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Compiler Software Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Possess outstanding software engineering skills with a focus on efficiency and performance * Possess experience in compiler algorithms, demonstrating proficiency in areas such as register allocation ...

... compiler infrastructure and intermediate representations that translate spreadsheet operations into ... Required : • 5+ years experience engineering high-quality software systems • Demonstrated ...

... years of Software Engineering, Hardware Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related work ... and compiler software to support GPU products. • Writes detailed technical documentation and ...

... years of Software Engineering, Hardware Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related work ... and compiler software to support GPU products. • Writes detailed technical documentation and ...

Required : • Degree in Computer Science, ECE or equivalent experience • A software engineer ... of compiler internals from front end to run-time environment Company : NVIDIA is a computing ...

Senior DL Compiler Engineer- CUDA Tile

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

$143K - $189K/yr

NVIDIA is known as 'the AI computing company' and is seeking software engineers for the CUDA Tile team. The role involves working on a new tile-based programming model for GPUs, focusing on compiler ...

Software Engineer

Folsom, CA · On-site

$111K - $211K/yr

Experience in compiler technologies or virtualization technologies * Background in performance ... software in collaboration with OSVs, ISVs, developers, partners and OEMs. The group delivers ...

Software Engineer

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

$111K - $211K/yr

Experience in compiler technologies or virtualization technologies * Background in performance ... software in collaboration with OSVs, ISVs, developers, partners and OEMs. The group delivers ...

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Compiler Software Engineer information

See California salary details

$62.7K

$145.6K

$202.8K

How much do compiler software engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 20, 2026, the average yearly pay for compiler software engineer in California is $145,592.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $118,400.00 and $170,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a Compiler Software Engineer?

A Compiler Software Engineer is a specialized software developer who designs, implements, and maintains compilers. Compilers are programs that translate source code written in one programming language into another, typically from high-level languages like C++ or Python into machine code that a computer can execute. Compiler engineers work on optimizing code performance, ensuring correctness, and supporting new programming language features. They often have strong backgrounds in computer science, algorithms, and systems programming.

What are some common challenges faced by Compiler Software Engineers when optimizing code for different hardware architectures?

Compiler Software Engineers often encounter challenges when adapting and optimizing code for various hardware architectures, such as balancing performance improvements with maintaining code portability and correctness. Each architecture may have unique instruction sets, memory hierarchies, and parallelization capabilities, requiring careful tuning of compiler optimizations. Additionally, collaboration with hardware engineers and staying updated on evolving processor technologies are essential to ensure efficient code generation. This aspect of the role provides continuous learning opportunities and keeps the work both dynamic and technically rewarding.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Compiler Software Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Compiler Software Engineer, you need a strong background in computer science, programming languages (such as C/C++), and compiler theory, usually supported by a relevant degree. Familiarity with tools like LLVM, GCC, and debuggers, as well as experience with code optimization and static analysis, is typically required. Strong problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and effective communication set outstanding engineers apart. These skills ensure robust, efficient compiler development and seamless collaboration with development teams.

What is the difference between Compiler Software Engineer vs Software Developer?

AspectCompiler Software EngineerSoftware Developer
Required CredentialsBachelor's or higher in Computer Science, specialized knowledge in compilersBachelor's or higher in Computer Science or related field
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, tech companies, compiler development teamsVaried environments including startups, corporations, freelance projects
Industry UsagePrimarily in compiler design, programming language development, systems softwareWeb, mobile, enterprise applications, software solutions

Compiler Software Engineers focus on designing and optimizing compilers and language tools, often working in specialized teams. Software Developers create a wide range of applications across industries. While both roles require programming skills, Compiler Software Engineers have a niche expertise in language translation and optimization, making their work more specialized.

What are the most commonly searched types of Compiler Software Engineer jobs in California? The most popular types of Compiler Software Engineer jobs in California are:
What job categories do people searching Compiler Software Engineer jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Compiler Software Engineer jobs in California are:
Software Engineer, Core AI Compiler & Runtime

Software Engineer, Core AI Compiler & Runtime

Tesla

Palo Alto, CA

$160K - $435K/yr

Other

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 12 days ago


Tesla rating

8.5

Company rating: 8.5 out of 10

Based on 663 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

1st of 44 rated automakers


Job description

What to Expect

As a Software Engineer within our AI teams, you will contribute to one of the most advanced and widely deployed AI Platforms in the world, powering Autopilot and our Humanoid Robot, Optimus.

In this role, you will be responsible for the design and development of the AI inference stack running neural networks in millions of Tesla vehicles and Optimus. You will collaborate closely with the AI Engineers and Hardware Engineers to understand requirements and co-design the compiler/runtime to extract the maximum performance out of our hardware.

The inference stack is purpose-driven: deployment and analysis of production models inform the team's direction, and the team's work immediately impacts performance and the ability to deploy increasingly complex models. With a cutting-edge co-designed MLIR compiler and runtime architecture, and full control of the hardware, the compiler has access to traditionally unavailable features that can be leveraged via novel optimization approaches for code generation aimed at squeezing the best performance possible out of Tesla's hardware.

What You'll Do
  • Write, debug and maintain robust software for Tesla AI inference (Compiler / Runtime) across FSD, Optimus, and Data Center use-cases

  • Provide AI developers access to performance-critical hardware features through new APIs and Domain-Specific Languages (DSLs)
  • Design APIs, compiler and runtime features enabling distributed inference on Tesla's hardware
  • Support the integration of our deployment stack with ML frameworks (PyTorch, JAX)
  • Keep up-to-date and collaborate with ML/compiler open-source community
  • Analyze and debug functional and performance issues on massively parallel systems
  • Integrate and deploy AI models in autonomous vehicles, robots, and offline inference

What You'll Bring
  • Demonstratedexpertisewith ML compilers/runtimes (e.g.MLIR, LLVM, XLA, PJRT,TensorRT)
  • Experience with the development of Domain-Specific Languages (DSLs) like Triton,cuTile, Pallas
  • Robust familiarity with CPUs,GPUsand modern AI accelerators
  • Advanced knowledge of computer architecture, distributed systems, networking, and collectives
  • Prior experience working with ML frameworks (PyTorch, JAX), with a focus on framework internals
  • Proficient C/C++ programming C/C++ including modern C/C++ (C++14/17/20)
  • Basic Pythonproficiency
  • Familiarity with modern ML architectures
  • Degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent in experience and evidence of exceptional ability

Compensation and Benefits Benefits

Along with competitive pay, as a full-time Tesla employee, you are eligible for the following benefits at day 1 of hire:

  • Medical plans > plan options with $0 payroll deduction
  • Family-building, fertility, adoption and surrogacy benefits
  • Dental (including orthodontic coverage) and vision plans, both have options with a $0 paycheck contribution
  • Company Paid (Health Savings Accounts) HSA Contribution when enrolled in the High-Deductible medical plan with HSA
  • Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
  • 401(k) with employer match, Employee Stock Purchase Plans, and other financial benefits
  • Company paid Basic Life, AD&D
  • Short-term and long-term disability insurance (90 day waiting period)
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Sick and Vacation time (Flex time for salary positions, Accrued hours for Hourly positions), and Paid Holidays
  • Back-up childcare and parenting support resources
  • Voluntary benefits to include: critical illness, hospital indemnity, accident insurance, theft & legal services, and pet insurance
  • Weight Loss and Tobacco Cessation Programs
  • Tesla Babies program
  • Commuter benefits
  • Employee discounts and perks program
Expected Compensation $160,000 - $435,000/annual salary + cash and stock awards + benefits

Pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements dependent on the position offered. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.


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