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Cpu Micro Architecture Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Samsung Electronics

CPU Micro-architect

San Jose, CA · On-site

$124K - $208K/yr

Role and Responsibilities We are seeking a talented CPU Micro-architect to join our team, where you ... Our Team The System IP & SoC Architecture team at SARC/ACL designs proprietary coherent ...

Qualcomm

CPU Micro-architect/RTL Designer

Austin, TX · On-site

$211K - $317K/yr

As a CPU Micro-architecture and RTL Design Engineer, you will work with chip architects to conceive of the micro-architecture, and also help with architecture/product definition through early ...

Nutanix

CPU Micro-architect/RTL Designer

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

$211K - $317K/yr

As a CPU Micro-architecture and RTL Design Engineer, you will work with chip architects to conceive of the micro-architecture, and also help with architecture/product definition through early ...

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Cpu Micro Architecture information

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$156.5K

$168K

How much do cpu micro architecture jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 11, 2026, the average yearly pay for cpu micro architecture in the United States is $167,842.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $167,000.00 and $167,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is CPU microarchitecture?

CPU microarchitecture refers to the way a processor's internal components are designed and organized to execute instructions. It includes the layout and interaction of elements like ALUs, caches, pipelines, and control units within a CPU. Microarchitecture determines how efficiently a processor can execute commands, manage data, and utilize resources. While the instruction set architecture (ISA) defines what a CPU can do, the microarchitecture defines how it actually does it, impacting performance and power consumption.

What are some typical challenges faced by CPU microarchitecture engineers during the design process?

CPU microarchitecture engineers often face challenges balancing performance, power consumption, and area constraints when designing new processors. They must ensure that their design meets target specifications for speed and efficiency while staying within the physical and thermal limitations of the chip. Additionally, collaborating closely with verification, software, and hardware teams is essential to identify and resolve integration issues early in the development cycle. Staying updated with evolving technology standards and adapting designs to support new features can also be demanding but offers valuable opportunities for learning and growth.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a CPU microarchitect, and why are they important?

To thrive as a CPU Microarchitect, you need a strong background in computer engineering, digital logic design, and processor architecture, often supported by a relevant engineering degree. Familiarity with hardware description languages (such as Verilog or VHDL), simulation tools, and processor modeling software is typically required. Analytical thinking, problem-solving, and effective communication are essential soft skills for collaborating with cross-functional teams and addressing complex design challenges. These combined skills ensure the development of efficient, high-performance CPUs that meet market and technical demands.

What is the difference between Cpu Micro Architecture vs Cpu Design Engineer?

AspectCpu Micro ArchitectureCpu Design Engineer
Primary FocusDesigning the internal structure and organization of the CPU, including pipelines, cache hierarchy, and execution units.Creating detailed CPU designs, including circuitry, logic, and functional specifications.
Required SkillsKnowledge of microarchitecture principles, digital logic, and computer architecture.Expertise in digital circuit design, hardware description languages, and verification.
Work EnvironmentResearch and development teams in semiconductor or tech companies, often collaborating with architects and engineers.Hardware design teams focused on implementing and testing CPU components.

While Cpu Micro Architecture involves designing the internal structure and behavior of CPUs, Cpu Design Engineers focus on translating these designs into actual hardware. Both roles require a strong understanding of digital logic and computer architecture, but they differ in scope—micro architecture emphasizes conceptual design, whereas design engineering emphasizes implementation.

What other helpful pages are available for Cpu Micro Architecture?

Other pages related to Cpu Micro Architecture:

Infographic showing various Cpu Micro Architecture job openings in the United States as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 90% Full Time, and 10% Contract. Highlights an 90% In-person, and 10% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $167,842 per year, or $80.7 per hour.

CPU Performance Architect, Platform Architecture

Austin, TX • On-site

Apple
Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing • 10K+ employees
Learn more about Appleexternal

$165K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 11 days ago

Apple rating

8.1

Company rating: 8.1 out of 10

Based on 684 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

Job description

Do you have an uncommon desire to seek out and solve exceedingly difficult challenges rather than the easy ones? Do you believe that truly valuable and meaningful accomplishments are the result of pushing the limits of perseverance? Do you believe that a world-class team with relentless drive can surpass even their own high expectations? We do! But we also realize this job isn't for everyone. What we do isn't easy, but you don't take the easy path. We are seeking a highly motivated, innovative, and confident individual to join the CPU Architecture and Performance Team; we are a group that is driving advanced exploration for next generation iPhone, iPad, and Mac CPU architectures!
Description
As a CPU Performance Architect with a focus on CPU micro-architecture, you will be part of a team that is pushing the boundaries of innovation in the areas of branch prediction, code/data prefetchers, novel prediction schemes to improve latency and optimization of CPU pipelines. With others you will seek out areas for improvement while collecting data and measurements that either confirm the idea or rule it out. You will collaborate with experienced CPU designers in micro-architecture and RTL to assess the feasibility of ideas through modeling and refine those ideas to make them implementable. The role requires the analysis of specific single-threaded and multi-threaded workloads across existing and new product categories to identify bottlenecks and opportunities for improvement. We collaborate as a larger CPU architecture and performance team to maintain and improve the simulation environment to enable data driven decisions and look for ways to boost the productivity of the entire team.
Minimum Qualifications
BS degree
Experience with CPU architecture and micro-architecture
Experience conceiving novel performance ideas using micro-architecture knowledge and performance bottleneck analysis on relevant workloads
Experience working with design and implementation teams to iterate on ideas to solve timing and power efficiency challenges and fit them into system constraints
Experience in performance and/or power simulation environments, such as taking ideas from concept to C/C++ simulator implementation
Experience in scripting languages such as Perl or Python
Preferred Qualifications
20+ years of relevant industry experience
MS or PhD in Electrical or Computer Engineering or Computer Science
Understanding of common data structures and algorithms
Knowledge in software design patterns
Familiarity with SIMD and vector architectures
Knowledge of OS internals and compiler technologies
Comfortable in an environment of uncertainty and able to work through ambiguities
Communication, influence and negotiation skills

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About Apple

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Imagine what you could do here! At Apple, new ideas have a way of becoming extraordinary products, services, and customer experiences very quickly. Bring passion and dedication to your job and there's no telling what you could accomplish. Dynamic, intelligent people and inspiring, innovative technologies are the norm here. The people who work here have reinvented entire industries with all Apple Hardware products. The same real passion for innovation that goes into our products also applies to our practices strengthening our dedication to leave the world better than we found it.

Industry

Computer and electronic product manufacturing

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Cupertino, CA, US

Year founded

1976

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