Staff Engineer, GPU System Engineer

Samsung Electronics; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 168,000 - 252,000; Full time

Job summary

Samsung Electronics America, Inc. is seeking a Staff GPU System Engineer to lead pre-silicon workload enablement and build verification infrastructure for next-generation GPU and system IP.

You will collaborate with architecture, modeling, SW and validation teams to ensure performance targets are met across architectural models, emulation, and silicon environments, while driving scalable testing frameworks and automation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in a relevant field with several years of GPU experience.
• Strong knowledge of graphics pipelines, compute workloads, and microarchitecture behavior.
• Experience with Android, Vulkan, Linux kernel, and driver/debug tooling.

Responsibilities

• Lead pre-silicon workload enablement for GPU and system IP.
• Develop verification infrastructure, automation, and workload content.
• Collaborate with architecture, modeling, SW, and validation teams.

Skills

GPU architecture

C++

Python

Android

Vulkan

Linux kernel

OpenGL/Vulkan/OpenCL

Education

Bachelor’s in CS/CE or related

Master’s degree

PhD

Tools

Vulkan tooling

Job description

Position Summary

Samsung, a world leader in advanced semiconductor technology, is founded on a simple philosophy – the endless pursuit of excellence will create a better world for all. At Samsung Austin Research and Development Center (SARC) and Advanced Computing Lab (ACL), we are building a center of excellence for Intellectual Property (IP) that is applied to high-performance computing devices (mobile, automotive, and other custom market segments) consumed by millions of people around the world. Come build with us!

Role and Responsibilities

As a Staff GPU System Engineer, you will lead pre-silicon workload enablement, design and build verification infrastructure and automation framework for Samsung’s next-generation GPU and system-level IP. Your work will directly influence architectural validation, performance predictability, and pre-silicon SW feature verification by ensuring GPU designs meet architectural specifications and achieve the targeted performance expectations across architectural models, emulation, and silicon environments.

In this high-impact individual contributor role, you will contribute to workload enablement for Architecture, HW, Emulation, SW and PPA teams, develop scalable automation and testing infrastructure. You will partner closely with GPU architecture, modeling, SW and validation teams to provide enriched workload content to identify bottlenecks, debug driver & compiler issues, and help early architectural ideation and feature exploration.

• Leveraging your expertise in GPU architecture and advanced rendering knowledge, you architect and drive pre-silicon graphics workloads verification strategies, methodologies, and execution flows for graphics core and GPU subsystem validation.
• You develop and maintain workload capture and replay infrastructure, including workloads analysis, SW middle-ware development, utility tools, automation, and scalable testing framework to provide trace contents to Architecture, HW, SW, Emulation teams.
• You ensure technical excellence by analyzing, correlating, and debugging issues that could happen on Android system, Vulkan driver & compiler, Linux kernel, architecture specs, emulation, and silicon.
• You lead cross-functional collaboration with GPU architecture, Modeling, Design, Emulation, and Software teams to define critical workloads, debug functional issues, align workload behavior with architectural intent, and improve overall GPU efficiency and scalability.
• You inspire high performance by mentoring engineers, advancing pre-silicon driver & compiler verification methodologies, and fostering a culture of ownership, innovation, and continuous learning while staying ahead of emerging GPU architectures, graphics workloads, and AI/ML compute trends.

Skills and Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science/Computer Engineering/relevant technical field, or 4+ years of experience with a Master’s degree, or 2+ years of experience with a PhD.
• Strong understanding of GPU architecture, graphics pipelines, compute workloads, and microarchitecture performance behavior.
• Strong hands-on programming experience in C++ and Python within Linux development environments.
• Experience developing Vulkan tests, profiling infrastructure, automation frameworks, and workload characterization methodologies.
• Strong experience in analyzing and triaging issues in Android SW stack, Linux kernel in pre-silicon environments.
• Familiarity with graphics and compute APIs such as OpenGL, Vulkan, OpenCL, or related GPU software stacks.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify bottlenecks, propose solutions and guide teams through implementation.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to navigate ambiguity and influence in a fast-paced, global team environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Android device debugging, Linux kernel development
• Experience with Vulkan / OpenGL ES / OpenCL API programming or driver development
• Familiarity with AI/ML, graphics rendering, or heterogeneous compute workloads
• Experience with RTL verification, emulation, modeling, or post-silicon performance analysis

Our Team

The GPU Architect team delivers whole system architecture-level design for Samsung’s current and next-generation mobile GPUs. Our work spans a wide range of disciplines—from early-stage architectural exploration and research in graphics and machine learning, to shaping the GPU innovation roadmap, defining new features, building models, and delivering microarchitecture design and programming. Our Xclipse GPU is the first mobile GPU with ray tracing technology that enables console-level graphics for Samsung Galaxy smartphones.

Joining our team means collaborating with talented engineers from diverse technical backgrounds across a global organization. Here you’ll contribute to the roadmap for next-generation technologies, broaden your expertise, and solve impactful challenges in a supportive environment that values collaboration, continuous learning, and growth.

Total Rewards

At Samsung – SARC/ACL, base pay is one part of our total compensation package and is determined within a range. This provides the opportunity to progress as you grow and develop within a role. The base pay range for this role is between $167,800 and $251,800. Your actualbase pay will depend on variables that may includeyour educationskills, qualifications, experience, and worklocation.

Samsung employees have access to benefits including: medical, dental, vision, life insurance, 401(k), onsite lunch, employee purchase program, tuition assistance (after 6 months), paid time off, student loan program, wellness incentives, and many more. In addition, regular full-time employees (salaried or hourly) are eligible for MBO bonus compensation, based on company, division, and individual performance.

Additionally, this role might be eligible to participate in long term incentive plan and relocation.

This is an exempt position, which is not eligible for overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

Trade Secrets

By submitting an application, you agree not to disclose to Samsung or induce or encourage Samsung to use any confidential or proprietary information (including trade secrets) belonging to a current or former employer or other entity.

U.S. Export Control

This role may require access to information subject to U.S. export control laws. Applicants must be authorized to access such information or eligible for government authorization.

#SARC #ACL

* Please visit Samsung membership to see Privacy Policy, which defaults according to your location. You can change Country/Language at the bottom of the page. If you are European Economic Resident, please click here.

* Samsung Electronics America, Inc. and its subsidiaries are committed to employing a diverse workforce, and provide Equal Employment Opportunity for all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, gender, age, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, status as a qualified individual with a disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.