CPU Microarchitecture and Design Intern

Arm Limited; Valbonne; Remote; EUR 24,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Mentoring by experienced engineers

End of internship celebration

Graduate-position consideration

Job summary

Arm Limited invites applications for a 5 to 6 month internship focused on CPU microarchitecture and RTL design. Interns work on real technical problems using Arm's production codebase, with mentoring and a final presentation/report of findings.

Starting in 2027, the internship includes on-the-job learning, mentoring, and networking opportunities, plus a competitive salary of €27,000 per annum. A tripartite Convention de Stage is required in France.

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in final year of a Master’s degree in Electronics/Computer Engineering or related field.
• Available for a 5 to 6 month internship.
• Familiarity with CPU architecture fundamentals.
• Knowledge of HDL such as Verilog or SystemVerilog.
• Experience with Linux and at least one programming language.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of a technical topic with mentorship from an experienced engineer.
• Analyze microarchitecture and RTL design challenges and propose improvements.
• Develop or extend models and possibly implement RTL changes, then evaluate impact.
• Present findings to the team and summarise work in a final report.

Skills

CPU architecture basics

HDL knowledge

Linux experience

C/C++/Python

Communication skills

Education

Master’s student in Electronics/Computer Engineering or related field

Tools

Verilog/SystemVerilog

VHDL

Job description

Arm CPUs are everywhere, from the devices in your pocket to laptops, servers and increasingly AI and infrastructure systems! If you are interested in how those processors are designed and optimised at the microarchitectural and RTL level, this is the right internship offer!

Job Overview:

Our team defines, designs, implements and validates energy-efficient CPU hardware, balancing performance, power, area and frequency while meeting the requirements of Arm's partners.

We offer several internship topics focused on CPU microarchitecture and RTL design. Each topic focuses on a real technical problem within our production CPU design, with the exact mix of architectural exploration, modelling, implementation and verification varies by subject.

An intern is expected to take ownership of a specific technical topic with support from an experienced engineer who will mentor them throughout the internship.

Depending on the topic, an intern's work may involve understanding an existing microarchitecture, identifying limitations or opportunities, exploring alternative solutions, developing or extending models, implementing changes in production-quality RTL, and evaluating their impact on development metrics such as efficiency and performance.

Interns use the same codebase, models and engineering flows used by Arm CPU designers, and regularly present and discuss their findings with the team before summarising their work in a final presentation and report.

We are looking for individuals who:

• Are currently enrolled in their last year of Masters (BAC+5 or equivalent), in Electronic Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or other relevant field and available for a 5 to 6-month internship

Qualities that will help your application stand out:

Experience in all of the following is not required, but familiarity with some of these areas will help you succeed:

• Understanding of computer architecture fundamentals, such as microprocessors, CPU microarchitecture or ASIC design
• Familiarity with a hardware description language such as VHDL, Verilog or SystemVerilog
• Experience using Linux and at least one programming or scripting language, such as C, C++ or Python
• Ability to analyse technical problems and communicate your ideas clearly
• Good collaboration and communication skills

Additional Information:

We encourage early applications as we review them on a first come/first served basis.

Arm Internships require you to be enrolled in a higher education degree.

The internship duration is 6 months, starting in 2027.

French Law requires students to complete an internship agreement (Convention de Stage). This is a tripartite agreement signed by the student, their home university and host organization, that facilitates an internship in France. It is the contract defining all the essential points of the internship: duration, missions, remuneration and benefits, insurance in the event of an accident, etc.

It is preferable that Arm's own template of the agreement is used. Successful applicants will be required to provide contact details of the appropriate university representatives in order to have the agreement signed.

In Return:

Working on interesting new projects with leaders in the field is exciting, but we also know how important it is to receive support. That's why throughout your internship, you can expect regular feedback and development opportunities, social activities to connect with your peers, an end of internship celebration, plus the opportunity to be *considered for future Graduate positions (*subject to performance). #getreadytogrow

In addition to a competitive salary of €27,000 per annum, our on-the-job learning and mentoring/buddy schemes provide unparalleled learning and networking opportunities from the best in the industry.

#LI-NB1

Our 10x Mindset

At Arm, we believe progress happens when people are empowered to think bigger and push beyond what seems possible. Our 10x mindset is about curiosity, ambition and creating impact that will be used by millions. We learn fast, prioritise collaboration and turn bold ideas into real technology. We look for people who are inspired by this way of working and want to grow in an environment where bold ideas are welcomed. Discover how the 10x mindset shapes life at Arm: https://careers.arm.com/10x-mindset

Use of AI in Your Application

At Arm, we embrace the benefits AI can bring, including in recruitment. You may use AI to support your preparation, such as improving the clarity of written responses, practicing interview questions, or learning more about our industry. However, your application and interview responses must reflect your own thinking, experience, and abilities. We want to understand your authentic perspective, creativity, and approach to problem solving. As such, you may not use AI to complete assigned tasks as part of any assessments. If you plan to use AI-supported or assistive technologies as part of a reasonable adjustment, please contact [e-mail] so we can support you.

Recruitment Adjustments and Accommodations

At Arm, we want to build extraordinary teams. If you need an adjustment or an accommodation during the recruitment process, please email [e-mail]. To note, by sending us the requested information, you consent to its use by Arm to arrange for appropriate accommodations. All accommodation or adjustment requests will be treated with confidentiality, and information concerning these requests will only be disclosed as necessary to provide the accommodation. Although this is not an exhaustive list, examples of support include breaks between interviews, having documents read aloud, or office accessibility. Please email us about anything we can do to accommodate you during the recruitment process.

Hybrid Working

Arm’s approach to hybrid working is designed to create a working environment that supports both high performance and personal wellbeing. We believe in bringing people together face to face to enable us to work at pace, whilst recognizing the value of flexibility. Within that framework, we empower groups/teams to determine their own hybrid working patterns, depending on the work and the team’s needs. Details of what this means for each role will be shared upon application. In some cases, the flexibility we can offer is limited by local legal, regulatory, tax, or other considerations, and where this is the case, we will collaborate with you to find the best solution. Please talk to us to find out more about what this could look like for you.

Equal Opportunities

Arm is an equal opportunity employer, committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal opportunities are available to all applicants and colleagues. We are a diverse organization of dedicated and innovative individuals, and don’t discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.