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Kernel Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

They are seeking a Senior Linux Kernel SW Engineer to join their server software and solutions engineering team, where the role involves enabling AMD x86-64 architecture features in Linux and ...

GPU Kernel Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$150K - $250K/yr

About the role We're looking for a GPU kernel engineer with deep, low-level CUDA expertise to make our training and inference faster and more efficient. You'll write and optimize custom kernels ...

$120 - $180/hr

Embedded Linux BSP engineering background with hands‑on Yocto / OpenEmbedded experience on production hardware. * Hands‑on real‑time Linux kernel patching and tuning experience, with practical ...

GPU Kernel Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$180 - $280/hr

About the role We're looking for a GPU kernel engineer with deep, low-level CUDA expertise to make our training and inference faster and more efficient. You'll write and optimize custom kernels ...

Showing results 21-40

Kernel Engineer information

What is a kernel engineer?

A Kernel Engineer is a software engineer who specializes in the development, maintenance, and optimization of operating system kernels, such as Linux or Windows. Their primary responsibilities include designing new kernel features, fixing bugs, improving performance, and ensuring compatibility with hardware. They often work closely with hardware manufacturers and other software developers to build stable and secure system foundations. Kernel Engineers must have a deep understanding of operating system internals, low-level programming (typically in C or C++), and computer architecture. This role is critical for maintaining and advancing the core components that allow computers and devices to function efficiently.

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

To thrive as a Kernel Engineer, you need deep expertise in C programming, operating system concepts, and low-level hardware interactions, typically supported by a degree in computer science or related fields. Familiarity with version control systems (like Git), debugging tools (such as GDB), and kernel development frameworks is crucial. Problem-solving, attention to detail, and effective communication are standout soft skills in this role. These skills enable the creation of reliable, efficient, and secure kernels that form the backbone of computing systems.

What are some typical challenges kernel engineers face when working on operating system updates?

Kernel Engineers often encounter challenges related to maintaining system stability and compatibility when implementing updates or new features. Ensuring that changes do not introduce regressions or security vulnerabilities requires thorough testing and collaboration with QA and other engineering teams. Additionally, Kernel Engineers need to keep up-to-date with hardware advancements and support a wide range of devices, which can add complexity to their work. Effective communication and strong problem-solving skills are essential for navigating these challenges and delivering high-quality code.

What is the difference between Kernel Engineer vs Device Driver Developer?

AspectKernel EngineerDevice Driver Developer
Required CredentialsBachelor's or higher in Computer Science, Linux/Unix knowledge, programming skills in C/C++Similar credentials, often with specialized knowledge in hardware and driver development
Work EnvironmentSystem-level development, kernel code, Linux/Unix environmentsHardware interaction, driver coding, embedded or OS-specific environments
Industry UsageOperating system development, open-source projects, hardware manufacturersHardware companies, embedded systems, OS vendors
Common Search/ComparisonKernel EngineerDevice Driver Developer

Kernel Engineers focus on developing and maintaining the core kernel of operating systems, ensuring system stability and performance. Device Driver Developers specialize in creating software that allows hardware components to communicate with the OS. While both roles require similar technical skills and often overlap, Kernel Engineers work on the entire kernel infrastructure, whereas Device Driver Developers concentrate on specific hardware interfaces.

More about Kernel Engineer jobs

What cities are hiring for Kernel Engineer jobs?

Cities with the most Kernel Engineer job openings:

What states have the most Kernel Engineer jobs?

States with the most job openings for Kernel Engineer jobs include:

Infographic showing various Kernel Engineer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 86% In-person, and 14% Remote job distribution.

GPU Performance / Kernel Engineer

Designworks Talent

Bellevue, WA • On-site

$180 - $240/hr

Other

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement

This job post has expired 4 days ago. Applications are no longer accepted.


Job description

GPU Performance / Kernel Engineer

Location: Hybrid | Bellevue, WA Area
Titles: Engineer, Senior and Staff (multiple roles available)

Optimize the Performance Layer Powering Next-Generation AI Infrastructure About the Opportunity

A well-funded, rapidly growing AI infrastructure company is building a next-generation cloud platform designed to power the full lifecycle of artificial intelligence. The organization is developing a comprehensive AI infrastructure, platform, and services portfolio that supports the full spectrum of AI workloads—including large-scale compute, model training, fine-tuning, inference, and emerging agentic AI applications.

Backed by significant long-term investment, the company combines the speed, ownership, and innovation of a startup with the stability and resources of an established parent organization. Engineering teams are intentionally lean, highly collaborative, and AI-native, leveraging modern tooling and automation to build infrastructure capable of supporting the industry's most demanding AI workloads.

We\'re seeking GPU Performance / Kernel Engineers to optimize the data plane powering large-scale AI workloads. This role focuses on improving GPU utilization, reducing latency, and maximizing throughput across training and inference environments by tuning kernels, identifying performance bottlenecks, and driving efficiency across the GPU fleet.

The Opportunity

This is a high-impact engineering role focused on extracting maximum performance from large-scale GPU infrastructure. You\'ll work at the intersection of GPU architecture, AI workloads, systems performance, and low-level optimization.

As part of a highly technical infrastructure team, you\'ll analyze workload behavior, optimize performance-critical code paths, and develop the techniques and tooling required to operate AI systems efficiently at scale.

This opportunity is ideal for engineers who enjoy deep technical challenges involving GPU computing, kernel optimization, distributed AI workloads, and hardware/software performance.

What You\'ll Do
  • Profile, analyze, and optimize GPU kernels to improve latency, throughput, and overall utilization.

  • Identify and eliminate data-plane bottlenecks impacting GPU performance across large-scale AI workloads.

  • Tune performance-critical workloads across training and inference environments.

  • Work closely with AI infrastructure, machine learning, and platform engineering teams to understand workload characteristics and optimize system behavior.

  • Develop benchmarking methodologies and performance measurement practices across GPU infrastructure.

  • Evaluate emerging GPU technologies, performance tools, and optimization techniques as hardware platforms evolve.

  • Contribute to engineering practices that improve GPU efficiency, scalability, and reliability across the fleet.

What We\'re Looking For
  • Strong experience with GPU kernel development and performance optimization using technologies such as CUDA, ROCm, or comparable GPU programming frameworks.

  • Demonstrated experience improving GPU utilization, reducing latency, or increasing throughput for production AI workloads.

  • Strong understanding of GPU architecture, memory hierarchy, parallel computing, and the data path from application layer to hardware execution.

  • Experience profiling and debugging performance issues in complex AI or distributed computing environments.

  • Ability to independently own technically complex problems and drive solutions in a fast-moving engineering environment.

  • Strong systems programming and performance engineering mindset.

Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience optimizing workloads across multiple GPU platforms, including NVIDIA and AMD architectures.

  • Experience with GPU compiler technologies, runtime optimization, or low-level systems performance.

  • Contributions to open-source GPU performance projects, compiler tooling, or AI systems optimization.

  • Background working with large-scale AI training, inference platforms, HPC environments, or cloud GPU infrastructure.

  • Familiarity with GPU profiling and optimization tools such as Nsight Systems, Nsight Compute, ROCm profiling tools, or similar technologies.

Compensation
  • Competitive base pay for Bellevue market

  • Certain roles are eligible for additional rewards, including merit increases, annual bonus, and long term incentives. These awards are allocated based on individual performance

  • U.S. based employees have access to medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) plan and company match, employees also receive per calendar year, paid holidays.

Location
  • Hybrid role based in the Bellevue, WA area.

  • Approximately three days per week in the office.

  • Candidates elsewhere in the U.S. who are open to relocation are encouraged to apply.

  • U.S. work authorization is required. Visa sponsorship is not currently available.

Why Join?
  • Optimize the performance layer behind one of the industry\'s most advanced AI infrastructure platforms.

  • Work directly on GPU efficiency, kernel optimization, and large-scale AI workload performance.

  • Solve some of the hardest challenges in AI systems engineering—maximizing utilization, minimizing latency, and scaling compute efficiently.

  • Join early enough to influence architecture, tooling, and performance engineering practices.

  • Collaborate with world-class engineers building the infrastructure powering the next generation of AI applications.

  • Enjoy the technical ownership and impact of a startup environment backed by significant long-term investment.

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