Principal AI Compiler Engineer

Job Title

Principal AI Compiler Engineer

Role Summary

Design and implement a production-grade AI compiler toolchain to map neural network models onto NXP SoC platforms. Work with hardware architects, software teams, and ML engineers to translate high-level AI models into optimized, energy-efficient executables for CPUs and custom accelerators.

The role emphasizes hardware-software co-design, performance tuning, and automation using AI agents to improve compiler workflows and developer experience.

Experience Level

Senior-level (Principal). Years of experience not specified.

Responsibilities

Key responsibilities include architecting compiler components, integrating with ML frameworks, and driving performance and correctness for inference workloads.

• Own design, implementation, and evolution of an AI-driven compiler toolchain for mapping neural networks to NXP SoCs.
• Develop graph transformations, lowering, scheduling, and code generation strategies for CPUs and custom accelerators.
• Integrate and support leading AI frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow, ONNX) and expedite onboarding of new model architectures and operators.
• Advance quantization, operator fusion, memory planning, and layout transformations to improve latency, throughput, and power efficiency.
• Collaborate with hardware and software architects and kernel developers to co-design compiler and accelerator features.
• Use profiling and AI-enabled diagnostics to identify and resolve performance bottlenecks.
• Build and maintain validation, benchmarking, and regression pipelines to ensure compiler correctness and performance across releases.
• Improve developer experience through better tooling, diagnostics, and documentation; leverage AI agents for automation and user support.

Requirements

Core technical must-haves are listed first, followed by desirable skills.

• Deep experience building AI compilers, accelerator backends, or graph-optimization frameworks.
• Strong expertise in graph optimization and performance tuning for NPUs or custom accelerators.
• Experience with MLIR, LLVM, TVM-like systems, or similar compiler IRs.
• Proficient in C/C++ and Python.
• Solid understanding of AI inference workloads (CNNs, transformers, perception or generative models) and related performance trade-offs.
• Experience integrating with PyTorch, TensorFlow, ONNX, or similar frameworks.
• Experience with profiling, diagnostics, and performance regression testing.
• Strong communication skills and experience working in agile/Scrum teams.
• Nice-to-have: experience with quantization strategies, operator fusion, memory planning, layout transforms, and AI-driven automation agents.

Education Requirements

MS or PhD (or equivalent practical experience) in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field.

About the Company

Company: NXP Semiconductors

Headquarters: Nijmegen, Netherlands

NXP Semiconductors N.V. is a global semiconductor company that provides High Performance Mixed Signal and Standard Product solutions. With over 45,000 employees and operations in more than 35 countries, NXP is a leader in secure connectivity solutions for embedded applications, catering to automotive, industrial IoT, mobile, and communication infrastructure markets. The company is committed to innovation and sustainability, advancing a smarter, safer, and more sustainable world through technology.