Senior Software Engineer, Generative AI, Research

Google LLC; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 174,000 - 252,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Bonus target

Job summary

Google Sunnyvale, CA, USA is seeking a Senior Software Engineer to design the next generation of AI accelerator instruction set architectures (ISAs) and novel instruction primitives for frontier ML models at scale. You will prototype simulator features and validate hardware-software trade-offs across compiler backends.

As part of Google Research, you will collaborate with ML research, XLA compiler, and RTL teams to ensure ISAs are targetable, efficient to lower, and verifiable in simulation

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience.
• 5 years of experience with software development in C++ and Python.
• Experience with functional/architectural simulators, emulator development, or compiler backends.
• Experience with computer architecture, instruction set architectures (ISAs), and hardware-software interaction.

Responsibilities

• Design custom instruction sets, addressing modes, and hardware features targeting emerging frontier model operations (e.g., MLA, speculative verification, dynamic sparsity).
• Deploy agentic orchestration and automated exploration pipelines to synthesize ISA configurations, generate test kernels, and discover architectural bottlenecks autonomously.
• Collaborate across ML research, XLA compiler, and RTL teams to ensure new instructions are targetable, efficient to lower, and verifiable across simulation environments.
• Implement instruction-level simulators, golden reference models, and trace analyzers to measure performance, silicon area, and compiler efficiency.
• Provide data-driven architecture proposals to guide multi-generational silicon roadmaps.

Skills

C++

Python

Software development

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's or PhD preferred

Tools

Simulators

Emulator development

Compiler backends

Job description

Senior Software Engineer, Generative AI, Research

Share Senior Software Engineer, Generative AI, Research

Google Sunnyvale, CA, USA

X In most instances, this position requires in-person interviews as part of the hiring process.

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience.
• 5 years of experience with software development in C++ and Python.
• Experience with functional/architectural simulators, emulator development, or compiler backends.
• Experience with computer architecture, instruction set architectures (ISAs), and hardware-software interaction.

Preferred qualifications:

• Master's degree or PhD in Computer Science or related technical field.
• 5 years of experience with data structures/algorithms.
• 1 year of experience in a technical leadership role.

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.

As a Senior Software Engineer, you will design the next generation of AI accelerator instruction set architectures (ISAs) to power frontier ML models at scale. You will architect novel instruction primitives and addressing modes purpose-built for model dynamics—including MLA, speculative decoding, and dynamic sparsity. By pioneering AI-driven exploration pipelines, you will leverage LLMs and autonomous agents to explore vast architectural design spaces, prototype simulator features, and validate hardware-software trade-offs across compiler backends and RTL pipelines.

Google Research is building the next generation of intelligent systems for all Google products. To achieve this, we’re working on projects that utilize the latest computer science techniques developed by skilled software developers and research scientists. Google Research teams collaborate closely with other teams across Google, maintaining the flexibility and versatility required to adapt new projects and foci that meet the demands of the world's fast-paced business needs.

Individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

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.

As a Senior Software Engineer, you will design the next generation of AI accelerator instruction set architectures (ISAs) to power frontier ML models at scale. You will architect novel instruction primitives and addressing modes purpose-built for model dynamics—including MLA, speculative decoding, and dynamic sparsity. By pioneering AI-driven exploration pipelines, you will leverage LLMs and autonomous agents to explore vast architectural design spaces, prototype simulator features, and validate hardware-software trade-offs across compiler backends and RTL pipelines.

Google Research is building the next generation of intelligent systems for all Google products. To achieve this, we’re working on projects that utilize the latest computer science techniques developed by skilled software developers and research scientists. Google Research teams collaborate closely with other teams across Google, maintaining the flexibility and versatility required to adapt new projects and foci that meet the demands of the world's fast-paced business needs.

Individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

US: $174000 - $252000 (USD) + 15% bonus target + equity + benefits

• Design custom instruction sets, addressing modes, and hardware features targeting emerging frontier model operations (e.g., MLA, speculative verification, dynamic sparsity, multi-precision numerical formats).
• Deploy agentic orchestration and automated exploration pipelines to synthesize ISA configurations, generate test kernels, and discover architectural bottlenecks autonomously.
• Collaborate across ML research, XLA compiler, and RTL teams to ensure new instructions are seamlessly targetable, efficient to lower, and verify cleanly across simulation environments.
• Implement instruction-level simulators, golden reference models, and trace analyzers to measure performance, silicon area, and compiler efficiency.
• Provide rigorous, data-driven architecture proposals to guide multi-generational silicon roadmaps.

Google is proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. We are committed to building a workforce that is representative of the users we serve, creating a culture of belonging, and providing an equal employment opportunity regardless of race, creed, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy or related condition (including breastfeeding), expecting or parents-to-be, criminal histories consistent with legal requirements, or any other basis protected by law. See also Google's EEO Policy , Know your rights: workplace discrimination is illegal , Belonging at Google , and How we hire .

Google is a global company and, in order to facilitate efficient collaboration and communication globally, English proficiency is a requirement for all roles unless stated otherwise in the job posting.

Equity is granted exclusively and discretionarily by Alphabet Inc. on the basis of an agreement concluded between you and Alphabet Inc. Alphabet Inc. is your sole contractual partner with respect to equity grants. GSU grants are not guaranteed, are discretionary, are subject to approval by the Alphabet Inc. board of directors or its delegate, the terms of the relevant Alphabet Inc. stock plan, and your grant agreement. They have no impact on statutory payments. Current or past grants do not confer an acquired right.