Product Technical Chip Lead, Senior Director

Astera Labs · San Jose · $260,000–$295,000 (stated in the posting)

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.

Astera Labs is seeking an Senior Director OR Associate Vice President, Product Technical Lead (Chip Lead) to drive the end-to-end success of our next-generation UALink switching products in San Jose. This is an executive technical leadership role where you will connect architecture, design, validation, firmware, systems, and operations to ensure clarity, alignment, and predictable execution across the full product lifecycle.

As the technical integrator for the product line, you will lead through influence and cross-functional authority, working on cutting-edge UALink, UCIe, and PCIe Gen6/Gen7 technologies that power the largest AI clusters in the world. You'll be the central technical voice ensuring our switching products scale with Astera's hyper-growth while delivering world-class silicon to customers enabling rack-scale AI and hyperscale data centers.

Location - San Jose, CA OR Israel

Key Responsibilities

Product Technical Ownership

Own the full technical lifecycle of the product line—architecture assumptions, design integration, validation strategy, readiness, and customer enablement

Drive chip development execution from RTL to GDSII, ensuring architecture, implementation, and tapeout milestones are met

Lead development of large-scale chips (300-400mm²) utilizing 2.5D/3D advanced packaging technologies and chiplet-based architectures

Reduce ambiguity by translating product requirements into clear priorities, tradeoffs, and execution paths

Own the Chip Tapeout and Chip signoff with full responsibility on Chip Quality.

Cross-Functional Technical Leadership

Anticipate challenges early, drive alignment across all engineering functions, ensuring risks, dependencies, and decisions are surfaced and resolved at the earliest

Partner with design verification teams to define coverage goals, regression strategies, and sign-off criteria

Collaborate with DFT teams on test architecture, scan insertion, BIST, and manufacturing test strategies

Work closely with physical design teams on timing closure, power optimization, and backend execution

Process Excellence & Organizational Development

Establish and reinforce scalable processes, documentation, and handoffs that support company growth

Provide structured, data-driven decision-making and maintain a crisp operational cadence across the product line

Transform conflicts to foster a culture of ownership over ego, mentoring and elevating teams while strengthening technical judgment, accountability, and cross-functional collaboration

Model steady, calm leadership, particularly in high-stakes or ambiguous situations

Shape engineering culture and talent strategy to support Astera's rapid growth trajectory

Basic Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field

15+ years of experience across architecture, silicon design, validation, systems, or related domains

Proven track record of developing large-scale chips (300mm²+) through successful tapeout

Hands-on experience with 2.5D and 3D advanced packaging technologies and chiplet-based architectures

Strong understanding of RTL design, design verification, DFT, and physical design flows

Experience with high-speed serial interfaces such as PCIe, Ethernet, or switching architectures

Demonstrated executive leadership of cross-functional technical programs with end-to-end product cycle ownership

Strong communication and executive presence with the ability to influence at all levels of the organization

Preferred Qualifications

Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering

Experience with UALink, UCIe, PCIe Gen5/Gen6/Gen7, or Ethernet switching architectures

Experience with advanced process nodes (7nm, 5nm, or below)

Background in power management, clocking architectures, or high-speed analog integration

Experience operating in fast-growing startups or hyper-scale environments

Key Leadership Competencies

Systems Thinking: See the big picture while managing details

Emotional Intelligence: Calm under pressure, empathetic, and influential

Adaptability: Thrive in ambiguity and fast-changing environments

Execution Discipline: Deliver predictable results without sacrificing innovation

Base salary range is $260,000 to $295,000 depending on experience, level, and business need. This role may be eligible for discretionary bonus, incentives and benefits.

We know that creativity and innovation happen more often when teams include diverse ideas, backgrounds, and experiences, and we actively encourage everyone with relevant experience to apply, including people of color, LGBTQ+ and non-binary people, veterans, parents, and individuals with disabilities.

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