# Hardware / Software CoDesign Engineer

**Company:** [OpenAI](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/openai)
**Location:** San Francisco, CA
**Role:** Embedded Engineering
**Salary:** $342k – $555k/yr
**Experience:** 4+ years
**Skills:** CUDA, Triton, C++, Python, GPU, Ai Accelerators, System Performance Modeling, Compilers, Low Precision Formats, Chip Architecture
**Posted:** 2026-02-11

> Co-designs AI-optimized hardware with vendors, develops performance models, and influences architectures for efficient ML training and inference. Requires 4+ years experience in software/hardware co-design, GPU programming, and collaboration with ML/kernel teams.

## Job Description

## In this role, you will:
- Co-design future hardware for programmability and performance with our hardware vendors
- Assist hardware vendors in developing optimal kernels and add support for it in our compiler
- Develop performance estimates for critical kernels for different hardware configurations and drive decisions on compute core and memory hierarchy features
- Build system performance models at different abstraction levels and carry out analysis to drive decisions on scale up, scale out, front end networking
- Work with machine learning engineers, kernel engineers and compiler developers to understand their vision and needs from high performance accelerators
- Manage communication and coordination with internal and external partners
- Influence the roadmap of hardware partners to optimize them for OpenAI’s workloads
- Evaluate potential partners’ accelerators and platforms
- As the scope of the role and team grows, understand and influence roadmaps for hardware partners for our datacenter networks, racks, and buildings

## You might thrive in this role if you have:
- 4+ years of industry experience, including experience harnessing compute at scale and optimizing ML platform code to run efficiently on target hardware
- Strong experience in software/hardware co-design
- Deep understanding of GPU and/or other AI accelerators
- Experience with CUDA, Triton or a related accelerator programming language
- Experience driving Machine Learning accuracy with low precision formats
- Experience with system performance modeling and analysis to optimize ML model deployment
- Strong coding skills in **C/C++** and **Python**
- Are familiar with the fundamentals of deep learning computing and chip architecture/microarchitecture
- Able to actively collaborate with ML engineers, kernel writers, compiler developers, system engineers, chip architects/microarchitects

## Nice to have:
- PhD in Computer Science and Engineering with a specialization in Computer Architecture, Parallel Computing, Compilers or other Systems
- Strong understanding of LLMs and challenges related to their training and inference

## Benefits and Perks
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance for you and your family
- Mental health and wellness support
- 401(k) plan with 4% matching
- Unlimited time off and 18+ company holidays per year
- Paid parental leave (20 weeks) and family-planning support
- Annual learning & development stipend ($1,500 per year)

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