Software Performance Architect

Job Title

Software Performance Architect

Role Summary

The role sits on the CPU Technology team and focuses on analysing software workloads and benchmarks to identify software and hardware optimisation opportunities for next-generation Arm CPUs. You will collaborate with compiler, OS, application, modelling and CPU design teams to implement and validate performance improvements across models, emulators and real devices.

This is a hybrid engineering role that drives performance validation, test development, and cross-team technical activities to influence CPU design and software stacks.

Experience Level

Mid-level — several years of relevant professional experience in software, hardware, or applied mathematics (typical mid-career role).

Responsibilities

Primary duties include performance analysis, test development, cross-team collaboration, and communicating technical results.

• Analyse benchmarks and workloads to identify software and hardware optimisation opportunities and CPU performance limits.
• Write and extract performance tests from existing software and run them on C/C++ models, emulators and real devices (laptops, smartphones, servers) across operating systems.
• Collaborate with compiler, OS, application, modelling and CPU design teams to implement, validate and prioritise improvements.
• Drive technical activities and performance validation methodology.
• Present technical results to business teams and partners.

Requirements

Key qualifications and skills. Must-have items are listed first; nice-to-have items follow.

• Must-have: Several years of professional experience in software, hardware, or applied mathematics; proven software programming experience and technical ownership.
• Must-have: Able to work independently and in cross-functional teams; effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Nice-to-have: Experience in performance-sensitive domains such as HPC, machine learning, distributed systems, mobile applications, multimedia or databases.
• Nice-to-have: Strong development skills in one or more high-level languages (C, C++, Java, Rust).
• Nice-to-have: Experience with software performance analysis on Android (big.LITTLE), Windows, Linux and knowledge of OS settings that affect performance (power management, frequency governors).
• Nice-to-have: Familiarity with CPU performance methodology and tools (PMU-based methods, TDA, linux perf, Intel VTune, perfetto/simpleperf) and aarch64 assembly.
• Nice-to-have: Knowledge of CPU architecture and microarchitecture performance techniques (branch prediction, prefetchers) and experience adapting experimental code to test new architectures.

Education Requirements

Bachelor's degree from a university or engineering school in Computer Science, Mathematics, Electronic/Electrical Engineering or a related scientific field, or equivalent practical experience.

About the Company

Company: Arm

Headquarters: Cambridge, United Kingdom

ARM is a global leader in semiconductor and software design, driving innovation in computing technology. The company specializes in designing processors and systems that provide the essential building blocks for electronic devices. ARM's architecture is widely used in smartphones, servers, and IoT devices, and its collaborative culture fosters bold thinking, diversity, and high-impact benefits for its talented workforce.