Risc-V Architect

Tenstorrent Inc.; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading AI technology firm in Toronto is looking for an experienced architect to shape their RISC-V CPU architecture. The role requires over 10 years of expertise in performance modeling and a solid grasp of RISC-V instruction sets. Candidates will analyze AI workloads and design custom CPU cores to enhance performance. This is a hybrid position offering a competitive compensation package.

Benefits

Highly competitive compensation

Benefits package

Equal opportunity employer

Qualifications

• Over 10 years of experience in CPU performance modeling and microarchitecture.
• Strong understanding of RISC-V instruction-set and compiler design.
• Familiar with open-source RISC-V cores and LLVM toolchains.

Responsibilities

• Analyze AI workloads to identify CPU performance requirements and bottlenecks.
• Architect custom RISC-V CPU cores optimized for performance, power, and area.
• Collaborate across teams to co-design next-gen compute architecture.

Skills

C++

Python

RISC-V instruction-set

Compiler design

Performance modeling

Job description

Overview

Tenstorrent is leading the industry on cutting-edge AI technology, revolutionizing performance expectations, ease of use, and cost efficiency. With AI redefining the computing paradigm, solutions must evolve to unify innovations in software models, compilers, platforms, networking, and semiconductors. Our diverse team of technologists have developed a high performance RISC-V CPU from scratch, and share a passion for AI and a deep desire to build the best AI platform possible. We value collaboration, curiosity, and a commitment to solving hard problems. We are growing our team and looking for contributors of all seniorities.

Our Tensix Team is building the future of AI compute with a ground-up architecture centered on scalable RISC-V processors. As we push performance boundaries, we’re reimagining the frontend of our RISC-V cores to deliver major gains in programmability, efficiency, and developer experience. This is a rare opportunity to shape the CPU architecture at the heart of our AI platform and lead one of the most strategic technical efforts at Tenstorrent.

This role is hybrid, based out of Toronto, ON or Austin, TX.

We welcome candidates at various experience levels. During the interview process, candidates will be assessed for the appropriate level, and offers will align with that level, which may differ from the one in this posting.

Who You Are

• An experienced architect with over 10 years in CPU performance modeling and microarchitecture.
• Proficient in C++ and Python, with a strong understanding of RISC-V instruction-set.
• Well versed in compiler design and how software stacks impact CPU performance and programmability.
• Familiar with open-source RISC-V cores and LLVM toolchains, including adding custom optimization passes.

What We Need

• Analyze AI workloads to identify CPU performance requirements and bottlenecks.
• Architect custom RISC-V CPU cores optimized for performance, power, and area.
• Design custom instructions that improve performance without sacrificing programmability.
• Collaborate across compilers, software, and hardware teams to co-design Tenstorrent’s next-gen compute architecture.

What You Will Learn

• How modern AI models stress CPU architecture and influence design decisions.
• The interplay between compiler design, CPU microarchitecture, and real-world performance.
• How Tenstorrent’s unified hardware-software stack enables breakthrough performance for general-purpose AI compute.

Tenstorrent offers a highly competitive compensation package and benefits, and we are an equal opportunity employer.

This offer of employment is contingent upon the applicant being eligible to access U.S. export-controlled technology. Due to U.S. export laws, including those codified in the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (EAR), the Company is required to ensure compliance with these laws when transferring technology to nationals of certain countries (such as EAR Country Groups D:1, E1, and E2). These requirements apply to persons located in the U.S. and all countries outside the U.S. As the position offered will have direct and/or indirect access to information, systems, or technologies subject to these laws, the offer may be contingent upon your citizenship/permanent residency status or ability to obtain prior license approval from the U.S. Commerce Department or applicable federal agency. If employment is not possible due to U.S. export laws, any offer of employment will be rescinded.