emulators and FPGA-based platforms (Palladium, Protium, or similar).
• Familiarity with GenAI / LLM-based workflows applied to EDA, debugging, automation, or productivity acceleration.
• Knowledge of platform performance analysis and optimization.

Collaboration & Leadership Expectations

• Strong ability to work across cross‑functional teams and with external customers to:
• Understand complex, multi-team requirements
• Translate them into executable technical plans
• Ability to independently lead and execute projects, owning outcomes end to end.
• While this is an individual contributor role, prior experience in:
• Mentoring junior engineers
• Technical leadership
• Team or project ownership
  is highly valued.

Candidate Profile

• A senior, hands-on technologist with strong problem-solving skills and a system-level mindset.
• Comfortable operating in ambiguous, fast‑moving environments.
• Motivated to align with long‑term technical growth and strategic platform evolution within Cadence.

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