Staff, CPU Architecture & Performance Research Engineer

Samsung Semiconductor • San Jose, CA

6h • Onsite

About The Position

Our technology solutions power the tools you use every day--including smartphones, electric vehicles, hyperscale data centers, IoT devices, and so much more. Here, you’ll have an opportunity to be part of a global leader whose innovative designs are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and powering the future.
We believe innovation and growth are driven by an inclusive culture and a diverse workforce. We’re dedicated to empowering people to be their true selves. Together, we’re building a better tomorrow for our employees, customers, partners, and communities.
Architecture Research Lab is looking for Staff CPU Architecture & Performance Engineer to drive detailed performance analysis and architectural optimization for current and next-generation CPU (RISC-V) cores. This role focuses on deep ownership of performance-critical micro-architectural domains, workload analysis, and data-driven recommendations that influence core architecture decisions.
You will work closely with architects, design, compiler, and system teams to evaluate trade-offs, identify bottlenecks, and improve performance across real-world workloads
Location: Daily onsite presence at our San Jose office in alignment with our Flexible Work policy
Job ID: 42850

Requirements

• Master’s in Computer Engineering, Computer Science or related filed with 8+ years of experience or PhD in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field with 5+ years of experience.
• 5+ 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.
• Experience analyzing large performance datasets and traces.
• Familiarity with compiler optimizations and hardware/software co-design..
• Proven ability - prior tapeout experience.

Nice To Haves

• Background in power/performance/area (PPA) trade-off analysis.
• Experience / Familiarity with SIMD / Vectors / VME for AI inference workloads..
• Prior leadership guiding junior engineers.
• Prior patent / publication experience.
• You’re inclusive, adapting your style to the situation and diverse global norms of our people.
• You approach challenges with curiosity and resilience, seeking data to help build understanding.
• You’re collaborative, building relationships, humbly offering support and openly welcoming approaches.
• Innovative and creative, you proactively explore new ideas and adapt quickly to change.

Responsibilities

• Own performance analysis for one or more CPU microarchitectural domains (e.g., frontend, execution engine, memory subsystem).
• Build, extend, and validate architectural performance models and simulators.
• Perform CPI/IPC breakdowns and root-cause performance bottlenecks.
• Evaluate microarchitectural features and optimizations using trace-driven, analytical, and cycle-accurate models.
• Characterize workloads and benchmarks (SPEC, server, client, AI/ML, internal traces).
• Translate performance data into clear architectural recommendations.
• 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level