We’re looking for a Director of Firmware and Validation to join a well-funded AI start-up ($125 million Series B) that is revolutionizing AI inference acceleration. Their high-performance AI chip delivers unprecedented efficiency and performance, tackling the data movement bottlenecks that have traditionally hindered AI systems. As the Director of Firmware and Validation, you will be at the forefront of shaping the future of AI HW and SW. Responsibilities: Lead and grow the Firmware and Silicon Validation teams. Oversee product development from concept to end-of-life. Deliver firmware, validation tools, and tests for simulation, prototyping, and deployment. Provide strategic direction and contribute to the company's vision. Manage planning and execution across teams and partners. Ideal Candidate: Strong experience in technical leadership and people management. Background in developing high-performance custom silicon (CPU, GPU, SoC). Proven success with first silicon power-on. Experience leading firmware or silicon validation teams. Skilled in hardware best practices and co-design with cross-functional teams.