Principal, CPU Architecture & Performance Research Engineer
About The Position
Architecture Research Lab is seeking Principal CPU Architecture & Performance Engineer to lead the definition, analysis, and optimization of next-generation CPU microarchitectures (RISC-V core). This role is focused on end-to-end performance: from architectural trade-offs and workload characterization to micro-architectural modeling, simulation, and silicon bring-up correlation. You will work closely with architecture, design, compiler, and system teams to drive performance and efficiency across a broad set of real-world workloads Location: Daily onsite presence at our San Jose office in alignment with our Flexible Work policy Job ID: 42849
Requirements
- Master’s with 18+ years of experience in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.
- or PhD with 15+ years of experience preferred.
- 10+ years of experience in CPU microarchitecture and/or performance engineering.
- Experience with RISC-V, ARM or X86 architectures.
- Strong understanding of: Out-of-order execution, branch prediction, pipelines, and speculation
- Cache coherence, memory systems, prefetching, and NUMA effects
- Hands-on experience with architectural simulators (like gem5).
- Strong programming skills in C/C++ and Python.
- Familiarity with compiler optimizations and hardware/software co-design.
- Familiarity with SIMD / Vectors / VME for AI inference workloads.
- Experience analyzing large performance datasets and traces.
- Proven ability (Tapeout / Patents /Publications) to influence architecture / micro architectural decisions through quantitative analysis.
Nice To Haves
- Background in power/performance/area (PPA) trade-off analysis.
- Experience with SIMD/Vectors.
- Experience with compiler optimizations and hardware/software co-design.
- Prior technical leadership at Senior Staff or Principal level.
Responsibilities
- Define and evaluate CPU micro-architectural features for future cores (frontend, execution engine, memory hierarchy, interconnect).
- Lead performance analysis using simulators, RTL.
- Help develop and validate performance models (cycle-accurate, trace-driven, statistical).
- Characterize workloads (SPEC, server, client, AI/ML, cloud, internal traces) and translate findings into architectural requirements.
- Identify performance bottlenecks and propose data-driven optimizations.
- Drive architecture-to-implementation alignment with design team.
- Collaborate with compiler, OS, and system architects on cross-stack performance issues.
- Mentor senior and staff engineers; provide technical leadership across projects.
- Work leading to patents and publication
Benefits
- Give Back With a charitable giving match and frequent opportunities to get involved, we take an active role in supporting the community.
- Enjoy Time Away You’ll start with 4+ weeks of paid time off a year, plus holidays and sick leave, to rest and recharge.
- Care for Family Whatever family means to you, we want to support you along the way—including a stipend for fertility care or adoption, medical travel support, and virtual vet care for your fur babies.
- Prioritize Emotional Wellness With on-demand apps and free confidential therapy sessions, you’ll have support no matter where you are.
- Stay Fit Eating well and being active are important parts of a healthy life. Our onsite Café and gym, plus virtual classes, make it easier.
- Embrace Flexibility Benefits are best when you have the space to use them. That’s why we facilitate a flexible environment so you can find the right balance for you.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Principal
Education Level
Ph.D. or professional degree
