Innovation Manager

Innovation Manager Location Hybrid work in Austin, TX : Are you a big thinker, innovator, problem seeker, and a natural leader with a strong technical foundation and business acumen? Do you thrive on ambiguity, autonomy, and operating as the CEO of a startup? Cirrus Logic's Technology Accelerator may be the place for you. You will be joining a newly formed technology accelerator within Cirrus Logic focused on developing disruptive, scalable, and monetizable innovations that solve high-impact industry problems. Our vision is to be a globally recognized innovation engine that positions Cirrus Logic to repeatedly shape and transform semiconductor markets. We do so through a relentless focus on empowering customers to deliver innovative solutions that would otherwise not be possible. You will help us accelerate the introduction of disruptive technologies and silicon-centric business models that can drive monetization in markets new to Cirrus Logic. You will operate in a unique decentralized model that leverages strategic partnerships, external ventures, and focused incubation of technologies to fuel Cirrus Logic's innovation flywheel. Reporting to the Head of New Business and Tech Dev sitting alongside the company's business units, you will help lead our charter to advance new technologies and capabilities, working at the forefront of innovation to address high-impact, endemic problems across the industry. Our team operates like an internal startup, accelerating next-generation solutions through collaboration, prototyping, cutting-edge research, and incubation. As an Innovation Manager (IM), you will play a pivotal role in evaluating and driving the innovation pipeline, helping to assess the impact and value of potential technologies and applications. You will lead the process of identifying key problems to solve, prioritizing the innovation funnel, defining success criteria, and engaging with startups, customers, industry experts, and internal cross-functional teams to prototype and scale new technologies.

Responsibilites

• Innovation Funnel Management: Lead the assessment and prioritization of emerging technologies and applications, identifying high-value problems and opportunities for innovation leveraging Cirrus Logic's core competencies in mixed-signal processing, audio, power, and HMI.
• Collaboration & Prototyping: Work closely with internal teams, startups, customers, and external experts to prototype and demonstrate proof-of-concept solutions that leverage cutting-edge technologies in signal processing, power conversion, motion control, and edge computing among others.
• Impact & Value Assessment: Define and assess the impact, feasibility, and market potential of technologies, setting pass/fail criteria and measuring progress against objectives.
• Cross-Functional Engagement: Collaborate with engineering, research, and business development teams to align product goals, technical feasibility, and resource allocation.
• Stakeholder Communication: Regularly report on the status of innovation projects, providing clear, actionable updates to senior leadership and stakeholders.
• External Partnerships & Market Insight: Engage with industry experts, lighthouse customers, startups, and academic institutions to identify emerging trends, gather market intelligence, and help guide the accelerator's strategic focus.

Required Skills and Qualifications

• Educational Background: Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, or a related technical field. An MBA is a plus.
• Experience: Minimum of 7 years in technical product or program management role, with a focus on emerging technologies in semiconductors, software, and/or infrastructure. Early-stage startup experience is a plus.
• Technical Expertise: Deep understanding of hardware and/or software systems and architectures. Able to ramp up quickly leveraging strong technical fundamentals on new technologies and industry trends.
• Innovation & R&D Focus: Proven ability to evaluate nascent technologies, identify high-impact use cases, and manage/prioritize an innovation funnel.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Experience working closely with R&D teams, engineering, and business stakeholders to bring new technologies to life.
• Product Management Tools: Familiarity with product management tools (e.g., Jira, Confluence) for tracking innovation milestones, roadmaps, and deliverables.
• Communication Skills: Strong ability to communicate technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders, as well as leadership teams.

Preferred Skills and Qualifications

• Advanced Degree: Master's or Ph.D. in a technical discipline such as electrical engineering, computer science, or a related field.
• Startup & External Engagement: Experience working in and/or with startups, industry leaders, and external research organizations to drive collaborative innovation.
• Agile Methodology: Familiarity with Agile development practices (e.g., Scrum or Kanban) and their application to technology prototyping and early-stage product development.
• Technology Scouting: Experience in scouting and evaluating emerging technologies, identifying trends that could lead to future competitive advantages.
• Business Acumen: Ability to assess the business value of technical innovations, with a focus on identifying solutions that meet market needs and address significant industry problems.

Join our team and help drive the next wave of foundational technologies that extend the capabilities of Cirrus Logic. If you're passionate about exploring uncharted technological frontiers and delivering disruptive innovations, we'd love to hear from you! Cirrus Logic strives to select the best qualified applicant for any opening. Different approaches, ideas and points of view are both valued and respected. Employment decisions are made on the basis of job-related criteria without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, genetic information, or any other classification protected by applicable law. #LI-CC1 #LI-Hybrid