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Smartnic Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Blaxel, Inc

Network Software Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$250K - $300K/yr

Kernel bypass / SmartNIC / SR-IOV / RDMA * Custom BPF programs for observability or dataplane filtering * Large-scale IPv6-only environments * Advanced traffic simulation or network modeling * Ultra ...

Nvidia

OR

Experience with NVIDIA DOCA or equivalent DPU/SmartNIC programming frameworks for offloading data plane and storage services. * Proven foundation in networking: Spectrum-X Ethernet, InfiniBand ...

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

To excel as a SmartNIC Engineer, you need a solid background in computer networking, hardware architecture, and programming (such as C/C++ or Verilog), often supported by a degree in computer engineering or a related field. Familiarity with network protocols, FPGA development tools, and SmartNIC platforms (like NVIDIA BlueField or Intel FPGA solutions) is typically required. Strong problem-solving abilities, collaboration, and adaptability are critical soft skills for innovating and integrating networking solutions. These competencies are essential for developing, optimizing, and deploying high-performance network interface cards that enable efficient, programmable data processing in modern data centers.

What are the typical daily responsibilities of a SmartNIC engineer and how do they interact with other teams?

A SmartNIC engineer typically spends their day designing, implementing, and testing network functions that run on programmable network interface cards. Their work often involves collaborating closely with software developers, network architects, and DevOps teams to ensure seamless integration of SmartNIC solutions into data center environments. Daily tasks may include writing and optimizing firmware, troubleshooting performance issues, and validating network security features. Communication and teamwork are key, as SmartNIC engineers must align their developments with broader network and business requirements.

What are SmartNICs and what do they do?

SmartNICs, or Smart Network Interface Cards, are advanced network cards that go beyond traditional NICs by offloading networking, storage, and security tasks from the main server CPU. They use onboard processors, such as FPGAs or ARM cores, to handle complex operations like packet filtering, encryption, and virtualization. This improves network performance, reduces latency, and frees up server resources for other tasks. SmartNICs are commonly used in data centers and cloud environments to enhance efficiency and scalability.

What is the difference between Smartnic vs Network Engineer?

AspectSmartnicNetwork Engineer
Required CredentialsCertifications like Cisco CCNA, CompTIA Network+Certifications like Cisco CCNA, CCNP, CompTIA Network+
Work EnvironmentData centers, hardware development, network infrastructureCorporate offices, ISPs, enterprise networks
Industry UsageNetworking hardware manufacturers, data center providersTelecommunications, IT services, enterprise networks

Smartnic and Network Engineer roles share overlapping certifications and work environments, but Smartnic specialists focus on hardware acceleration and network hardware design, while Network Engineers handle network setup, configuration, and troubleshooting. Both roles are vital in modern networking infrastructure, often collaborating within data centers and enterprise networks.

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Infographic showing various Smartnic job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 84% Physical, and 16% Remote job distribution.
Principal Software Engineer - Networking Hyperscale Engineering

Principal Software Engineer - Networking Hyperscale Engineering

Nvidia Corporation

Seattle, WA • On-site

$153.60K - $206K/yr

Full-time

Posted 16 days ago

Job description

NVIDIA is looking for an experienced Principal Software Engineer to expand the US-based Networking Hyperscale Engineering Team. Are you craving an opportunity to work directly with top-tier cloud and AI customers, co-develop software that powers their AI superclusters, and influence NVIDIA's NIC software roadmap? In this role you will do just that for NVIDIA's high-performance networking stack spanning Linux kernel, RDMA/RoCE, DPDK, DOCA, NCCL, and NIC firmware.
You will be among the first to design and optimize the NIC and communication paths for our next-generation GPU and NIC platforms and help define their role in the modern AI data center. You'll work closely with some of the best SDK, driver, firmware, and GPU/NIC architects in the industry, as well as domain experts in large-scale training, collectives, and systems performance.
What you'll be doing:
  • Co-developing NIC software and communication paths with strategic, top-tier customers to enable and scale large AI superclusters.
  • Designing and implementing high-performance C/C++ components on Linux using DPDK, kernel-bypass techniques, and RDMA/RoCE.
  • Developing and integrating kernel, driver, and NIC firmware features to improve throughput, latency, and reliability for AI workloads.
  • Working closely with NCCL and distributed training teams to tune end-to-end collectives performance over NVIDIA networking at scale.
  • Owning complex performance and functionality debug with customers and representing the team in cross-org architecture discussions.

What we need to see:
  • 15+ years overall experience in a similar or related systems / networking software role.
  • A Bachelor's, Master's or PhD in Software Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
  • Deep C/C++ expertise, strong Linux systems knowledge, and hands-on experience with kernel networking / RDMA / NIC drivers or DPDK.
  • Proven experience developing and debugging network operating systems (NOS) and routing/switching protocols used in AI data centers (for example BGP, ECMP, EVPN/VXLAN).
  • Practical experience with DOCA, NIC firmware interfaces, or other hardware-accelerated networking stacks for large-scale systems.
  • Excellent communication skills and a track record of effective collaboration with developers, partners, and customers in dynamic environments.

Ways to stand out from the crowd:
  • Deep knowledge of Linux kernel / systems internals, SoC / SmartNIC / NIC embedded systems, and data center switches and NOS.
  • Hands-on experience with RDMA/RoCE, GPU-related networking (for example GPUDirect RDMA), and high-performance, low-latency data paths.
  • Background optimizing NCCL or other distributed training stacks on large GPU clusters for throughput and tail latency.
  • Experience working with hyperscalers or major cloud providers on strategic, performance-critical AI networking deployments.
  • Contributions to open-source networking, RDMA, DPDK, kernel, CUDA/NCCL, or related ecosystems.

With competitive salaries and a generous benefits package, we are widely considered to be one of the technology world's most desirable employers. We have some of the most forward-thinking and hardworking people in the world working for us and, due to unprecedented growth, our exclusive engineering teams are rapidly growing. If you're a creative and autonomous engineer with a real passion for technology, we want to hear from you.
Your base salary will be determined based on your location, experience, and the pay of employees in similar positions. The base salary range is 248,000 USD - 391,000 USD.
You will also be eligible for equity and benefits.
Applications for this job will be accepted at least until May 19, 2026.
This posting is for an existing vacancy.
NVIDIA uses AI tools in its recruiting processes.
NVIDIA is committed to fostering a diverse work environment and proud to be an equal opportunity employer. As we highly value diversity in our current and future employees, we do not discriminate (including in our hiring and promotion practices) on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status or any other characteristic protected by law.
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About Nvidia

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

NVIDIA has been transforming computer graphics, PC gaming, and accelerated computing for more than 25 years. It's a unique legacy of innovation that's fueled by great technology--and amazing people. Today, we're tapping into the unlimited potential of AI to define the next era of computing. An era in which our GPU acts as the brains of computers, robots, and self-driving cars that can understand the world. Doing what's never been done before takes vision, innovation, and the world's best talent.

Industry

Computer and electronic product manufacturing

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Santa Clara, CA, US

Year founded

1993

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