Senior LLVM Compiler Engineer

NVIDIA Corporation; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 184,000 - 288,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

NVIDIA Corporation in Santa Clara is seeking a Senior Compiler Engineer to drive upstream contributions to LLVM, Clang, and MLIR, aligning NVIDIA’s downstream work with upstream expectations. You will participate in design discussions, review RFCs, and ensure long-term maintainability across open-source communities.

The role requires deep compiler expertise, strong C++ skills, and active engagement with the broader LLVM ecosystem to advance NVIDIA’s compiler technology while upholding

Qualifications

• 6+ years experience with LLVM, Clang, MLIR, or similar compiler infrastructures
• Excellent hands-on C++ programming skills
• Solid understanding of compiler internals, including IR design, transformations, analyses, and code generation pipelines
• Experience engaging with open-source development workflows, including design discussions, code reviews, and upstream contribution processes
• Ability to navigate complex technical trade-offs while balancing upstream community expectations with internal product needs
• Strong communication skills, including technical writing, design articulation, and cross-organizational collaboration

Responsibilities

• Work closely with LLVM, Clang, MLIR, and related open-source communities to upstream compiler features, refactors, and infrastructure originating from NVIDIA’s downstream codebases
• Lead and contribute to design discussions, RFCs, and code reviews in upstream communities with an emphasis on long-term maintainability and broad usefulness
• Refactor, adapt, and decompose downstream NVIDIA compiler code to meet upstream quality, abstraction, and API expectations
• Advocate for NVIDIA’s technical needs through credible engineering arguments, prototypes, and sustained community engagement
• Collaborate with internal compiler teams to identify which downstream capabilities are best suited for upstreaming and how to stage that work effectively
• Partner with architecture, performance, and product teams to translate NVIDIA hardware and software requirements into upstream-viable compiler solutions
• Help shape NVIDIA’s long-term open-source LLVM strategy, balancing ecosystem health with NVIDIA’s platform goals
• Act as a technical ambassador for NVIDIA within the compiler open-source community, strengthening trust and collaboration over time

Skills

C++ programming

Open-source collaboration

Compiler internals

Technical writing

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

BS/MS/PhD in CS/CE

Tools

LLVM

Clang

MLIR

Job description

We are seeking for an expert Senior Compiler Engineer to join our Compute Compiler Team, with a focus on upstream engagement with the LLVM ecosystem and advancing NVIDIA’s compiler technology through trusted, sustained participation in open‑source communities. In this role, you will work directly with LLVM, Clang, MLIR, and related open‑source projects to upstream compiler functionality that currently lives in NVIDIA’s downstream repositories. Your collaboration with the broader LLVM community to shape designs, influence technical direction, and ensure NVIDIA’s needs are met by supplying high‑quality, maintainable solutions that benefit the ecosystem as a whole. We are seeking an experience engineer who proficient in combining deep compiler expertise with a strong appreciation for open‑source norms, collaboration, and long‑term stewardship. Your influence will come not from authority, but from technical credibility, respect for community processes, and sustained contribution to the health and evolution of the LLVM project. If you are passionate about open‑source compiler development, upstreaming real‑world production code, and representing NVIDIA as a trusted partner in the LLVM community, we would love to hear from you.

What you will be doing:

• Work closely with LLVM, Clang, MLIR, and related open‑source communities to upstream compiler features, refactors, and infrastructure originating from NVIDIA’s downstream codebases
• Lead and contribute to design discussions, RFCs, and code reviews in upstream communities with an emphasis on long‑term maintainability and broad usefulness
• Refactor, adapt, and decompose downstream NVIDIA compiler code to meet upstream quality, abstraction, and API expectations
• Advocate for NVIDIA’s technical needs through credible engineering arguments, prototypes, and sustained community engagement
• Collaborate with internal compiler teams to identify which downstream capabilities are best suited for upstreaming and how to stage that work effectively
• Partner with architecture, performance, and product teams to translate NVIDIA hardware and software requirements into upstream‑viable compiler solutions
• Help shape NVIDIA’s long‑term open‑source LLVM strategy, balancing ecosystem health with NVIDIA’s platform goals
• Act as a technical ambassador for NVIDIA within the compiler open‑source community, strengthening trust and collaboration over time

What we need to see:

• B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 6+ years experience with LLVM, Clang, MLIR, or similar compiler infrastructures
• Excellent hands‑on C++ programming skills
• Solid understanding of compiler internals, including IR design, transformations, analyses, and code generation pipelines
• Experience engaging with open‑source development workflows, including design discussions, code reviews, and upstream contribution processes
• Ability to navigate complex technical trade‑offs while balancing upstream community expectations with internal product needs
• Strong communication skills, including technical writing, design articulation, and cross‑organizational collaboration

Ways to stand out from the crowd:

• Proven track record of upstream contributions to LLVM or related open‑source compiler projects
• Experience in successfully upstreaming non‑trivial production code from a downstream or proprietary environment
• Recognition within open‑source communities as a trusted contributor or reviewer
• Background in GPU architectures, CUDA, or parallel programming models
• Familiarity with deep learning frameworks and performance‑critical workloads on NVIDIA GPUs

With highly competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package, NVIDIA is widely considered to be one of the technology industry's most desirable employers. We have some of the most brilliant and hardworking people in the world working with us and our product lines are growing fast in some of the hottest state of the art fields such as Virtual Reality, Artificial Intelligence, Deep Learning and Autonomous Vehicles. Your base salary will be determined based on your location, experience, and the pay of employees in similar positions. The base salary range is 184,000 USD - 287,500 USD. You will also be eligible for equity and benefits.

Applications for this job will be accepted at least until September 8, 2026. This posting is for an existing vacancy. NVIDIA uses AI tools in its recruiting processes. NVIDIA is committed to fostering an inclusive work environment and proud to be an equal opportunity employer. As we highly value diversity in our current and future employees, we do not discriminate (including in our hiring and promotion practices) on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status or any other characteristic protected by law. NVIDIA pioneered accelerated computing. Today, our AI infrastructure powers global intelligence, transforming every industry. Learn more about NVIDIA.