Director - Field Application Engineering (EMEA)

About Us Axelera AI https://www.axelera.ai is the leading provider of purpose-built AI hardware acceleration technology for AI inference, including computer vision and generative AI applications. Our 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. Headquartered in the AI Innovation Center of the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, we also have offices across in Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, France, and the UK, with employees across 20 countries. Our unwavering commitment to innovation has firmly established us as a global industry pioneer. Are you up for the challenge? Position Overview 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. 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. Key responsibilities: Hands-On Customer & Technical Engagement • Senior primary technical contact for EMEA customers, engaging from engineers to senior leadership • Lead hardware bring-up, board integration, and embedded system debugging on-site and remotely • Support chip-down design, custom carrier board development, and embedded Linux integration • Guide customers deploying AI models and inference pipelines via the Voyager SDK • Debug PCIe, power sequencing, signal integrity, thermal, and BSP bring-up issues • Drive pre-sales engagement and design wins across OEM/ODM, integrators, and end users across Europe. Regional Leadership & Team Building • Build FAE processes, documentation, and support infrastructure for the EMEA region • Recruit, mentor, and manage EMEA FAE engineers as the team scales • Align priorities with commercial goals; contribute to EMEA and global FAE strategy • Act as the senior technical bridge between EMEA customer needs and global R&D and Product teams Customer Advocacy & Cross-Functional Collaboration • Surface customer feedback and roadmap input to Product Management and R&D • Maintain relationships with key accounts, distributors, and channel partners across EMEA • Partner with Sales and BD on product introductions, onboarding, and competitive intelligence • Represent Axelera AI at EMEA industry events, conferences, and technical forums Required Qualifications: • Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Embedded Systems, or related field • 10+ years customer-facing FAE or applications engineering in semiconductor, AI, or embedded systems • 5+ years leading FAE teams or managing technical customer-facing functions • Strong experience with embedded board design, chip-down development, and custom carrier board design • Experience with ARM-based SoCs and embedded compute modules • Experience with embedded AI or computer vision workloads • Strong understanding of high-speed digital interfaces, signal integrity, power sequencing, and thermal design • Experience with embedded Linux, bootloaders, BSPs, and low-level system bring-up • Proven ability to debug complex hardware/software integration issues • Familiarity with AI accelerators, NPUs, GPUs, or edge AI platforms • Commercial mindset; track record driving design wins through full evaluation and adoption cycles • Excellent English communication skills, as well as fluency in French and/or Italian • Ability to travel extensively across EMEA Preferred Qualifications: • Familiarity with Yocto, Buildroot, or Debian-based embedded Linux systems • Experience with PCIe enumeration, MSI/MSI-X, DMA, and memory subsystems • Experience with production validation, manufacturing bring-up, and thermal/power optimisation for AI systems • Existing technical relationships in EMEA’s OEM/ODM, system integrator, or AI ecosystem • Proficiency in additional EMEA languages (German, Arabic, Spanish) is a plus Location We offer a flexible working arrangement, with options to: - Work from one of our Axelera AI offices (Paris, Florence or Milan) - Work fully remotely from France or Italy - Relocate with us and work from Italy (Florence or Milan) or France (Paris) What we offer  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.    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.  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.