ASIC Design & Development Director
Synchron
Summary
Synchron is seeking a Director of ASIC Design & Development to lead the strategy and development of ultra-low-power, low-noise analog/mixed-signal ASICs for next-generation implantable neural interface technologies.
Job description
Position Summary
Synchron is seeking a Director of ASIC Design & Development to lead the strategy and development of ultra-low-power, low-noise analog/mixed-signal ASICs for next-generation implantable neural interface technologies.
This player-coach role owns Synchron's ASIC program end to end: setting the ASIC roadmap, building and leading an internal team. The Director must retain enough hands-on design depth to develop and evaluate circuits, resolve difficult technical issues, and make final engineering decisions.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership and Strategy
- Define and own the ASIC technology strategy and multi-generation roadmap.
- Build, lead, and develop an internal ASIC design and verification team.
- Own ASIC program schedules, budgets, resource plans, and tape-out milestones.
- Serve as Synchron's senior ASIC technical authority and report status and risks to executive leadership.
- Partner with systems, electrical, firmware, quality, regulatory, and clinical leaders to align ASICs with product needs.
ASIC Design and Technical Oversight
- Own ASIC architecture and analog/digital partitioning for implantable neural recording systems.
- Translate system-level objectives into detailed ASIC requirements.
- Perform hands-on circuit design and simulation as needed; review and approve transistor-level designs.
- Guide AFE design, including LNAs, PGAs, filters, ADCs, bias circuits, and power management, with a focus on noise, power, and channel count.
- Chair design reviews and determine readiness at key milestones, including tape-out.
Partner Management and Silicon Validation
- Select and manage external ASIC design partners, foundries, and packaging and test vendors, including SOWs, budgets, and contracts.
- Hold partners accountable for technical quality, schedule, and cost.
- Define verification and characterization strategies; lead first-silicon bring-up and debug.
- Establish manufacturing test, production screening, and reliability strategies.
Quality and Design Controls
- Own ASIC requirements, specifications, verification plans, and traceability.
- Ensure design controls, risk analysis, and documentation meet medical device and quality system requirements.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Microelectronics, or a related field
- 15+ years of analog/mixed-signal ASIC design and development experience
- 5+ years leading engineering teams, including direct people management
- Multiple successful ASIC programs from architecture through tape-out and silicon validation
- Hands-on analog/mixed-signal IC design experience, including AFE architectures, ADCs, and noise analysis
- Proficiency with Cadence Virtuoso, Spectre, SPICE, or equivalent tools
- Experience managing external ASIC design houses or semiconductor vendors
- Strong leadership and communication skills, including with executive stakeholders
Company overview
Synchron is a pioneering neurotechnology company developing minimally invasive brain-computer interface (BCI) systems to restore digital communication and device control for people with severe paralysis. Founded in 2012 by Professor Thomas Oxley and Professor Nicholas Opie, the company has revolutionized the field with its Stentrode™ technology—a stent-like electrode array that is implanted through blood vessels without requiring open brain surgery. This endovascular approach represents a significant advancement over traditional BCIs, offering a safer, more accessible solution that can be deployed in standard hospital settings rather than specialized research centers. Synchron's technology enables patients with conditions like ALS, spinal cord injuries, and other forms of paralysis to control digital devices, text, browse the internet, and operate smart home systems using only their thoughts. The company has achieved multiple industry firsts, including FDA approval for clinical trials of a permanently implanted BCI, integration with Apple and Amazon platforms, and successful demonstrations of thought-controlled iPad and Alexa experiences. With operations in both New York and Melbourne, Synchron has raised over $200 million in funding from prominent investors including ARCH Ventures, Khosla Ventures, Bezos Expeditions, and Gates Frontier, positioning itself as a leader in the rapidly evolving neurotechnology landscape.