Compiler and ToolChain Engineer
Key Skills for This Role
Full Job Posting
THE ROLE
As a Compiler & Toolchain Engineer, you'll be a core member of the team building and maintaining Nuvacore's compiler and toolchain stack across GCC and LLVM along with core libraries and runtime environments. You'll work close to the metal — implementing machine models for our microarchitecture, chasing down codegen correctness and performance issues, and partnering directly with CPU architects to extract every bit of performance possible. You will work closely with our performance engineers to develop an understanding of key performance issues in real-world applications and strategies for optimizing software, libraries and the microarchitecture.
WHAT YOU'LL OWN
Design, implement, and maintain compiler backend support (instruction selection, scheduling, register allocation, code generation) for Nuvacore's ISA across GCC and/or LLVM
Diagnose and resolve codegen correctness bugs and performance regressions across the toolchain, from source down to generated machine code
Track and integrate upstream LLVM/GCC changes, and contribute upstream where it benefits the broader ecosystem
Drive toolchain architecture decisions that span the software/hardware boundary and set technical direction for the compiler team
Performance optimization of system libraries and dynamic language environments
REQUIREMENTS - MUST HAVE
15+ years of professional experience working on compiler internals — frontend, middle-end, or backend — in LLVM and/or GCC
Strong understanding of compiler backend construction: instruction selection, register allocation, instruction scheduling, and code generation
Low-level programming experience targeting x86, ARM, or RISC-V architectures
Proven experience debugging functional and performance issues in large, complex software systems
Experience working within modern, automated software development methodologies (CI/CD, automated testing, code review tooling)
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Demonstrated ability to collaborate across functional teams and work flexibly across domains (compiler, architecture, firmware)
Experience with performance analysis of large scale system-level applications including JIT environments and multiple languages
REQUIREMENTS - NICE TO HAVE
Upstream contributions to LLVM, GCC, or binutils
Compiler-level performance optimization tuned to a specific microarchitecture
Experience with simulators or instruction set simulators (QEMU, ISS) for toolchain bring-up and validation
Experience bringing up a toolchain for new silicon, from pre-tapeout simulation through post-silicon validation
Prior experience at a CPU or silicon design company
WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE
Development of machine models for the Nuvacore microarchitecture
Meaningful performance analysis and optimization of key workloads
Toolchain regressions are caught by automated test infrastructure before they reach downstream firmware or OS teams
Architecture and firmware teams treat you as a trusted technical partner on compiler-related design tradeoffs
Qualifications
- MUST HAVE
- 15+ years of professional experience working on compiler internals — frontend, middle-end, or backend — in LLVM and/or GCC
- Strong understanding of compiler backend construction: instruction selection, register allocation, instruction scheduling, and code generation
- Low-level programming experience targeting x86, ARM, or RISC-V architectures
- Proven experience debugging functional and performance issues in large, complex software systems
- Experience working within modern, automated software development methodologies (CI/CD, automated testing, code review tooling)
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate across functional teams and work flexibly across domains (compiler, architecture, firmware)
- Experience with performance analysis of large scale system-level applications including JIT environments and multiple languages
- Upstream contributions to LLVM, GCC, or binutils
- Compiler-level performance optimization tuned to a specific microarchitecture
- Experience with simulators or instruction set simulators (QEMU, ISS) for toolchain bring-up and validation
- Experience bringing up a toolchain for new silicon, from pre-tapeout simulation through post-silicon validation
- Prior experience at a CPU or silicon design company
- WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE
- Development of machine models for the Nuvacore microarchitecture
- Meaningful performance analysis and optimization of key workloads
- Toolchain regressions are caught by automated test infrastructure before they reach downstream firmware or OS teams
- Architecture and firmware teams treat you as a trusted technical partner on compiler-related design tradeoffs
Preferred Qualifications
- NICE TO HAVE
About Nuvacore
Privately held semiconductor startup designing general-purpose CPU cores for AI infrastructure, data centers, and agentic computing.
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