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# Senior AI Kernel Engineer

- **Company:** Modular Inc
- **Location:** Los Altos, CA, United States
- **Experience:** Expert
- **Salary:** $180,000.0 - $324,000.0
- **Contract:** Permanent contract
- **Skills:** Artificial Intelligence, C++ (Programming Language), Compilers, Code Generation, Nvidia CUDA, Computer Programming, Linux Kernel, Open Source Technology, Performance Tuning, System Programming, Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), Delivery Pipeline, Large Language Models, Performance Monitor, Stable Diffusion, Model Inference
- **Published:** October 27, 2026
- **Apply:** https://www.careerbuilder.com/job-details/senior-ai-kernel-engineer--9eef5ba1-c901-46b2-a108-1b05f1f67518

## About the Role

Kernel Programming, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Kernel Programming, Architectural Services, GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), Performance Tuning/Optimization, Onboarding, Memory Hardware, Performance Analysis, * 5+ years of experience in performance-critical systems or kernel development (or equivalent depth of expertise).

 * Strong proficiency in C/C++ and low-level programming.
 * Extensive hands-on experience with GPU kernel programming (CUDA, HIP, or equivalent).
 * Deep understanding of GPU architecture, including memory hierarchies, synchronization, and execution models.
 * Proven track record of delivering measurable performance improvements in production systems.
 * Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work independently on complex, ambiguous performance challenges.

Helpful, but not required:

 * Experience with PTX, assembly-level tuning, or code generation frameworks (e.g., Triton).
 * Experience optimizing distributed or multi-GPU inference pipelines.
 * Familiarity with custom AI accelerators or domain-specific hardware.
 * Understanding of modern AI models (e.g., transformers, LLMs, diffusion) from a systems and performance perspective.
 * Contributions to open-source kernel libraries, compilers, or performance tools.
 * Experience collaborating directly with hardware or compiler teams.

## Description

We are seeking a Senior AI Kernel Engineer to lead the design and optimization of high-performance kernels for large-scale AI inference on GPUs and emerging custom accelerators. In this role, you will own performance-critical paths, drive architectural decisions, and turn complex AI workloads into highly optimized implementations that run efficiently at scale.
You will work at the intersection of hardware, compilers, and AI systems, collaborating closely with compiler, runtime, model, and infrastructure teams to deliver production-quality inference performance.
LOCATION: Candidates based in the US or Canada are welcome to apply. You can work in our office in Los Altos, CA or remotely from home. Onboarding for new hires is conducted in-person in our Los Altos, CA office.

What you will do:

 * Design, implement, and optimize performance-critical kernels for AI inference workloads (e.g., GEMM, attention, communication, fusion).
 * Lead kernel-level optimization efforts across single-GPU, multi-GPU, and heterogeneous hardware environments.
 * Make informed trade-offs between latency, throughput, memory footprint, and numerical precision.
 * Drive adoption of new hardware features (e.g., Tensor Cores, asynchronous execution, advanced memory spaces).
 * Analyze performance using profilers, hardware counters, and microbenchmarks; translate insights into concrete improvements.
 * Work closely with compiler and runtime teams to influence code generation, scheduling, and kernel fusion strategies.
 * Review and mentor other engineers on kernel design, performance tuning, and best practices.
 * Contribute to technical roadmaps and long-term performance strategy for AI inference.