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Low Level Software Developer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Associates Systems LLC

$138K - $182K/yr

Required BS in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field ... other low-level software Experience in defense, aerospace, avionics, satellite, or other high ...

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$111.8K

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How much do low level software developer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 10, 2026, the average yearly pay for low level software developer in the United States is $111,845.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $90,000.00 and $130,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are Low Level Software Developers?

Low Level Software Developers are programmers who specialize in writing software that interacts closely with computer hardware or system resources. They typically work with languages like C, C++, or Assembly to develop operating systems, device drivers, embedded systems, or performance-critical applications. Their work often requires an in-depth understanding of hardware architecture, memory management, and system processes. Low Level Software Developers play a crucial role in ensuring software runs efficiently and reliably on various devices.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Low Level Software Developer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Low Level Software Developer, you need a solid understanding of computer architecture, proficiency in programming languages like C or C++, and a relevant degree in computer science or engineering. Familiarity with debugging tools, operating systems internals, and version control systems such as Git is typically required. Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and effective communication are crucial soft skills for this role. These abilities are vital for efficiently developing, optimizing, and troubleshooting software that interacts closely with hardware and system resources.
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Low Level Software Developer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Low Level Software Developer job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 85% Full Time, and 15% Contract. Highlights an 85% In-person, 5% Hybrid, and 10% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $111,845 per year, or $53.8 per hour.

Software Engineer, Metal Runtime (API & Abstractions)

Tenstorrent

Santa Clara, CA • Hybrid

$100K - $500K/yr

Other

Posted 3 days ago

Job description

Software Engineer, Metal Runtime (API & Abstractions)

Tenstorrent is leading the industry on cutting-edge AI technology, revolutionizing performance expectations, ease of use, and cost efficiency. With AI redefining the computing paradigm, solutions must evolve to unify innovations in software models, compilers, platforms, networking, and semiconductors. Our diverse team of technologists have developed a high performance RISC-V CPU from scratch, and share a passion for AI and a deep desire to build the best AI platform possible. We value collaboration, curiosity, and a commitment to solving hard problems. We are growing our team and looking for contributors of all seniorities.

As a Software Engineer on the Metal Runtime team at Tenstorrent, you'll work on the low-level software that powers our AI accelerators. You'll design fast, efficient runtime systems that run close to the hardware, and define the host and device APIs that expose these capabilities to the rest of the software stack. We believe APIs are a core part of systems design: they encode hardware semantics, performance tradeoffs, and concurrency models, and they live longer than any single implementation.

If you enjoy pushing performance, working close to the metal, and designing abstractions that make complex systems usable without sacrificing control, this is your kind of role.

This role is hybrid, based out of Santa Clara, CA; Austin, TX; Toronto, ON.

We welcome candidates at various experience levels for this role. During the interview process, candidates will be assessed for the appropriate level, and offers will align with that level, which may differ from the one in this posting.

Who You Are
  • Strong coder in C or C++, and enjoy working close to hardware.
  • Comfortable thinking in terms of threads, processors, and memory movement.
  • Care deeply about API design, abstraction boundaries, and developer experience in low-level systems.
  • Experienced (or interested in) designing libraries or interfaces used by other engineers.
  • Think about long-term maintainability, usability, and clarity when designing systems.
  • Curious about how runtimes and bare-metal software come together to power AI.
  • Collaborative by nature and enjoy solving tough problems with smart people.
What We Need
  • Design and evolve host and device APIs that expose Metal runtime capabilities clearly and efficiently.
  • Translate low-level hardware behavior into intuitive, high-performance abstractions.
  • Collaborate closely with runtime, kernel, and higher-level software teams to align API design with real-world usage.
  • Ensure APIs balance performance, control, safety, and ease of use.
  • Contribute to runtime implementation where needed to support API design and integration.
  • Debug, analyze, and improve usability and performance across the software stack.
Nice to Have:
  • Experience designing or evolving non-trivial C++ APIs used by other engineers.
  • Familiarity with APIs for accelerator systems (e.g., CUDA, SYCL, Vulkan, or similar).
What You Will Learn
  • How to design APIs and abstractions for cutting-edge AI hardware.
  • How to balance performance, control, and usability in low-level system design.
  • How to translate hardware capabilities into clean, developer-friendly interfaces.
  • Best practices for building maintainable, high-performance systems software.
  • How software and hardware co-evolve in a fast-paced AI startup.

Compensation for all engineers at Tenstorrent ranges from $100k - $500k including base and variable compensation targets. Experience, skills, education, background and location all impact the actual offer made.

Tenstorrent offers a highly competitive compensation package and benefits, and we are an equal opportunity employer.

Apply