NVIDIA
Principal CPU Performance Architect
$272K–$431K
US, CA, Santa Clara · Principal · Full-time · Posted Oct 7, 2026
- Experience
- At least 16+ years in a frontline role within new CPU projects.
- Education
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field, or equivalent experience.
About the job
Leads CPU microarchitecture performance innovation, evaluating and implementing improvements to meet performance, power, and area targets.
What you'll do
- Model and assess proposed microarchitectural improvements, then implement effective solutions with build, verification, and post-silicon teams.
- Resolve critical timing, power, and area issues and partner with lead microarchitects to achieve CPU core targets.
- Advocate for microarchitectural ideas and lead a microarchitecture segment by example.
What they ask for
- Deep understanding of new CPU microarchitecture and architecture, with innovation across CPU front end, midcore, or memory subsystem areas.
- Experience in performance modeling, debugging, and evaluating innovative ideas.
- At least 16+ years in a frontline role on new CPU projects.
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field, or equivalent experience.
Nice to have
- Experience leading microarchitecture segments and driving initiatives.
- History of collaborating with architects and microarchitects to achieve ambitious targets.
Pay
272,000 USD - 431,250 USD (base salary)
AI focus
The role focuses on CPU microarchitecture; the posting says NVIDIA uses AI tools in its recruiting processes, not that the job involves AI work.
Model-written summary · the original posting is authoritative