Research Software Engineer, ML Network Optimization, Google Beam

Google; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 166,000 - 244,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid Time Off: 20 days vacation

Paid holidays: 13 days per year

Job summary

A leading technology company is seeking a Research Software Engineer to develop next-generation technologies that enhance communication through advanced software and hardware. This role involves collaborating with researchers, optimizing machine learning performance, and bridging high-level algorithms with low-level hardware. The position offers a salary range of $166,000-$244,000, alongside a comprehensive benefits package including health insurance and retirement plans.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related technical field.
• 5 years of experience in software development with C++ and Python.
• Experience with Machine Learning optimization and hardware architecture.

Responsibilities

• Research and implement best practices in network design to enhance performance.
• Lead performance optimization efforts and write custom kernels.
• Analyze ML models to resolve performance bottlenecks.

Skills

C++

Python

Machine Learning Optimization

Data Structures and Algorithms

Kernel Programming

Hardware-software co-design

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related field

Master's degree or PhD in Computer Science or related field

Tools

CUDA

OpenCL

Vulkan

Triton

XLA

Job description

In accordance with Washington state law, we are highlighting our comprehensive benefits package, which is available to all eligible US based employees.

Benefits for this role include:

• Health, dental, vision, life, disability insurance
• Retirement Benefits: 401(k) with company match
• Paid Time Off: 20 days of vacation per year, accruing at a rate of 6.15 hours per pay period for the first five years of employment
• Sick Time: 40 hours/year (statutory, where applicable); 5 days/event (discretionary)
• Maternity Leave (Short-Term Disability + Baby Bonding): 28-30 weeks
• Baby Bonding Leave: 18 weeks
• Holidays: 13 paid days per year

Applicants in San Francisco: Qualified applications with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.

Note: By applying to this position you will have an opportunity to share your preferred working location from the following: Mountain View, CA, USA; Seattle, WA, USA; San Francisco, CA, USA.

Minimum qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 5 years of experience with software development in one or more programming languages, including C++ and Python.
• 3 years of experience testing, maintaining, or launching software products, and 1 year of experience with software design and architecture.
• 3 years of experience with one or more of the following: Machine Learning Optimization (e.g., quantization, distillation), GPU/TPU hardware architecture, Kernel programming, or specialization in another ML field.
• 3 years of experience with ML infrastructure (e.g., model deployment, model evaluation, optimization, data processing, debugging).

Preferred qualifications

• Master's degree or PhD in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 5 years of experience with data structures and algorithms, and hardware-software co-design.
• 1 year of experience in a technical leadership role or driving architectural transitions.
• Experience with kernel programming (e.g., CUDA, OpenCL, Vulkan, Triton), compiler technologies (e.g., XLA), and optimizing real-time media pipelines.
• Experience developing accessible technologies.

About The Job

Google's software engineers develop the next-generation technologies that change how billions of users connect, explore, and interact with information and one another. Our products need to handle information at massive scale, and extend well beyond web search. We're looking for engineers who bring fresh ideas from all areas, including information retrieval, distributed computing, large‑scale system design, networking and data storage, security, artificial intelligence, natural language processing, UI design and mobile; the list goes on and is growing every day. As a software engineer, you will work on a specific project critical to Google’s needs with opportunities to switch teams and projects as you and our fast‑paced business grow and evolve. We need our engineers to be versatile, display leadership qualities and be enthusiastic to take on new problems across the full‑stack as we continue to push technology forward.

Google researchers and engineers are turning science fiction into reality. Google Beam is developing advanced software and hardware technology to enable people who are separated by distance to experience a conversation as if they were together in the same room.

As a Research Software Engineer, you will join a creative, fast‑moving team at the intersection of computer vision, machine learning, and graphics. While we push the boundaries of what is possible with novel research, your focus will be on making that research viable for production. You will bridge the gap between high‑level algorithms and low‑level hardware performance, architecting the transition to next‑generation GPU platforms. You will work alongside researchers and engineers to invent the future of communication.

Labs is a group focused on incubating early‑stage efforts in support of Google’s mission to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. Our team exists to help discover and create new ways to advance our core products through exploration and the application of new technologies. We work to build new solutions that have the potential to transform how users interact with Google. Our goal is to drive innovation by developing new Google products and capabilities that deliver significant impact over longer time frames.

The US base salary range for this full‑time position is $166,000‑$244,000 + bonus + equity + benefits. Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job‑related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.

Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only, and do not include bonus, equity, or benefits. Learn more about benefits at Google.

Responsibilities

• Research and implement emerging best practices in network design (e.g., quantization, distillation) to accelerate network performance without loss of quality.
• Lead low‑level performance optimization efforts and write fast custom kernels to reduce per‑call GPU resource requirements and latency.
• Analyze and profile complex ML models and graphics pipelines to identify and resolve performance bottlenecks.
• Collaborate with hardware and compiler teams to influence next‑generation architecture and software stack requirements.
• Navigate hardware‑software co‑design to facilitate long‑term gains in the performance of our ML software and hardware stack.

Google is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. See also Google’s EEO Policy and EEO is the Law. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know by completing our Accommodations for Applicants form.