Senior Software Engineer - Operating Systems

applied; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 155,000 - 253,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance

401k retirement benefits with employer match

Learning and wellness stipends

Paid time off

Job summary

Applied Intuition seeks a Software Engineer to work on their operating system stack for future vehicles. This role involves defining the OS architecture, implementing core OS components like kernel and runtime, and engaging with open-source projects. Candidates should have 6+ years in software development, a Bachelor's in Computer Science, and expertise in C/C++. The position is based in Sunnyvale, California.

Compensation includes a salary range of $155,000 - $253,000 USD annually, with benefits and equity opportunities.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of software development experience with emphasis on low-level systems or OS development.
• Deep expertise in C/C++.
• Experience with performance optimization and memory management.

Responsibilities

• Develop, design, and implement core OS components.
• Define the overall architecture and roadmap of the operating system.
• Write and review foundational, performance-critical code.

Skills

C/C++

Low-level systems programming

Unix/Linux systems

Performance optimization

Memory management

Threading and concurrency

Technical leadership

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or related field

Job description

About Applied Intuition

Applied Intuition, Inc. is powering the future of physical AI. Founded in 2017 and now valued at $15 billion, the Silicon Valley company is creating the digital infrastructure needed to bring intelligence to every moving machine on the planet. Applied Intuition services the automotive, defense, trucking, construction, mining and agriculture industries in three core areas: tools and infrastructure, operating systems, and autonomy. Eighteen of the top 20 global automakers, as well as the United States military and its allies, trust the company’s solutions to deliver physical intelligence. Applied Intuition is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, with offices in Washington, D.C.; San Diego; Ft. Walton Beach, Florida; Ann Arbor, Michigan; London; Stuttgart; Munich; Stockholm; Bangalore; Seoul; and Tokyo. Learn more at applied.co.

We are an in-office company, and our expectation is that employees primarily work from their Applied Intuition office 5 days a week. However, we also recognize the importance of flexibility and trust our employees to manage their schedules responsibly. This may include occasional remote work, starting the day with morning meetings from home before heading to the office, or leaving earlier when needed to accommodate family commitments.

About the role

The NextGen OS team is focused on building Applied Intuition's operating system (OS) stack for future vehicles and new products. This is a unique opportunity to build and work on a new full-stack operating system.

As a Software Engineer on the team, you will develop, design, and implement core OS components including: kernel, system services, runtime, application framework, BSPs, and hardware abstraction layers. As an early hire, you will contribute to key architectural and implementation decisions, directly influencing how this OS is built.

At Applied Intuition, you will:

• Define the overall architecture and roadmap of the operating system

• Engage closely with existing open-source projects, become a committer, and submit RFCs

• Write and review foundational, performance-critical code across core OS components

• Lead implementation of critical system features such as interprocess communication, memory management, security sandboxing, networking, and power/performance

• Collaborate closely with hardware partners and OEMs to define BSP, HAL, device drivers, and integration strategies

• Advocate open-source culture and engage with the Open Source Project community

We're looking for someone who has:

• 6+ years of software development experience (emphasis on low-level systems or OS development)

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or a related field

• Deep expertise in C/C++

• Experience on Unix/Linux kernels or embedded systems

• Experience with performance optimization, memory management, threading, and concurrency

• Proven experience designing and shipping large-scale software or systems

• Demonstrated leadership in shaping technical direction and mentoring engineers

• Familiarity with open-source processes and tools, source control, and distributed code bases

Nice to have:

• Master’s degree or PhD in Computer Science or related field.

• Experience working with OEMs, device drivers, or hardware integration (e.g. ARM chipset, cellular modem interfaces).

• Strong background in security and sandboxing models

• Demonstrated ability working in small, fast-moving cross-functional teams and/or startups

• Published contributions to open-source OS projects or kernel subsystems.

Compensation at Applied Intuition for eligible roles includes base salary, equity, and benefits. Base salary is a single component of the total compensation package, which may also include equity in the form of options and/or restricted stock units, comprehensive health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance coverage, 401k retirement benefits with employer match, learning and wellness stipends, and paid time off. Note that benefits are subject to change and may vary based on jurisdiction of employment.

Applied Intuition pay ranges reflect the minimum and maximum intended target base salary for new hire salaries for the position. The actual base salary offered to a successful candidate will additionally be influenced by a variety of factors including experience, credentials & certifications, educational attainment, skill level requirements, interview performance, and the level and scope of the position.

Please reference the job posting’s subtitle for where this position will be located. For pay transparency purposes, the base salary range for this full-time position in the location listed is:$155,000 - $253,000 USD annually.

Don’t meet every single requirement? If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Applied Intuition is an equal opportunity employer and federal contractor or subcontractor. Consequently, the parties agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-1.4(a), 41 CFR 60-300.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and that these laws are incorporated herein by reference. These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities, and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin. These regulations require that covered prime contractors and subcontractors take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status or disability. The parties also agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of Executive Order 13496 (29 CFR Part 471, Appendix A to Subpart A), relating to the notice of employee rights under federal labor laws.