Senior System Software Engineer - CPU SoC Boot Firmware

Job Title

Senior System Software Engineer - CPU SoC Boot Firmware

Role Summary

Design and implement boot firmware for NVIDIA flagship CPUs used in embedded, automotive, and data center platforms. The role sits on the Chips System Software team and covers pre-silicon validation, silicon verification, and productization of secure, safety-conscious boot features.

Experience Level

Senior — typically 5+ years of relevant embedded/firmware experience.

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities include development, verification, and cross-team integration of CPU boot firmware and related tooling.

• Implement robust bootloader and early firmware features that meet security and safety guidelines.
• Define, decompose, and verify functional and safety requirements and software architecture.
• Perform failure-mode analysis (FMEA/DFA) on bootloader functionality and architecture.
• Validate firmware on pre-silicon simulation platforms before tapeout.
• Participate in silicon bring-up, post-silicon debugging, and productization support.
• Collaborate with internal and external teams to integrate firmware and system components.
• Improve development processes and tools, including automation and AI-assisted workflows.

Requirements

Must-have technical skills and experience, plus a few distinguishing qualifications.

• Must-have: 5+ years of embedded software/firmware experience; strong proficiency in C and Python; detailed and extensive Linux kernel experience; ARM/SoC and bare-metal programming experience; experience with embedded software verification and bootloaders; experience performing failure analysis; strong communication and collaboration skills.
• Must-have: Practical knowledge of security and functional-safety considerations for semiconductor projects.
• Nice-to-have: Experience using AI coding tools (e.g., Codex) or creating agentic AI tools; prior automotive SoC or productization experience.

Education Requirements

BS or MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or Computer Engineering — or equivalent practical experience.

About the Company

Company: NVIDIA

Headquarters: Santa Clara, California, USA

NVIDIA is a global leader in accelerated computing, renowned for its innovative solutions in AI and digital twins that transform diverse industries. The company specializes in networking technologies, providing end-to-end InfiniBand and Ethernet solutions for servers and storage that optimize performance and scalability. NVIDIA serves sectors such as high-performance computing, enterprise data centers, and cloud computing, constantly reinventing its products and services to stay ahead in the market.