Principal SoC Performance Architect – Next-Generation Server Platforms

Arm; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 262,700 - 355,400; Full time

Job summary

Arm in San Jose is looking for experienced architects to evaluate and analyze workloads on production silicon, focusing on AI at scale. This role requires a mix of architectural expertise and hands-on analysis to improve performance.

The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in system architecture, a Master's or PhD in a relevant field, and proficiency in performance optimization techniques and analysis tools. This position offers a salary range of $262,700 to $355,400 yearly.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in system or hardware architecture.
• Strong background in high-performance IO/networking or performance optimization for cloud-scale systems.
• Proven expertise in benchmarking methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate and analyze workloads on production silicon focused on AI at scale.
• Design and implement targeted microbenchmarks to study architectural behaviors.
• Collaborate closely with hardware and software teams to influence design decisions.

Skills

CPU / accelerator architectures

High-performance IO/networking

Performance optimization for HPC

SystemC

C++

Python

Education

Master’s or PhD degree in Computer Engineering or related field

Tools

Performance analysis tools

Profiling tools

Job description

Overview

We are looking for experienced architects who are passionate about pushing the boundaries of performance in modern server systems. This role sits at the intersection of architecture, workload characterization, and silicon‑level analysis, requiring a hands‑on approach to understanding and improving real‑world system behavior.

You will play a key role in crafting the performance of future platforms by combining deep architectural expertise with practical investigation on silicon and extensive computational tasks.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate and analyze real‑world workloads on production silicon, with a strong focus on AI at scale and HPC applications
• Partner with multi‑functional teams to define performance metrics, representative use cases, and benchmarking strategies
• Design and implement targeted microbenchmarks to isolate and study specific architectural behaviors
• Identify performance bottlenecks through detailed analysis and recommend actionable optimizations
• Translate insights from workload and silicon studies into architectural improvements for performance and scalability
• Collaborate closely with hardware and software teams to influence system‑level design decisions
• Serve as a performance expert, providing technical leadership and guidance across teams
• Drive end‑to‑end understanding from architecture → workload → silicon validation to ensure best‑in‑class system performance

Required Skills And Experience

• Master’s or PhD degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field
• 10+ years of experience in system or hardware architecture, with exposure to areas such as:
  • CPU / accelerator architectures
  • Cache and memory subsystems
  • PCIe, networking, or storage
• Strong background in either:
  • High‑performance IO/networking (e.g., PCIE, CXL, InfiniBand, RoCE), or
  • Performance optimization for HPC or cloud‑scale systems
• Proven expertise in benchmarking methodologies and development of custom microbenchmarks
• Solid experience with performance analysis tools, profiling, and (ideally) simulation environments
• Proficiency in SystemC, TLM, C++, and Python
• Ability to navigate and contribute effectively within large, complex codebases

Nice To Have Skills And Experience

• Experience working directly with silicon bring‑up or post‑silicon performance analysis
• Familiarity with performance simulators or architectural modeling tools

Salary Range

$262,700‑$355,400 per year

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.