Senior Staff Engineer, SoC Performance Architect

Position Summary

Samsung, a world leader in advanced semiconductor technology, is founded on a simple philosophy - the endless pursuit of excellence will create a better world for all. At Samsung Austin Research and Development Center (SARC) and Advanced Computing Lab (ACL), we are building a center of excellence for Intellectual Property (IP) that is applied to high-performance computing devices (mobile, automotive, and other custom market segments) consumed by millions of people around the world. Come build with us!

Role and Responsibilities

As a Senior Staff SoC Performance Architect, you will play a key leadership role in driving the modeling, performance optimization, architecture innovation of System-on-Chip (SoC) for Samsung's premium chipsets.

In this high-impact individual contributor role, you will develop modeling tools, identify and analyze emerging use cases, propose innovative memory architectures, and experiment with new ideas in collaboration with global cross-functional teams. Your strong expertise in SoC architecture, cache hierarchy, and memory subsystems will fuel innovation for cutting-edge memory solutions that power next-generation consumer mobiles and adjacent markets-redefining possibilities at the frontier of technology development.

• You are a domain expert in one or more technical areas. Leveraging your diverse expertise, you will define and deliver new SoC architecture and features for premium mobile and related product platforms.
• You excel at performance modeling and analysis for hardware features, developing tools and simulations to evaluate complex use cases-including gaming, camera, and machine learning (ML) workloads-and translating findings into innovative memory subsystem solutions.
• You ensure design excellence by assessing the impact of system-level architectural trade-offs across CPU, GPU, NPU, ISP, memory subsystems, and software, and delivering high-quality architectural proposal and specifications to design teams.
• You lead effective cross-functional collaboration with global teams, clearly communicating architecture proposals to diverse audiences-from peer engineers to leadership-while driving consensus, influencing data-driven decision making, and resolving challenges for efficient implementation of advanced memory technologies.
• You inspire high performance, mentor junior engineers, foster trust, and promote a culture of ownership culture and open communications.

Skills and Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience with a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science/Engineering, or 8+ years of experience with a Master's Degree, or 6+ years of experience with a Ph.D.
• Must-have requirements:
• Extensive experience in system-level architecture analysis and performance modeling, ranging from simple analytical models to complex cycle-accurate simulations and correlation, particularly across CPU - memory subsystems.
• Knowledge of high performance/efficiency design and design flow
• In-depth knowledge of CPU architecture and cache subsystems, including coherency, caching policies, and trade-offs of latency, bandwidth and hierarchies
• In-depth knowledge of modern memory controller design including queue depth, scheduling, QoS, starvation, fairness, encryption, etc.
• Strong proficiency in leveraging existing or developing new simulation capabilities
• Decent knowledge of on-device ML/AI for LLMs
• Strong communication and collaboration skills; able to navigate ambiguity in a fast-paced, global team environment
• Big plus:
• Understanding of CPU/GPU/NPU ML acceleration
• Knowledge of existing and emerging JEDEC LPDDR memory standards, HBM and DDR
• Familiarity with processing in memory (PIM)
• Knowledge of in Interconnect and bus protocols, with CHI/ACE interconnect experience
• Experience with the Android Ecosystem and analysis tools
• Experience with Arm Architecture and ecosystem

Our Team

The System IP & SoC Architecture team at SARC/ACL designs proprietary coherent interconnects and memory controllers that power Exynos SoCs for Samsung's premium consumer devices. We play a critical role in shaping the technology roadmap, delivering scalable, performance- and power-optimized IP solutions that support advanced system modeling and real-world applications such as gaming and computational photography. With scalability and efficiency at the core of our designs, our IP integrates seamlessly into complex semiconductor products, enabling cutting-edge memory subsystem capabilities across diverse market segments.

Joining our team means collaborating alongside talented engineers from diverse technical backgrounds across a global organization. You'll have the opportunity to build next-generation technologies, broaden your expertise, and solve impactful challenges in a supportive environment built on collaboration, continuous learning, and growth.

Total Rewards

At Samsung - SARC/ACL, base pay is one part of our total compensation package and is determined within a range. This provides the opportunity to progress as you grow and develop within a role. The base pay range for this role is between $180,200 and $297,200. Your actual base pay will depend on variables that may include your education skills, qualifications, experience, and work location.

Samsung employees have access to benefits including: medical, dental, vision, life insurance, 401(k), onsite lunch, employee purchase program, tuition assistance (after 6 months), paid time off, student loan program, wellness incentives, and many more. In addition, regular full-time employees (salaried or hourly) are eligible for MBO bonus compensation, based on company, division, and individual performance.

Additionally, this role might be eligible to participate in long term incentive plan and relocation.

This is an exempt position, which is not eligible for overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

U.S. Export Control

This position requires the ability to access information subject to U.S. export control restrictions. Applicants must have the ability to access export-controlled information or be eligible to receive a government authorization to access export-controlled information.

Trade Secrets

By submitting an application, you [applicant] agree[s] not to disclose to Samsung, or induce Samsung to use, any confidential or proprietary information (including trade secrets) belonging to any current or previous employer or other person or entity.

#SARC #ACL

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