Lead Compiler Engineer — Python to C++ for Embedded

Code Metal, Inc.; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 170,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health care plan with 100% premium

401k with 5% matching

Paid Time Off

Flexible hybrid or remote work

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Code Metal in San Francisco is building a new generation of translation tools that turn Python into correct, deployable C++ for embedded systems. You will lead the architecture of the translation pipeline, from parsing and semantic analysis through IR design to C++ code generation, ensuring Python semantics are preserved in a statically typed output.

Join a team applying formal methods, differential testing, and LLM-assisted generation to produce verifiable code.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of professional software development in C++ and/or Python, shipping to real users.
• Experience building a compiler, transpiler, interpreter or language runtime: the end-to-end pipeline, not just one pass.
• Deep understanding of parsing, AST and IR design, type systems, IR transformations and code generation.
• Experience with compiler infrastructure such as Clang/LLVM, MLIR, GCC or equivalent.
• Strong modern C++: templates, value semantics, undefined behaviour, and how source code maps to the machine.
• Solid delivery fundamentals: code review, testing, CI/CD and build systems.
• A track record of leading large technical projects in a team, and turning stakeholder needs into designs.
• Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Top Secret security clearance

Responsibilities

• Design and evolve the pipeline’s IR, analysis passes and C++ code generation, keeping the core independent of any one source language.
• Build type inference and lowering for dynamic Python features: arbitrary-precision integers, exceptions, generators, containers, and calls to the standard library and third-party libraries.
• Make semantic equivalence measurable, through differential testing against CPython, conformance suites and fuzzing.
• Integrate LLM-assisted generation where analysis falls short, with structured outputs and checks that catch its mistakes.
• Collaborate with verification and domain specialists to bring static analysis and formal methods into the pipeline.
• Set engineering standards for the codebase: tests, CI/CD, reproducible builds and code review.

Skills

7+ years of software development in C%

Compiler development/translation

Parsing/AST/IR design

Clang/LLVM/MLIR/GCC

Modern C++

CI/CD and testing

Project leadership

Tools

Clang/LLVM

MLIR

GCC

Job description

Code Metal in San Francisco is building a new generation of translation tools that turn Python into correct, deployable C++ for embedded systems. You will lead the architecture of the translation pipeline, from parsing and semantic analysis through IR design to C++ code generation, ensuring Python semantics are preserved in a statically typed output.

Join a team applying formal methods, differential testing, and LLM-assisted generation to produce verifiable code.