Senior Software Compute Architect (f/m/d)

Job Title

Senior Software Compute Architect (f/m/d)

Role Summary

Senior engineer responsible for defining the software architecture for a hybrid electronic/photonic compute engine. The role owns programming model, compiler, runtime, and workload-placement strategies to enable dynamic execution across heterogeneous compute paths.

Work with architecture and hardware teams to drive hardware/software co-design, evaluate AI workloads, and enable scalable runtime and library support for the platform. Position is based in Aachen, Germany.

Experience Level

Senior-level. The posting requests 5+ years of relevant experience in compiler, runtime, or systems software for accelerated, heterogeneous, or specialized compute platforms.

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities include defining software abstractions, implementing compiler/runtime strategies, and validating architecture decisions against AI benchmarks.

• Define programming model, instruction abstractions, and software interfaces exposing hybrid electronic/photonic compute to compilers, libraries, and frameworks.
• Own compiler, runtime, and library strategy to map workloads and kernels to optimal compute paths.
• Develop performance models for AI workloads (including transformer/LLM training and inference) to evaluate hardware/software configurations.
• Partner with hardware architects to co-design interface contracts, telemetry, and control mechanisms for dynamic workload movement.
• Specify software and firmware strategies for scale-up and scale-out execution, including workload distribution and routing across nodes and systems.
• Prototype kernels, libraries, and runtime concepts and validate them on real AI benchmarks.
• Evaluate candidate architectures and provide guidance for system-level decisions focused on performance and efficiency.

Requirements

Must-have technical skills and experience for immediate contribution; nice-to-have items listed separately.

• 5+ years building compiler, runtime, or systems software for accelerated, heterogeneous, or specialized compute platforms.
• Strong compiler architecture experience (LLVM, MLIR, or comparable infrastructure) targeting custom accelerators or heterogeneous hardware.
• Experience defining instruction sets, programming models, or hardware/software abstractions for novel compute architectures.
• Proven experience optimizing kernels and libraries for AI workloads across multiple hardware backends.
• Experience modeling performance for AI workloads (LLM training and inference) across different hardware architectures.
• Understanding of scale-up and scale-out systems software: workload distribution, runtime scheduling, and accelerator control-plane interactions.
• Proven ability to collaborate with hardware architects on shared interfaces and system-level design decisions.
• Practical experience with compiler/runtime and AI ecosystems (examples: LLVM/MLIR, Triton, CUTLASS-like DSLs, PyTorch, JAX) and languages/tools such as Python and C++.
• Familiarity with profiling and performance-modeling tools for architecture exploration.
• Nice-to-have: familiarity with photonic/optical compute concepts; experience with CUDA, ROCm, oneAPI, or custom accelerator stacks; contributions to open compiler/runtime projects; exposure to firmware-level scheduling and accelerator control-plane design.

Education Requirements

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field is requested, or equivalent practical experience.

About the Company

Company: Black Semiconductor

Headquarters: Aachen, Germany

Black Semiconductor is revolutionizing the semiconductor industry with innovative graphene solutions that enhance chip connectivity and efficiency. By merging electronic computing and photonic communication, the company aims to reshape how chips interact, driving significant advancements in power and speed. Their human-centered approach fosters collaboration and continuous learning, making it a dynamic place for professionals to grow and make an impact.