You’ve mastered verification at a technical level. You’ve probably led teams delivered tape outs and solved some of the toughest bug challenges. But now you’re asking how do I step into an architect level role or leadership role. Today, I’ll show you what really separates senior engineers from system architects and technical leaders.
I speak to highly experienced engineers all the time who’ve hit a ceiling. They’re technically excellent, but they’re not getting tapped on the shoulder for the next architect or director level role.
The truth at this stage, it’s not just about coding or verification environments, it’s about influence, vision. Business impact.
Step one, think system, not block architects. Look at how everything fits together. Design verification, firmware, software, even packaging. If you’re still focused on only block level, you’ll struggle to make the leap.
Step two, master integration protocols and system trade-offs. At senior level, you need authority in protocols like PCIE Gen 6, NVMe 2.0, CXL, SATA, SAS not just knowing them. Knowing how to affect latency, power and performance at the full SOC level.
Step three, influence and across functions. The best architects don’t just design solutions. They bring design verification, physical and software teams together. If you can be the person who aligns multiple groups, you’ll be seen as a natural leader.
Step four, communicate vision to executives. C-Suites don’t care about coverage closure reports. They care about risk. They care about time to market and the competitive edge. Learn to translate technical details into business impacts. That’s what earns trust at the leadership table.
Step five, build your legacy. At this stage, you should be mentoring, documenting, publishing internally, and raising the level of those around you. Your influence becomes more important than just individual contributions. Moving into an architect or leadership position requires a shift from engineer to strategist.
It’s about thinking at system level, taking trade offs and business goals in mind. Leading people through influence as much as technical skill.
If you’re a principal or staff engineer looking at architect or leadership level roles, reach out. I work with senior semiconductor leaders across the UK, Europe, and the US and I can help you position yourself for your next opportunity.
