Success requires becoming a trusted technical advisor whom Tier 1 hyperscaler customers welcome into their most confidential labs, not as a vendor, but as an extension of their design teams. You'll leverage consultative discovery to uncover the situational factors, business consequences, and decision criteria that drive customer choices.
Your technical credibility will open doors; your strategic approach will close deals. Your voice will directly influence Semtech's product roadmaps, serving as strategic advisor to VPs in sales and product lines, co-creating breakthroughs that establish Semtech as the indispensable partner for the future of data center connectivity.
This role is for someone who thrives where breakthrough technology meets strategic business impact, someone ready to shape the future of an industry being transformed by AI.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategic Customer Co-Development & Innovation
Drive design wins for Semtech's portfolio of high-speed drivers, TIAs, copper redrivers, and other products, working closely with engineering teams from key data center customers.
Accelerate customer design-in cycles, proactively removing technical barriers to secure immediate revenue opportunities
Lead co-development initiatives for next-generation technologies (1.6T, 3.2T+) with customer engineering teams, defining the future of data center connectivity
Create joint innovation programs and proof-of-concept projects with Tier 1 hyperscaler providers that establish Semtech as their strategic technology partner
Align Semtech product roadmap with customer technology evolution plans, ensuring our solutions arrive precisely when markets mature
PON & Mobile Transport Account Support
Provide technical and pre/post-sales support to key European PON and Mobile Transport accounts
Apply signal integrity, high-speed analog, and characterisation expertise across product lines
Support design-in activities, technical evaluations, and troubleshooting for these accounts as required
Balance and prioritise time across data center and PON/Mobile Transport engagements in line with regional business needs
Technical Excellence & Customer Support
Lead technical evaluations and drive technical differentiation in competitive situations
Provide comprehensive pre-sales and post-sales customer support for strategic design-ins
Troubleshoot and debug complex technical issues with a relentless commitment to solving problems
Guide customers on hardware design, PCB layout, signal integrity optimization, firmware integration, and system validation
Support customer qualification processes with equipment manufacturers, network operators, and cloud service providers
Create application notes, white papers, and design guides establishing thought leadership
Cross-Functional Strategic Influence
Influence product management and R&D priorities based on customer insights and market intelligence
Serve as strategic technical advisor to VPs in sales and product lines, bridging the gap between customer needs and product strategy
Partner with engineering teams to ensure customer co-development projects receive appropriate resources and priority
Drive internal alignment across product management, engineering, marketing, sales, and operations
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education & Experience
Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related technical field (Master's or Ph.D. preferred)
5+ years of proven AE/FAE experience, demonstrating expert-level technical capability and strategic customer engagement, gained in data center, PON, or wireless/mobile transport environments
Technical Mastery
Expertise in signal integrity (high-speed principles, modulation schemes, channel modeling, equalization) for 800G, 1.6T, 3.2T data center, PON, or mobile transport applications
Knowledge of optical transceiver architecture, design, validation, and manufacturing
Familiarity with LPO, LRO, NPO, and CPO architectures (data center focus); familiarity with PON ONU/OLT or mobile transport optical architectures equally valued
Experience in high-speed PCB design including layout, impedance control, and signal integrity validation
Proficiency with high-speed test equipment (network analyzers, BER testers, oscilloscopes)
Understanding of IEEE 802.3 and OIF standards, or ITU-T PON standards depending on background
Market & Co-Development Expertise
Understanding of optical communications, networking, hyperscaler data center architectures, network topologies, and infrastructure evolution across data center, PON, or mobile transport markets
Demonstrated success leading customer co-development projects with significant revenue impact
Established relationships with Tier 1 customer engineering teams and ecosystem partners
Leadership & Communication Excellence
Exceptional communication across technical and business audiences
Proven ability to influence without formal authority and work autonomously in complex situations
Strong initiative and ownership mentality
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Direct experience with high-speed laser/modulator drivers, TIAs, redrivers, and/or DSPs
Active participation in industry standards bodies (IEEE 802.3, OIF, ITU-T) driving next-generation specifications
Prior experience at optical customers, optical networking, hyperscalers, optical module vendors, PON equipment vendors, mobile network infrastructure providers, or data center equipment manufacturers
Existing relationships with European PON or Mobile Transport accounts considered a strong plus
The intent of this job description is to describe the major duties and responsibilities performed by incumbents of this job. Incumbents may be required to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically included in this description.
All duties and responsibilities are essential job functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.
