Lead Software Engineer, Kernels
MatXJob Title
Lead Software Engineer, Kernels
Role Summary
Lead and grow a hands-on kernel engineering team that designs and implements high-performance compute kernels for specialized AI hardware. Set technical direction, execute on kernel development, and collaborate closely with ML research and hardware engineering teams to co-design performant software/hardware integration.
Experience Level
Senior / Lead role. Requires at least 2+ years of engineering team management and 7+ years of engineering experience working on low-level or performance software.
Responsibilities
The role combines people leadership with active individual contribution on kernel implementation and optimization.
- Manage, mentor, and grow a team of specialized kernel engineers and software developers.
- Design, implement, and optimize compute kernels that interface directly with proprietary hardware.
- Contribute code and performance work (parallelism, SIMD, low-level optimizations, assembly where needed).
- Partner with ML Research and Hardware Engineering to maximize model performance and instrumentation/diagnostics.
- Provide programmer-focused guidance on hardware architecture and ensure smooth software/hardware integration.
- Set technical direction, prioritize work, and align stakeholders on infrastructure and kernel decisions.
Requirements
Must-have technical skills, workplace requirements, and constraints.
- Proven experience optimizing software for specialized hardware using parallelism, SIMD, assembly-level techniques, or GPU/CUDA programming.
- Proficiency in at least one low-level language: assembly, C++, C, Zig, or Rust.
- Experience navigating ambiguity, managing escalations, and aligning stakeholders on infrastructure trade-offs.
- Strong communication and collaboration skills; ability to explain technical trade-offs to founders and cross-functional stakeholders.
- Ability to work from the Mountain View office Tuesday–Thursday; candidates must be authorized to work in the United States.
- This position requires access to information subject to U.S. export controls and is contingent on compliance with those laws without a license.
Education Requirements
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or an equivalent degree is specified; equivalent practical experience is acceptable. Relevant technical fields include Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related technical disciplines.
About the Company
Company: MatX
Headquarters: Mountain View, California, USA
MatX specializes in creating faster chips for large language models (LLMs), focusing on innovative hardware and software solutions. The company fosters a collaborative and supportive work environment, welcoming candidates of all experience levels. Their approach prioritizes deep understanding and consideration of novel methods to drive efficiency and performance in their projects, particularly in silicon design and related engineering roles.
