Staff/ Principal Architect

Astera Labs (NASDAQ: ALAB) provides rack-scale AI infrastructure through purpose-built connectivity solutions. By collaborating with hyperscalers and ecosystem partners, Astera Labs enables organizations to unlock the full potential of modern AI. Astera Labs’ Intelligent Connectivity Platform integrates CXL®, Ethernet, NVLink, PCIe®, and UALink™ semiconductor-based technologies with the company’s COSMOS software suite to unify diverse components into cohesive, flexible systems that deliver end-to-end scale-up, and scale-out connectivity. The company’s custom connectivity solutions business complements its standards-based portfolio, enabling customers to deploy tailored architectures to meet their unique infrastructure requirements. Discover more at www.asteralabs.com.

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Staff/ Principal Architect to lead the architecture of high-performance connectivity solutions, with a strong focus on PCIe, high-speed networking, and Ethernet-based systems.
This role will define next-generation architectures for AI infrastructure, working at the intersection of silicon, system, and protocol design. You will play a key role in shaping innovative solutions that enable hyperscale customers to build scalable, high-bandwidth, and low-latency systems.

This is a unique opportunity to join a new and growing Israel site, influence technical direction, and take ownership of critical architectural decisions impacting industry-leading products.

Key Responsibilities 

• Define and drive system and chip-level architecture for high-speed connectivity products
• Lead architecture for PCIe-based interconnects, networking protocols, and Ethernet subsystems
• Analyze system requirements and translate them into scalable and efficient hardware architectures
• Drive tradeoff analysis across performance, power, latency, area, and cost
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including RTL, Physical Design, Firmware, Validation, and Product Engineering
• Define and review micro-architecture specifications and ensure alignment across teams
• Contribute to standard-based and custom protocols for next-generation AI infrastructure
• Support performance modeling, simulation, and architectural validation
• Work closely with customers and partners to understand emerging use cases and requirements
• Mentor engineers and help build strong technical leadership within the Israel R&D center

Basic Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in semiconductor architecture, ASIC design, or system engineering
• Strong expertise in PCIe architecture (Gen4/5/6+) and its ecosystem
• Deep understanding of Networking and Ethernet (e.g., 25G/50G/100G/400G and beyond)
• Experience designing high-speed, low-latency data paths
• Solid understanding of SoC architecture and integration challenges
• Experience working across full chip development lifecycle
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with ability to evaluate complex tradeoffs
• Ability to influence and collaborate across multiple engineering domains

Preferred Experience

• Experience with CXL, NVLink, UALink, or other advanced interconnect protocols
• Background in AI/ML infrastructure, data center systems, or hyperscaler environments
• Experience with SerDes-based systems and high-speed PHY integration
• Familiarity with networking stacks, switching, or RDMA technologies
• Experience with performance modeling tools and architectural simulators
• Knowledge of power/performance optimization techniques at system level
• Track record of driving architecture from concept to silicon