"Alerted.org

At Cadence, we hire and develop leaders and innovators who want to make an impact on the world of technology.

Senior Manager/Director, Corporate Strategy & Development – Physical AI/Robotics

Role Summary

We’re seeking a corporate strategy leader who blends strategic acuity with hands ‑ on technical depth to accelerate our momentum in Physical AI and robotics. You will shape corporate growth strategies and spearhead inorganic initiatives—including M&A, direct investments, and LP commitments—while orchestrating cross ‑ functional execution with Product, R&D, Finance, Legal, and GTM. This is a high ‑ visibility role for a builder–strategist who loves diving into markets, technology stacks, and deal processes—then crafting executive ‑ ready narratives that inspire action.

Description

• Create and refine corporate growth strategies with a dedicated focus on Physical AI/robotics—market maps, product–market fit analyses, and executive storylines that turn insights into decisions.

• Develop investment thesis on the Physical AI stack (robots, middleware, simulation, training, deployment) and quantify where and how Cadence can create differentiated value.

• Build a high ‑ quality pipeline of direct investment targets and LP opportunities; run thesis ‑ driven sourcing and diligence, and prepare investment memos for leadership.

• Partner with product and engineering to assess buy/build/partner options—including co ‑ development, strategic partnerships, minority investments, and acquisitions.

• Lead end ‑ to ‑ end corporate development execution: source, evaluate, negotiate, and close transactions; partner with integration team to drive plans that realize strategic and financial value.

• Establish mechanisms for fast ‑ turn competitive intelligence, annual market sizing/forecasting, and executive dashboards that inform capital allocation and portfolio bets.

Expected Impact in 6–12 Months

• Stand up an operating cadence for executive reporting on the Physical AI landscape.• Deliver investment thesis on Physical AI/robotics for executive review.

• Close 3-4 partnerships/investments/acquisitions.

Minimum Qualifications

• BS in Engineering (minimum) and 6+ years of relevant experience spanning corporate strategy, corporate development, venture investing, or product/engineering roles in robotics.

• Familiarity with the entire physical AI/robotics policy training and validation pipeline, including hands-on experience with modern simulation environments (e.g. Isaac Sim, Gazebo, Drake), deep understanding of physics-based simulation tools and engines (e.g. PhysX, MuJoCo), and proficiency in development frameworks and middleware (e.g. ROS/ROS2).

• Proven end ‑ to ‑ end M&A execution experience: sourcing, diligence, valuation/modeling, negotiation, close, and integration planning.

• Investment acumen: skilled at building theses, conducting technical/market/product diligence, drafting memos, and recommending direct investments and LP commitments.

• Executive communication: ability to distill complex technical and market insights into crisp narratives, visuals, and decision ‑ ready materials.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree (MS, MBA) or equivalent; publications or demonstrated thought leadership in robotics/AI.

• Familiarity with reinforcement learning, imitation learning, and sim ‑ to ‑ real transfer; practical exposure to datasets, synthetic data generation, and evaluation protocols.

• Track record of cross ‑ functional leadership with Product, R&D, Finance, Legal, and GTM; comfort operating in ambiguous, fast ‑ moving environments.

Ways of Working

• Builder–operator mindset: strategic rigor matched with willingness to get into the technical and financial details.

• Data ‑ to ‑ narrative craftsmanship: turn analysis into compelling executive materials and operating mechanisms.

• Bias for partnership: co ‑ create outcomes with engineering, product, and external innovators.

The annual salary range for California is $144,200 to $267,800. You may also be eligible to receive incentive compensation: bonus, equity, and benefits. Sales positions generally offer a competitive On Target Earnings (OTE) incentive compensation structure. Please note that the salary range is a guideline and compensation may vary based on factors such as qualifications, skill level, competencies and work location. Our benefits programs include: paid vacation and paid holidays, 401(k) plan with employer match, employee stock purchase plan, a variety of medical, dental and vision plan options, and more.

We’re doing work that matters. Help us solve what others can’t.

Additional Jobs (https://cadence.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/addl\_jobs)

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy:

Cadence is committed to equal employment opportunity throughout all levels of the organization.

+ Read the policy(opens in a new tab) (https://www.cadence.com/content/dam/cadence-www/global/en\_US/documents/company/careers/equal-employment-opportunity-policy.pdf)

We welcome your interest in the company and want to make sure our job site is accessible to all. If you experience difficulty using this site or to request a reasonable accommodation, please contact [email protected].

Privacy Policy:

Job Applicant If you are a job seeker creating a profile using our careers website, please see the privacy policy(opens in a new tab) (https://www.cadence.com/en\_US/home/privacy/privacy-policy.html) .

E-Verify Cadence participates in the

E-Verify program in certain U.S. locations as required by law. Download More Information on E-Verify (64K) (https://www.cadence.com/content/dam/cadence-www/global/en\_US/documents/company/careers/e-verify-participation-poster.pdf)

Cadence plays a critical role in creating the technologies that modern life depends on. We are a global electronic design automation company, providing software, hardware, and intellectual property to design advanced semiconductor chips that enable our customers create revolutionary products and experiences.

Thanks to the outstanding caliber of the Cadence team and the empowering culture that we have cultivated for over 25 years, Cadence continues to be recognized by Fortune Magazine as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For.

Our shared passion for solving the world’s toughest technical challenges, our dedication to pushing the limits of the industry, and our drive to do meaningful work differentiates the people of Cadence.

Cadence is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, basis of disability, or any other protected class.

Cadence is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, basis of disability, or any other protected class.