Director - Field Application Engineering (EMEA)

<p style="min-height:1.5em"><strong>About Us</strong></p><p style="min-height:1.5em"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.axelera.ai">Axelera AI</a> is the leading provider of purpose-built AI hardware acceleration technology for AI inference, including computer vision and generative AI applications. <br><br>Its first-generation product is the game-changing Metis™ AI platform – a holistic hardware and software solution for Edge AI inference which delivers the world’s highest performance and power-efficiency at a fraction of the cost of alternative solutions. <br><br>Headquartered in the AI Innovation Center of the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, Axelera AI has R&D offices in Belgium, Switzerland, Italy and the UK, with employees across 20 countries.</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">Our unwavering commitment to innovation has firmly established us as a global industry pioneer.</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">Are you up for the challenge?</p><p style="min-height:1.5em"></p><p style="min-height:1.5em"><strong>Position Overview</strong></p><p style="min-height:1.5em">We are looking for a Director of Field Application Engineering to lead our FAE function across EMEA. Initially hands-on with customers, you will build and grow a regional team over time. The role is hardware-focused, supporting evaluation, integration, and production deployment of our Metis™ AI Platform (PCIe boards, compute modules) across OEM/ODMs, system integrators, and end users in industrial automation, smart vision, automotive, and robotics.</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">Reporting to the VP of Customer Success (Belgium), you will collaborate with existing Axelera colleagues across EMEA and with our global R&D and Product teams.</p><p style="min-height:1.5em"></p><p style="min-height:1.5em"><strong>Key responsibilities:</strong></p><p style="min-height:1.5em"><strong>Hands-On Customer & Technical Engagement</strong></p><p style="min-height:1.5em">• Senior primary technical contact for EMEA customers, engaging from engineers to senior leadership</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">• Lead hardware bring-up, board integration, and embedded system debugging on-site and remotely</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">• Support chip-down design, custom carrier board development, and embedded Linux integration</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">• Guide customers deploying AI models and inference pipelines via the Voyager SDK</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">• Debug PCIe, power sequencing, signal integrity, thermal, and BSP bring-up issues</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">• Drive pre-sales engagement and design wins across OEM/ODM, integrators, and end users across Europe.<br></p><p style="min-height:1.5em"><strong>Regional Leadership & Team Building</strong></p><p style="min-height:1.5em">• Build FAE processes, documentation, and support infrastructure for the EMEA region</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">• Recruit, mentor, and manage EMEA FAE engineers as the team scales</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">• Align priorities with commercial goals; contribute to EMEA and global FAE strategy</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">• Act as the senior technical bridge between EMEA customer needs and global R&D and Product teams</p><p style="min-height:1.5em"></p><p style="min-height:1.5em"><strong>Customer Advocacy & Cross-Functional Collaboration</strong></p><p style="min-height:1.5em">• Surface customer feedback and roadmap input to Product Management and R&D</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">• Maintain relationships with key accounts, distributors, and channel partners across EMEA</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">• Partner with Sales and BD on product introductions, onboarding, and competitive intelligence</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">• Represent Axelera AI at EMEA industry events, conferences, and technical forums</p><p style="min-height:1.5em"></p><p style="min-height:1.5em"><strong>Required Qualifications:</strong><br><br>• Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Embedded Systems, or related field</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">• 10+ years customer-facing FAE or applications engineering in semiconductor, AI, or embedded systems</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">• 5+ years leading FAE teams or managing technical customer-facing functions</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">• Strong experience with embedded board design, chip-down development, and custom carrier board design</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">• Experience with ARM-based SoCs and embedded compute modules</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">• Experience with embedded AI or computer vision workloads</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">• Strong understanding of high-speed digital interfaces, signal integrity, power sequencing, and thermal design</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">• Experience with embedded Linux, bootloaders, BSPs, and low-level system bring-up</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">• Proven ability to debug complex hardware/software integration issues</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">• Familiarity with AI accelerators, NPUs, GPUs, or edge AI platforms</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">• Commercial mindset; track record driving design wins through full evaluation and adoption cycles</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">• Excellent English communication skills; ability to travel extensively across EMEA<br><br><strong>Preferred Qualifications:</strong><br><br>• Familiarity with Yocto, Buildroot, or Debian-based embedded Linux systems</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">• Experience with PCIe enumeration, MSI/MSI-X, DMA, and memory subsystems</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">• Experience with production validation, manufacturing bring-up, and thermal/power optimisation for AI systems</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">• Existing technical relationships in EMEA’s OEM/ODM, system integrator, or AI ecosystem</p><p style="min-height:1.5em">• Proficiency in additional EMEA languages (German, French, Italian, or Arabic) is a plus<br></p><p style="min-height:1.5em"><strong>Location</strong></p><p style="min-height:1.5em">We offer a flexible working arrangement, with options to:</p><ul style="min-height:1.5em"><li><p style="min-height:1.5em">Work from one of our Axelera AI offices (Paris or Florence or Milan)</p></li><li><p style="min-height:1.5em">Work fully remotely from France or Italy</p></li><li><p style="min-height:1.5em">Relocate with us and work from Italy (Florence or Milan) or the France (Paris)</p></li></ul><p style="min-height:1.5em"><br><strong>What we offer </strong></p><p style="min-height:1.5em">This is your chance to shape and be part of a dynamic, fast-growing, international organisation. We offer an attractive compensation package, including a pension plan, extensive employee insurances and the option to get company shares.   </p><p style="min-height:1.5em">An open culture that supports creativity and continual innovation is awaiting you. Collaborative ownership and freedom with responsibility is characteristic for the way we act and work as a team. </p><p style="min-height:1.5em"></p><p style="min-height:1.5em"><em>At Axelera AI, we wholeheartedly embrace equal opportunity and hold diversity in the highest regard. Our steadfast commitment is to cultivate a warm and inclusive environment that empowers and celebrates every member of our team. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds to join us in shaping the future of AI.</em></p>