Principal Engineer, CPU Architecture & Performance Research
Samsungsemiconductor · San Jose, California, United States · Posted Jul 6, 2026
Apply on company site Track it in JobSkout
Please Note:
To provide the best candidate experience amidst our high application volumes, each candidate is limited to 10 applications across all open jobs within a 6-month period.
Advancing the World’s Technology Together
Our technology solutions power the tools you use every day--including smartphones, electric vehicles, hyperscale data centers, IoT devices, and so much more. Here, you’ll have an opportunity to be part of a global leader whose innovative designs are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and powering the future.
We believe innovation and growth are driven by an inclusive culture and a diverse workforce. We’re dedicated to empowering people to be their true selves. Together, we’re building a better tomorrow for our employees, customers, partners, and communities.
Principal , CPU Architecture Performance Research Engineer
What You’ll Do
Architecture Research Lab is seeking Principal CPU Architecture Performance Engineer to lead the definition, analysis, and optimization of next-generation CPU microarchitectures (RISC-V core). This role is focused on end-to-end performance: from architectural trade-offs and workload characterization to micro-architectural modeling, simulation, and silicon bring-up correlation.
You will work closely with architecture, design, compiler, and system teams to drive performance and efficiency across a broad set of real-world workloads
Location: Daily onsite presence at our San Jose office in alignment with our Flexible Work policy
Job ID: 42918
Define and evaluate CPU micro-architectural features for future cores (frontend, execution engine, memory hierarchy, interconnect).
Lead performance analysis using simulators, RTL.
Help develop and validate performance models (cycle-accurate, trace-driven, statistical).
Characterize workloads (SPEC, server, client, AI/ML, cloud, internal traces) and translate findings into architectural requirements.
Identify performance bottlenecks and propose data-driven optimizations.
Drive architecture-to-implementation alignment with design team.
Collaborate with compiler, OS, and system architects on cross-stack performance issues.
Mentor senior and staff engineers; provide technical leadership across projects.
Work leading to patents and publication
What You Bring
Master’s with 18+ years of experience in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.
or PhD with 15+ years of experience preferred.
10+ years of experience in CPU microarchitecture and/or performance engineering.
Experience with RISC-V, ARM or X86 architectures.
Strong understanding of:
Out-of-order execution, branch prediction, pipelines, and speculation
Cache coherence, memory systems, prefetching, and NUMA effects
Hands-on experience with architectural simulators (like gem5).
Strong programming skills in C/C++ and Python.
Familiarity with compiler optimizations and hardware/software co-design.
Familiarity with SIMD / Vectors / VME for AI inference workloads.
Experience analyzing large performance datasets and traces.
Proven ability (Tapeout / Patents /Publications) to influence architecture / micro architectural decisions through quantitative analysis.
Preferred Qualifications
Background in power/performance/area (PPA) trade-off analysis.
Experience with SIMD/Vectors.
Experience with compiler optimizations and hardware/software co-design.
Prior technical leadership at Senior Staff or Principal level.
You’re inclusive, adapting your style to the situation and diverse global norms of our people.
You approach challenges with curiosity and resilience, seeking data to help build understanding.
You’re collaborative, building relationships, humbly offering support and openly welcoming approaches.
Innovative and creative, you proactively explore new ideas and adapt quickly to change.
#LI-SF1
What We Offer
The pay range below is for all roles at this level across all US locations and functions. Pay within this range varies by work location and may also depend on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. We also offer incentive opportunities that reward employees based on individual and company performance.
This is in addition to our diverse package of benefits centered around the wellbeing of our employees and their loved ones. In addition to the usual Medical/Dental/Vision/401k, our inclusive rewards plan empowers our people to care for their whole selves. An investment in your future is an investment in ours.
Give Back With a charitable giving match and frequent opportunities to get involved, we take an active role in supporting the community.
Enjoy Time Away You’ll start with 4+ weeks of paid time off a year, plus holidays and sick leave, to rest and recharge.
Care for Family Whatever family means to you, we want to support you along the way—including a stipend for fertility care or adoption, medical travel support, and virtual vet care for your fur babies.
Prioritize Emotional Wellness With on-demand apps a…