Mojo Back-End Compiler Engineer

OpenKrill; United States; On-site; USD 180,000 - 270,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare coverage

RSU grants

Paid time off

Learning opportunities

Job summary

Modular, a Qualcomm company, is seeking a compiler engineer to advance Mojo, a language blending the spirit of Python with the power of C, to unlock performance on CPUs, GPUs and accelerators. You will design a multi‑target compiler stack using MLIR and LLVM, collaborate with kernel authors and hardware engineers, and touch the language, IR, codegen and SDK.

US/Canada/UK candidates may apply; offices in Los Altos, CA or Edinburgh, or remote from home.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in compilers, runtimes, or language implementations.
• Hands-on mastery of C++ (Python fluency a plus).
• Experience with MLIR and LLVM.
• Experience optimizing code for CPUs, GPUs or AI accelerators.

Responsibilities

• Craft and implement new Mojo language features on top of our MLIR-based compiler.
• Dream up and realize optimization passes for GPUs, CPUs, and accelerators.
• Shape the developer experience for Mojo — from syntax to performance semantics.
• Collaborate with Modular core teams, researchers, and an emerging open-source community.
• Help define what next-generation language design means in AI.

Skills

Compiler development

C++ mastery

Python familiarity

MLIR/LLVM

GPU/CPU/Accelerator optimization

Real-world compiler project

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher in CS/SE

Tools

MLIR

LLVM

Job description

About Modular

At Modular, a Qualcomm company, we’re on a mission to revolutionize AI infrastructure by systematically rebuilding the AI software stack from the ground up. Our team, made up of industry leaders and experts, is building cutting‑edge, modular infrastructure that simplifies AI development and deployment. By rethinking the complexities of AI systems, we’re empowering everyone to unlock AI’s full potential and tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

If you’re passionate about shaping the future of AI and creating tools that make a real difference in people’s lives, we want you on our team. You can read about our culture and careers to understand how we work and what we value.

About the role

Mojo is our secret sauce, spell‑book, and Mjolnir — a new programming language that blends the soul of Python with the raw, elemental power of C. It’s designed to unlock every ounce of performance from modern AI hardware, while still being human-friendly and beautifully expressive.

We are searching for a compiler engineer who can help make Mojo the best language for heterogenous programming for CPUs, GPUs and hardware accelerators.

You will be designing a multi-target compiler technology stack, based on MLIR and LLVM. You will be collaborating with kernel authors and hardware engineers to get best performance for each hardware target.

We are a small team with no internal boundaries. You will end up touching everything in the Mojo land, from language to IR to codegen to SDK and user experience.

Location

Candidates based in the US, Canada, and UK are welcome to apply. You can work in our office in Los Altos, CA, or Edinburgh, or remotely from home. Onboarding for new hires is conducted in-person at the appropriate office.

What you will do

• Craft and implement new Mojo language features on top our MLIR-based compiler architecture.
• Dream up and realize optimization passes that make GPUs, CPUs, and accelerators sing in harmony.
• Shape the developer experience for Mojo — from syntax to performance semantics.
• Collaborate with the Modular core teams, researchers, and an emerging open‑source community.
• Help define what "next-generation language design" means in the age of AI.

What you bring to the table

• 5+ years working on compilers, runtimes, or language implementations.
• Hands‑on mastery of C++ (Python fluency a big plus).
• Experience with MLIR and LLVM.
• Experience optimizing code for CPUs, GPUs or AI accelerator hardware.
• Have contributed to a real‑world compiler project.

What Modular brings to the table

• Amazing Team. We are a progressive and agile team with some of the industry’s best engineering and product leaders.
• World‑class Benefits. In order to attract the best, we need to offer the best. Your benefits package may include comprehensive healthcare coverage, retirement and savings programs, employee stock purchase opportunities, paid time off, wellbeing resources, family support programs, and learning and development opportunities. Please note that specific benefit packages may vary based on your location, you can read more about benefits offered by Qualcomm here.
• Competitive Compensation. We offer very strong compensation packages, including RSU grants. We want people to be focused on their best work and believe in tailoring compensation plans to meet the needs of our workforce.
• Team Building Events. We organize regular team onsites and local meetups in Los Altos, CA as well as different cities. Traveling 2-4 times a year is expected for all roles.

Working at Modular will enable you to grow quickly as you work alongside incredibly motivated and talented people who have high standards, possess a growth mindset, and a purpose to truly change the world.

The estimated base salary range for this role to be performed in the US, regardless of the state, is $180,000 - $270,000 USD.

The estimated base salary range for this role to be performed in Canada, regardless of the province, is $ 172,400 - $258,600 CAD.

The estimated base salary range for this role to be performed in Edinburgh is £99,600 –£150,000 GBR.

The salary for the successful applicant will depend on a variety of permissible, non‑discriminatory job‑related factors, which include but are not limited to education, training, work experience, business needs, or market demands. This range may be modified in the future. The total compensation for a candidate will also include annual target bonus, equity, and benefits, with equity making up a significant portion of your total compensation. For candidates who fall outside of the listed requirements, we nevertheless encourage you to apply as we may have upcoming openings that are lower/higher level than the ones advertised.