Cadence Design Systems

At Cadence, we hire and develop leaders and innovators who want to make an impact on the world of technology.

Tensilica, a Cadence company, delivers configurable processor IP and DSP solutions powering AI, vision, audio, and communications workloads. Its Xtensa® architecture enables highly optimized, domain-specific designs with industry-leading performance and efficiency.

The C Compiler team builds the toolchain that unlocks this performance. Working on LLVM-based compilers for Xtensa processors, the team drives code generation, architecture-aware optimizations, and real-world workload performance. In close partnership with hardware teams, they enable new capabilities and deliver production-grade tools used by leading semiconductor and systems companies.

Responsibilities:

• Design and implement compiler optimizations and features for Xtensa processors
• Drive improvements in code generation, performance tuning, and architecture enablement
• Partner closely with hardware teams on new ISA features and capabilities
• Analyze and optimize real-world workloads (AI, DSP, vision)
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to technical direction

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field
• 4+ years of experience in compiler development or low-level systems software, academical of industrial
• Strong C/C++ skills and solid debugging expertise
• Good understanding of compiler internals (LLVM/GCC preferred)
• Strong foundation in computer architecture and performance optimization

Nice to Have:

• Experience with DSPs, AI/ML workloads, or embedded systems
• Hands-on experience with LLVM/GCC backend or optimization passes
• Experience working close to hardware or enabling new architectures

The annual salary range for San Jose, CA is $ 108,500 to $201,500. You may also be eligible to receive incentive compensation: bonus, equity, and benefits.Sales positions generally offer a competitive On Target Earnings (OTE) incentive compensation structure. Please note that the salary range is a guideline and compensation may vary based on factors such as qualifications, skill level, competencies and work location. Our benefits programs include: paid vacation and paid holidays, 401(k) plan with employer match, employee stock purchase plan, a variety of medical, dental and vision plan options, and more.

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