Systems Performance Architect

Apple Inc.; Cupertino (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 278,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock programs

RSUs

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Medical & dental coverage

Retirement benefits

Relocation

Job summary

Apple Inc. in Cupertino invites a Performance Architect to join the System Performance Architecture team.

You will characterize workloads, build high-level performance models, and guide next-generation SoCs to improve performance, power, and thermal efficiency. In this role you will dissect AI/ML workloads, develop traces and analysis tools, collaborate with OS, Compiler and ML software teams, and validate models against silicon measurements across pre- and post-silicon stages.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in EE or Computer Engineering; 3+ years in computer architecture/performance analysis
• Understanding of CPU/GPU/NPU microarchitecture (pipelines, caches, etc.)
• Experience in performance analysis and modeling
• Expert in Python and C++ programming

Responsibilities

• Characterize workloads and analyze AI/ML workloads on Apple Silicon
• Develop high-level performance models to project future microarchitectures
• Create and guide workload traces and analysis tools to identify bottlenecks
• Collaborate with OS, Compiler, and ML teams to inform hardware trade-offs
• Validate performance models against silicon measurements across pre/post-silicon stages
• Assist with complex performance debugging on pre-silicon and post-silicon platforms

Skills

Python scripting

C++ coding

Performance analysis

Hardware modeling

Education

Bachelor's degree in EE or Computer Engineering

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Hardware performance counters

Profilers

GPU APIs (OpenGL/OpenCL/DirectX/Metal)

Job description

Cupertino, California, United States Hardware

Imagine what you could do here. At Apple, new ideas have a way of becoming products, services, and customer experiences very quickly. Every single day, people do amazing things at Apple! Do you want to impact billions of users by developing an extraordinary product with a prime focus on accuracy, understandability, and performance of the product? Dynamic, Inspiring people and Innovative technologies are the norm here. The System Performance Architecture team is responsible for all aspects of performance spanning hardware (CPU, GPU, DRAM, storage), software (OS, drivers, applications), and other system characteristics (thermals, power, acoustics). This spans performance modeling, guiding architecture tradeoffs, performance verification, performance debug, and workload characterization. Our team is collaborative, creative and passionate about what we do and the value we add in future product designs. Come join us!

Description

We have an outstanding opportunity for a Performance Architect to contribute to the characterization and optimization of future Apple Silicon platforms. This position is a multi-disciplinary engineering role encompassing computer system design, workload analysis, and performance modeling. The candidate will need the skills to dissect complex workloads (specifically AI and ML), identify architectural bottlenecks, and influence the definition of our next-generation SoCs to advance our products' performance, power, and thermal efficiency.

Responsibilities

• Workload Characterization: Analyzing key applications and benchmarks to understand their behavior on current Apple Silicon hardware. Identifying instruction mix, memory access patterns, and compute requirements.
• Performance Modeling: Distilling key system interactions into high-level performance models to project performance for future microarchitectures.
• Trace & Tool Development: Defining and guiding new methodologies for capturing representative workload traces and developing analysis tools to visualize performance bottlenecks.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Interacting with OS, Compiler, and ML software teams to understand future software trends and guide hardware trade-offs.
• Validation: Correlating performance models against silicon measurements to continually improve accuracy.
• Debug: Assisting with complex performance debug activities on pre-silicon and post-silicon platforms.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelors Degree in EE or Computer Engineering and minimum 3 years of experience in Computer Architecture, performance analysis, or hardware modeling
• Understanding of CPU/GPU/NPU microarchitecture concepts (pipelines, caches, coherence, etc.)
• Experience in performance analysis and modeling
• Expert in Python scripting /C++ coding Skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Masters Degree in EE/Computer Engineering or equivalent of relevant working experience is preferred
• Experience with workload characterization tools (e.g., hardware performance counters, instruction tracers, profilers)
• Experience with GPU APIs, OpenGL, OpenCL, DirectX, Metal.
• Expertise in one or more focused areas (CPU/GPU, System Architecture, Compiler/SW Stack). Areas could include core/shader micro-architecture, texture pipeline, caching, or memory subsystem design for the SoC. System Areas examples could include IO, Storage, or DRAM Subsystem.
• Exposure to modeling in constrained environments (ie under thermal, power delivery, power management constraints)
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts to diverse audiences across hardware and software teams

At Apple, 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 $150,400 and $277,600, and your base pay will depend on your skills, qualifications, experience, and location.

• Apple employees also have the opportunity to become an Apple shareholder through participation in Apple's discretionary employee stock programs.
• Apple employees are eligible for discretionary restricted stock unit awards, and can purchase Apple stock at a discount if voluntarily participating in Apple's Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
• You'll also receive benefits including: Comprehensive medical and dental coverage, retirement benefits, a range of discounted products and free services, and for formal education related to advancing your career at Apple, reimbursement for certain educational expenses - including tuition.
• Additionally, this role might be eligible for discretionary bonuses or commission payments as well as relocation.

Learn more about Apple Benefits

Note: Apple benefit, compensation and employee stock programs are subject to eligibility requirements and other terms of the applicable plan or program.

Apple is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusion and diversity. We seek to promote equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics. Learn more about your EEO rights as an applicant

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Apple accepts applications to this posting on an ongoing basis.