Senior Staff Software Engineer, Embedded Systems, Firmware

Google; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 262,000 - 364,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Bonus target 25%

Benefits

Job summary

Google is seeking an experienced ASIC-Software Firmware Architect in Sunnyvale to lead TPU firmware architecture and drive hardware-software collaboration. You will guide multi-generation firmware programs, shape system reliability, and contribute to AI accelerator performance across data center platforms.

Join a team that bridges silicon design with software interfaces, mentoring engineers while expanding developer experiences for ML practitioners in Google Cloud environments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.
• 8 years of experience in software development.
• 7 years of experience working with embedded operating systems.
• 5 years of experience with design and architecture; and testing/launching software products.
• Experience with C or C++.

Responsibilities

• Drive the long-term technical goal and architecture for Google's next-generation TPU firmware, solving complex system-level issues across Security, Power Management, and Telemetry.
• Act as a technical multiplier and domain expert, mentoring executive engineers and fostering a culture of engineering, high reliability, and innovation across distributed ASIC-Software teams.
• Forge partnerships across organizational boundaries, bridging silicon design, software infrastructure, and data center deployment teams to co-engineer end-to-end TPU capabilities.
• Define and execute multi-year technical roadmaps for multi-generational chip programs, guiding complex firmware initiatives from initial silicon concept through to global data center deployment.
• Architect highly reliable, real-time on-chip systems and bare-metal microcontroller solutions that maximize AI accelerator performance and optimize the developer experience for platforms like Trillium and Ironwood.

Skills

Bachelor's degree

Software development

Embedded OS

Design and architecture

C/C++

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Master's or PhD in Engineering/CS

Job description

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

Minimum qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.
• 8 years of experience in software development.
• 7 years of experience working with embedded operating systems.
• 5 years of experience with design and architecture; and testing/launching software products.
• Experience with C or C++.

Preferred qualifications

• Master's degree or PhD in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field.
• 8 years of experience with data structures and algorithms.
• 5 years of experience in a technical leadership role leading project teams and setting technical direction.
• 3 years of experience working in a complex, matrixed organization involving cross-functional, or cross-business projects.

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.

With your technical expertise you will manage project priorities, deadlines, and deliverables. You will design, develop, test, deploy, maintain, and enhance software solutions.

As an ASIC-Software Firmware Architect, you will guide Google's TPU firmware design across multiple chip generations. You will drive architecture for Security, Power Management, and Telemetry across microcontrollers in an embedded distributed system with real-time constraints and direct hardware interaction.

Bridging hardware and software, you will collaborate with silicon teams to co-engineer TPU capabilities and upper-layer software teams to build interfaces. You will ensure platform reliability, addressing system-level challenges through rigorous engineering.

Working with end-users, you will help shape the developer experience for ML practitioners. Google's end-to-end integration from chip to data center offers a unique opportunity to impact the entire TPU system.

Google Cloud accelerates every organization's ability to digitally transform its business and industry. We deliver enterprise-grade solutions that leverage Google's cutting-edge technology, and tools that help developers build more sustainably. Customers in more than 200 countries and territories turn to Google Cloud as their trusted partner to enable growth and solve their most critical business problems. Individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

US: $262000 - $364000 (USD) + 25% bonus target + equity + benefits

Responsibilities

• Drive the long-term technical goal and architecture for Google's next-generation TPU firmware, solving complex system-level issues across Security, Power Management, and Telemetry.
• Act as a technical multiplier and domain expert, mentoring executive engineers and fostering a culture of engineering, high reliability, and innovation across distributed ASIC-Software teams.
• Forge partnerships across organizational boundaries, bridging silicon design, software infrastructure, and data center deployment teams to co-engineer end-to-end TPU capabilities.
• Define and execute multi-year technical roadmaps for multi-generational chip programs, guiding complex firmware initiatives from initial silicon concept through to global data center deployment.
• Architect highly reliable, real-time on-chip systems and bare-metal microcontroller solutions that maximize AI accelerator performance and optimize the developer experience for platforms like Trillium and Ironwood.

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.