Virtual Software Modeling Engineer

AMD; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

AMD is seeking a software engineer to bring SoCs to life in a virtual environment. You will build fast platform models in C++ that simulate software-visible behavior of AMD's CPUs, GPUs, and interconnects, enabling firmware, OS, driver, and application teams to boot and debug months before silicon.

This AI-native role emphasizes architectural judgment and collaboration with architecture, firmware, and software teams, leveraging AI coding tools to accelerate development on cutting-edge silicon.

Qualifications

• Strong C/C++ for high-performance systems software on Linux/Windows.
• Using AI coding assistants/agents as part of day-to-day engineering.
• Understanding of hardware/software interfaces (registers, memory maps, interrupts).
• Experience in pre-silicon verification/emulation, firmware/BIOS bring-up, embedded systems, or GPU/driver development.

Responsibilities

• Architect and build high-performance C++ functional models of AMD SoCs, IP blocks, and platforms.
• Enable firmware, OS, driver, and validation teams to develop and debug against your models months ahead of silicon.
• Improve functionality, stability, and performance of existing models with tests proving correctness.
• Partner with architecture teams to interpret specs and model next-generation designs.
• Debug internal and customer workloads running on the models.
• Advance the simulation framework, debug tooling, and AI-integrated modeling workflow.

Skills

C/C++ programming

AI coding tools

Hardware/software interfaces

Multithreading

Education

Bachelor's or Master’s in CS/CE/EE

Tools

SystemC/TLM-2.0

QEMU

Simics

GEM5

Job description

WHAT YOU DO AT AMD CHANGES EVERYTHING At AMD, our mission is to build great products that accelerate next-generation computing experiences—from AI and data centers, to PCs, gaming and embedded systems. Grounded in a culture of innovation and collaboration, we believe real progress comes from bold ideas, human ingenuity and a shared passion to create something extraordinary. When you join AMD, you’ll discover the real differentiator is our culture. We push the limits of innovation to solve the world’s most important challenges—striving for execution excellence, while being direct, humble, collaborative, and inclusive of diverse perspectives. Join us as we shape the future of AI and beyond.

Together, we advance your career.

THE ROLE

Bring AMD's leading-edge SoCs to life in a virtual environment. You\'ll build Fast Platform Models — high-performance C++ functional models that simulate the software-visible behavior of AMD's next-generation CPUs, MI-series data-center GPUs, Data Fabric and chiplet interconnect, and high-speed IO (USB4, PCIe, IOMMU, RISC-V, and more). Your models let firmware, OS, driver, and application teams’ boot and debug their software months before silicon exists — and are used by both internal teams and external customers running real workloads.

This is an AI-native role: the leverage comes not from hand-typing C++ but from directing frontier coding models and agents to build, verify, and debug models faster than was possible two years ago. You bring the architectural judgment, spec interpretation, and correctness bar; the AI does the volume. Everyone here works this way — you\'re either already fluent with AI coding tools or you\'ll get there fast. You\'ll partner closely with architecture, firmware, and software teams and learn these systems from the register level up. If working this way on some of the most complex silicon on the planet is where you want to be, this is your team.

THE PERSON

You think in systems, you love turning dense hardware specs into working models, and you hold a high bar for correctness. You use AI coding tools as a core part of how you work — or you\'re eager to — and you have thoughts on how to get the most out of them. You\'re a strong teammate who communicates clearly, thrives with ambiguity, and improves everything you touch.

Key Responsibilities

• Architect and build high-performance C++ functional models of AMD SoCs, IP blocks, and platforms — driving AI coding tools to implement and verify them.
• Enable firmware, OS, driver, and validation teams to develop and debug against your models’ months ahead of silicon.
• Improve the functionality, stability, and performance of existing models, backed by tests that prove correctness.
• Partner with architecture teams to interpret specifications and model next-generation designs.
• Debug internal and customer workloads running on the models.
• Advance our simulation framework, debug tooling, and how the team applies AI across the modeling workflow.

Preferred Experience

• Strong C/C++ for high-performance systems software on Linux and/or Windows — able to architect, review, and debug complex code, not just write it.
• Using AI coding assistants/agents as a core part of day-to-day engineering.
• Understanding of hardware/software interfaces (registers, memory maps, interrupts) and subsystem interface protocols.
• Functional modeling, architecture simulation, virtual platform, or hypervisor development — or adjacent experience in pre-silicon verification/emulation, firmware/BIOS bring-up, embedded systems, QEMU/hypervisor, or GPU/driver development.
• x86, ARM, or GPU architecture, drivers, and applications.
• SystemC/TLM-2.0, QEMU, Simics, GEM5, or Virtualizer.
• Linux and/or Windows kernel debugging.
• Multithreaded programming and synchronization primitives (mutexes, atomics, condition variables, lock-free structures), including common pitfalls.

ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS

• Bachelor\'s or master\'s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or equivalent experience preferred.

This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

AMD benefits at a glance.

AMD does not accept unsolicited resumes from headhunters, recruitment agencies, or fee-based recruitment services. AMD and its subsidiaries are equal opportunity, inclusive employers and will consider all applicants without regard to age, ancestry, color, marital status, medical condition, mental or physical disability, national origin, race, religion, political and/or third-party affiliation, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We encourage applications from all qualified candidates and will accommodate applicants’ needs under the respective laws throughout all stages of the recruitment and selection process.

AMD may use Artificial Intelligence to help screen, assess or select applicants for this position. AMD\’s “Responsible AI Policy” is available here.

This posting is for an existing vacancy.