A Dream Career: Seeing Software As The Soul Of Our Hardware

If you’re thinking of joining the tech world, then Intel is a great place to find a role tailored to your interests and skills. We talked to Daniele Ludovici, Director of Engineering. He discussed the inclusive culture at Intel and the position of the business at the forefront of technology.

Tell us a little bit about your career path.

I started as a Software Engineer and then became the manager of a small team of seven. After further promotion, I led a team in India and Israel. Since last year, I manage an even bigger team across Europe including Poland, Spain and Sweden. I am now managing around 80 employees. There is a lot of passion and commitment to the job.

Explain your role a bit more?

I work in a software division of Intel. We develop simulators and aim to get more done earlier in the product life cycle. This is called ’shift left’, which means allowing hardware and software to be developed in parallel. We then deliver our simulator to internal and external customers. The aim is to have more mature, stable and better software.  It’s a very interesting and challenging job as we have very limited time during the project to make an impact. We are always discussing the solutions we provide with customers and it’s really motivating to know that customers are depending on our work.

What attracted you to Intel?

Intel was and still is my dream company because it’s all about innovation and technology. I wanted to work on cutting-edge technology and Intel is one of the few companies that allows you to look even beyond that. The latest architecture in the market, the newest technology that is going to be unleashed… you have a chance to be permanently at the forefront of innovation.

Doing my PhD at university, I worked on different projects, learned many skills and fell in love with both computer architecture and software design. Now at Intel, my team develops system-level functional simulators that combine both my passions – a dream come true!

Intel is also strongly positioned in the market, because of its unique combination of manufacturing and design capabilities. Additionally, the strategy of building more capacity in Europe and the US is going to enable us to build a more geographically balanced and resilient semiconductor supply chain to better serve customers around the world.

Have you had any particularly interesting experiences?

I’ve travelled to many interesting countries like Mexico, Malaysia, India, Israel, Singapore, China and more. These were eye-opening experiences for me. So many different people with a very different background contributing to the same company vision. I also very much value the fact that Intel supports and encourages employees to give back to their local communities through volunteering projects. I feel really fortunate to be part of the Intel family.

Working at Intel allows me to see and work with different cultures in a way I hadn’t expected before. I come from a small town in Italy, so thanks to this company I’ve travelled around the world, and I feel it’s a real blessing.

Do you think Intel has a diverse and inclusive culture?

Absolutely! I moved to Germany without speaking a single word of German and thanks to the fact that the business language is English, I could start contributing from day one. At the same time, the company helped me with initial German courses and provided the right level of flexibility to allow me to study and work. I feel that I have developed as an engineer, but most importantly, as a person. Today, after 10+ years at Intel, I keep developing myself in ways I could not imagine in the beginning, and I see the same in other colleagues with whom I’ve shared this journey. We are a people company at heart. As Andy Bryant (retired Intel Chairman) once said: “The ingredient we begin with is sand. Everything else is value added by people.”

Intel fosters a culture of inclusion and diversity, which is fantastic. We have people from all over the world in my team: Italy, India, France, Russia, Israel, Syria, Germany, etc. It’s a very energizing and motivating environment where many different cultures come together. There is a commitment to make it even better and more inclusive. And with a more diverse culture, there will be more disruptive ideas – which is valued because we want diverse opinions to be represented. This is a very important job for a manager; to get everyone to bring their ideas to the table. As a tech business, we need everyone to present their opinions. 

Why should people join Intel?

Well, apart from the work itself, there is a lot of flexibility. There is hybrid working, we have wellness days every quarter, and people are encouraged to spend time with friends and family. The environment is very important to me, and we have a good work environment in Germany. I can see the alps outside my office in Munich. So, Intel enables you to have a good life, to work for a great company, and to build your own dreams.

Ready to do more with your career? At Intel, we give you the freedom to push ideas and yourself. If this sounds like your kind of challenge, you should join our team.

Find out more about jobs at Intel Germany.