Lead Software Engineer

We are seeking a hands-on engineering TLM to lead the Kernel team. You will manage, mentor, and grow a team of kernel engineers while setting technical direction and executing. At the same time, you will be an active coding contributor by designing and implementing high-performance compute kernels for specialized AI hardware.

You will partner with the ML team to maximize output and improve diagnostic tools, and collaborate with hardware to co-design next-generation AI architectures.

What Youll Do Here

• Manage, mentor, and build a team of highly specialized kernel engineers and software developers
• Design and optimize kernels that interface directly with our hardware
• Work in partnership with our ML Research and Hardware Engineering teams
• Provide expertise and guidance on hardware architecture from a programmers perspective, ensuring seamless integration with the software stack

• 2+ years of engineering team management experience
• 7+ years of working directly within engineering teams experience
• Bachelor of Computer Science or equivalent degree
• Experience optimizing software for specialized hardware, employing techniques such as parallelism, SIMD programming, C, assembly-level optimization, or GPU/CUDA programming
• Language: at least one of assembly, C++, C, Zig, or Rust
• Ability to navigate ambiguity, manage escalations, and align stakeholders around infrastructure decisions.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with a track record of translating complex technical trade-offs with the founders and stakeholders

Bonus Points If You Have

• Experience implementing kernels for ML models such as Transformers
• Experience using and implementing distributed parallelism techniques such as AllReduce, AllToAll, data parallelism, tensor parallelism.
• Familiarity with how compilers work, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Assembly Language, Budgeting, C Programming Language, CUDA (Compute Unified Device Architecture), Communication Skills, Computer Engineering, Computer Programming, Computer Science, Computer Systems, Disability Insurance, Diversity, Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), Genetics, Hardware Architecture, Health Plan, Kernel Programming, Life Insurance, Machine Tool, Mentoring, Military, Productivity Management, Psychiatry and Mental Health, Recruiting/Staffing Agency, Regulations, Reimbursement, Software Development, Software Engineering, State Laws and Regulations, Team Building, Team Lead/Manager, Team Player, Training/Teaching

The US base salary for this full-time position is determined based on a variety of factors including role, experience, location, job-related skills, and relevant education and training. Career length is only a guideline for compensation.

• Early Career - $160,000 - $275,000 + equity
• Mid Career - $175,000 - $400,000 + equity
• Senior Career - $250,000 - $600,000 + equity

What We Offer

• Time off: 4 weeks PTO (accrued) + 12 company Holidays + up to 3 weeks remote work
• Health: Company-subsidized Medical (Kaiser or Anthem) for employees & dependents, Guardian Dental and Vision insurances for employee & dependents, and life insurance (employee only), plus HSA and FSA offerings via Lively. See attached benefits 1-pager and full benefits guide for more info on benefits.
• Financial Wellbeing: Choose from Roth IRA/ 401K (or both) retirement plans with up to 5% company contribution to 401K (even if you dont contribute). Also, 100% company-paid life insurance (up to $300K) and long-term disability insurances.
• Professional Development: $1500 Professional Development Budget (per year)
• Team Meals: MatX provides onsite team lunch & dinner Monday - Friday, with your choice of ordering via WeBox, Specialty’s or via our reimbursement system
• Commute on Us: Commute on our company Uber account, or reimburse your train rides. Either way, we pay 100% for your daily commute.
• MatX E[x]tras: $50/mo to use on the perk you value most
• Cell & Internet Reimbursement: $35/mo for cellular and $40/mo for wifi
• Mental Wellbeing: 100% paid mental health benefit via SpringHealth and Guardian EAP.
• Support to Parents: Up to 12 weeks paid parental leave regardless of path to parenthood, 10 weeks pregnancy disability leave, flexible return-to-work hours, and Benepass reproductive health & parental benefit.
• AI Resources: Up to $20K/month plus a dedicated internal AI Tooling Team to support your productivity