M/F / PostDoc / Energy-proportional on-chip communication networks for multi-chiplet systems

Job Description

Missions

The rise of large AI models, especially LLMs and transformers, is dramatically increasing demands for computation, memory, and communication. This shift is accompanied by a move toward multi-chiplet architectures, which improve modularity, integration density, and design flexibility. In these systems, on-chip networks play a central role. They provide interconnectivity between compute cores, memories, specialized accelerators, and inter-chiplet interfaces. However, traditional NoCs remain poorly suited to AI workloads. Their consumption is not always proportional to actual activity, and their behavior adapts poorly to traffic variability. It is therefore necessary to design energy-proportional on-chip networks capable of adapting both their power consumption and communication mechanisms to the actual level of utilization, while still meeting the performance requirements of AI applications. This postdoctoral project aims to explore, design, and evaluate energy-proportional NoC architectures for AI-oriented multi-chiplet systems. The work will focus on four main areas. It will involve characterizing the traffic generated by different model families, including LLMs, transformers, and GNNs. The goal is to identify critical phases, dominant communication patterns, and the temporal variability of exchanges. Representative benchmarks will need to be developed to assess the suitability of NoCs for real-world use cases. The project will study reconfigurable topologies, selective power-gating mechanisms, adaptive routing strategies, and techniques for dynamically managing links, buffers, and data flow control mechanisms (synchronous or asynchronous). The challenge is to reduce energy consumption without excessively degrading performance. The proposed solutions will be evaluated using network-on-chip simulation tools, notably BookSim, combined with adapted energy models. The analysis will rely on metrics such as power consumption, latency, throughput, temporal variability, and hardware cost. A comparison with the state of the art will be expected. The project may include interaction with software and algorithmic layers in order to adapt certain communication schemes to the constraints of energy-proportional NoCs. Techniques such as compression, quantization, or traffic reduction may also be investigated.

Activity

The planned activities fall within the scope of a postdoctoral researcher. This includes proposing new concepts and theories, carrying out experiments, proactively disseminating the work through journals and conferences, and actively participating in a variety of tasks as part of the collaborative project of the ASIC program agency.

Your Profil

Skills

The candidate must hold a PhD in systems architecture, microelectronics, embedded systems, or NoC design. Experience in modeling, simulation, or prototyping of network-on-chip architectures will be highly valued. Proficiency with tools such as BookSim or OMNeT++, as well as programming languages such as C, SystemC, or VHDL, will be an asset. Skills in energy evaluation using McPAT, CACTI, or any other solution for estimating power consumption will also be sought. Experience with FPGA or ASIC flows would be a plus. Finally, the candidate must demonstrate autonomy, rigor, a strong sense of teamwork, and excellent command of scientific English.

Your Work Environment

Team-based research, in interaction with other team members working on related topics and the other partners in the collaborative project. The position is located in an area subject to the protection of scientific and technical potential (PPST) and therefore requires, in accordance with regulations, that your arrival be authorized by the competent authority of the French ministry of education and research.

Constraints and risks

NA

Compensation and benefits

Compensation

from 3071€ gross per month, depending on experience.

Annual leave and RTT

44 jours

Remote Working practice and compensation

Pratique et indemnisation du TT

Transport

Prise en charge à 75% du coût et forfait mobilité durable jusqu’à 300€

About the offer

About the CNRS

The CNRS is a major player in fundamental research on a global scale. The CNRS is the only French organization active in all scientific fields. Its unique position as a multi-specialist allows it to bring together different disciplines to address the most important challenges of the contemporary world, in connection with the actors of change.

CNRS

The research professions