Software Engineer - Platform Core (C++, C)

Socket.dev; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 440,000; Full time

Job summary

SpaceXAI is hiring for a hands-on systems programmer to build and maintain a Linux-based OS powering our high-performance supercomputer network. You will write and optimize device drivers to extract maximum hardware potential and work closely with hardware teams to bring up the stack on new platforms.

The role requires deep knowledge of C/C++, OS fundamentals, and networking, plus experience with kernel debugging and system hardening.

Qualifications

• Hands-on systems programming in C or C++.
• Strong OS fundamentals from hardware to high-level apps.
• Understanding of networking in host OS and devices.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain Linux-based OS for our supercomputer network.
• Write or rewrite high-performance device drivers for hardware.
• Deploy, operate, and debug platform in production with focus on reliability.
• Investigate anomalies and perform root-cause analysis for continuous improvement.
• Develop and improve tools for observability and configuration management.
• Collaborate with hardware teams and partners to bring up OS/stack on new hardware.

Skills

C/C++

OS fundamentals

Networking

Communication skills

Linux kernel networking

Kernel debugging

Hardware bring-up

Device drivers

Peripheral interfaces

Security basics

Tools

ftrace

perf

Wireshark

tcpdump

eBPF

gdb

Job description

SpaceXAI's mission is to create AI systems that can accurately understand the universe and aid humanity in its pursuit of knowledge. Our team is small, highly motivated, and focused on engineering excellence. This organization is for individuals who appreciate challenging themselves and thrive on curiosity. We operate with a flat organizational structure. All employees are expected to be hands-on and to contribute directly to the company’s mission. Leadership is given to those who show initiative and consistently deliver excellence. Work ethic and strong prioritization skills are important. All employees are expected to have strong communication skills. They should be able to concisely and accurately share knowledge with their teammates.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Build and maintain the lean, high-reliability Linux-based operating system that underpins our supercomputer network fabric.
• Write (or rewrite) high-performance device drivers to extract the maximum physical capability from our network and compute hardware.
• Manage deployment, operation, and debugging of our platform in production, including:
• Rigorous resolution and root-causing of anomalies to ensure the system is constantly improving in reliability.
• Developing and constantly improving our tools for observability and configuration management.
• Collaborate with our hardware teams and external partners to design the next generation of supercomputer hardware - and then bring up our OS and software stack on it.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Hands-on systems programming experience in C or C++.
• Strong operating systems fundamentals (scheduling, memory management, I/O) - you must be able to articulate in extreme detail how a computer works, from the hardware all the way up to high-level applications.
• Understanding of computer networking, both in the host (OS stack) as well as common network devices like switches and routers.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Deep knowledge of the Linux kernel and its networking stack - transferable experience with another production-grade kernel is okay, too!
• Proficiency with debugging tools spanning kernel, network, and userspace (e.g., ftrace, perf, Wireshark/tcpdump, eBPF, gdb, and more).
• Experience bringing up new hardware from scratch - you have flashed bare-metal software on a microcontroller with JTAG, or bootstrapped a Linux kernel and rootfs on new hardware.
• Demonstrated track record of developing and optimizing device/peripheral drivers - ideally for high-speed interfaces, or with advanced considerations like DMA and cache coherency.
• Understanding of major peripheral hardware interface standards (Ethernet, PCIe, I2C, SPI, etc.) - you can critically review a schematic, and debug these interfaces if needed.
• Experience with product security, OS/system hardening, and secure boot schemes.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

$180,000 - $440,000 USD

Base salary is just one part of our total rewards package at xAI, which also includes equity, comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short & long-term disability insurance, life insurance, and various other discounts and perks.

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