Staff Software Application Engineer

Job Title

Staff Software Application Engineer

Role Summary

The Staff Software Application Engineer will work in the Customer Experience organization to ensure customer success with SiFive IP and datacenter hardware development platforms. This is a senior individual contributor role focused on technical escalation, customer-facing support, training, documentation, and benchmarking.

SiFive is a commercial pioneer in RISC-V processor IP and this role supports deployment and optimization of those solutions for datacenter customers.

Experience Level

Senior (Staff) - typically 5+ years of relevant, customer-facing technical experience.

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities center on technical support, escalation, enablement, and improving software and documentation for datacenter platforms.

• Provide technical support for customers using SiFive IP; troubleshoot simulations, toolchains, firmware, and operating systems.
• Serve as the technical escalation point for customer issues and represent customer needs to internal teams.
• Explain technical specifications and usage; create and deliver demonstrations across simulation, emulation, and real hardware.
• Characterize performance and run benchmarks on simulation, emulation, and silicon platforms.
• Collaborate with engineering, sales, and marketing to communicate product value and resolve technical problems.
• Create and present customer trainings and hands-on enablement sessions using debuggers, board hardware, and related tools.
• Improve documentation, write application notes, and contribute to knowledge-base content.
• Lead resolution of difficult customer problems and share best practices with the applications engineering team.

Requirements

Must-have skills and experience:

• 5+ years of relevant experience, including customer-facing technical support or applications engineering.
• Strong background in computer architecture and software development using C/C++ and assembly.
• Familiarity with GNU toolchains, debugger software and hardware, and debug & trace tools.
• Experience with the Linux kernel and at least one RTOS.
• Practical experience with Linux, Git, Jira, and Confluence.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and the ability to deliver training.
• Self-starter, fast learner, and strong problem solver.

Preferred / nice-to-have:

• Experience supporting semiconductor IP or processor customers, including waveform analysis and visual trace tools.
• Knowledge of server hardware and software development on Linux platforms.
• Experience influencing cross-functional decisions without direct management authority.
• Prior experience operating as a trusted technical contributor at staff level.

Education Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent practical experience.

About the Company

Company: SiFive

Headquarters: San Mateo, California, United States

SiFive is a pioneering company in the RISC-V ecosystem, focused on transforming the future of computing by delivering high-performance, data-intensive RISC-V solutions. Their compute platforms empower leading technology firms to innovate across various markets, including AI, machine learning, and automotive sectors. SiFive is recognized for its commitment to ongoing innovation and fostering collaboration among talented teams, impacting lives by enabling advanced chip design.