Sr. Staff Engineer, IP Runtime

Tenstorrent
Austin +1 more
Hybrid

Who this role is best for

Best suited to C/C++ experts with hardware-software integration experience working in AI and custom silicon domains, with a focus on performance optimization and collaboration across teams.

Best fit for

  • C/C++ engineers with a history of delivering performance-critical systems and hardware integration expertise
    — “An expert C or C++ engineer with a track record of designing and delivering complex, performance-critical systems.”
  • Candidates who can translate hardware specs into reliable software behavior and lead cross-functional teams
    — “Experienced working close to hardware in low-level, embedded, bare-metal, or accelerator environments and translating hardware specifications into reliable software behavior.”
  • Individuals with strong runtime systems knowledge and a hands-on approach to problem-solving
    — “Strong in runtime fundamentals, including command execution, scheduling, synchronization, memory movement, resource management, and parallelism.”

Things to consider

  • Compensation varies significantly based on experience, skills, and location, with a wide range from $100k to $500k
    — “Compensation for all engineers at Tenstorrent ranges from $100k - $500k including base and variable compensation targets.”
  • Employment is contingent on eligibility to access U.S. export-controlled technology
    — “This offer of employment is contingent upon the applicant being eligible to access U.S. export-controlled technology.”

How to stand out

  • Highlight experience with runtime scheduling, synchronization, and performance optimization in your resume and interviews
    — “Define the runtime architecture and implementation that controls execution, scheduling, synchronization, and resource management.”
  • Emphasize your ability to debug and optimize systems end-to-end, especially at the hardware/software boundary
    — “Skilled at debugging and optimizing systems end-to-end, especially at the hardware/software boundary.”
  • Showcase your track record of working in low-level, embedded, or accelerator environments in your application materials
    — “Experienced working close to hardware in low-level, embedded, bare-metal, or accelerator environments.”
Pace · Fast PacedCollaboration · HighAutonomy · HighDecision Impact · Team

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • define the runtime architecture and implementation
  • build low-level runtime components
Typical background
software engineeringembedded systems

Skills & requirements

Required

C Or C++Runtime ArchitectureHardware InitializationWorkload Dispatch

Preferred

Risc-v Processor CoresAccelerator Engines

Stack & domain

CC++Risc-vRuntime FundamentalsAIIP Runtime

About the role

Original posting from Tenstorrent via Greenhouse

Tenstorrent is leading the industry on cutting-edge AI technology, revolutionizing performance expectations, ease of use, and cost efficiency. With AI redefining the computing paradigm, solutions must evolve to unify innovations in software models, compilers, platforms, networking, and semiconductors. Our diverse team of technologists have developed a high performance RISC-V CPU from scratch, and share a passion for AI and a deep desire to build the best AI platform possible. We value collaboration, curiosity, and a commitment to solving hard problems. We are growing our team and looking for contributors of all seniorities.

You will work at the hardware/software boundary to define how those hardware blocks are initialized, coordinated, and used by the runtime. You will determine how workloads are dispatched, scheduled, synchronized, and executed across the accelerator, while solving complex performance problems through implementation, bring-up, and debugging.

This role is hybrid and based in Toronto, ON or Austin, TX.

We welcome candidates at various experience levels for this role. During the interview process, candidates will be assessed for the appropriate level, and offers will align with that level, which may differ from the one in this posting.

Who You Are

An expert C or C++ engineer with a track record of designing and delivering complex, performance-critical systems.

Experienced working close to hardware in low-level, embedded, bare-metal, or accelerator environments and translating hardware specifications into reliable software behavior.

Strong in runtime fundamentals, including command execution, scheduling, synchronization, memory movement, resource management, and parallelism.

Skilled at debugging and optimizing systems end-to-end, especially at the hardware/software boundary.

A technical leader who collaborates effectively across hardware, firmware, compiler, and systems teams and mentors other engineers.

What We Need

Define the runtime architecture and implementation that controls execution, scheduling, synchronization, and resource management across Tenstorrent’s custom processor, accelerator, memory, and data-movement IP.

Build low-level runtime components that initialize hardware IP, dispatch work to processor and accelerator engines, coordinate dependencies, and manage resources efficiently.

Design runtime interfaces and data-movement paths that make memory access, synchronization, and execution efficient and predictable.

Analyze bottlenecks across the runtime and hardware/software stack, then drive improvements in latency, throughput, scalability, and reliability.

Influence the direction of the runtime stack, engage directly with customers and field-facing teams, and translate real-world workload needs into runtime improvements while remaining hands-on with design, coding, performance analysis, bring-up, and debugging.

What You Will Learn

How runtime software exposes and controls custom silicon IP, from hardware initialization and execution control through bring-up, performance analysis, and optimization.

How custom silicon IP blocks—including RISC-V processor cores, accelerator engines, memory systems, data-movement logic, and interconnects—work together as a complete execution platform.

Advanced techniques for execution control, synchronization, scheduling, and performance optimization on massively parallel hardware.

How runtime and hardware co-evolve to improve model throughput, efficiency, and scalability.

Compensation for all engineers at Tenstorrent ranges from $100k - $500k including base and variable compensation targets. Experience, skills, education, background and location all impact the actual offer made.

Tenstorrent offers a highly competitive compensation package and benefits, and we are an equal opportunity employer.

This offer of employment is contingent upon the applicant being eligible to access U.S. export-controlled technology.  Due to U.S. export laws, including those codified in the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (EAR), the Company is required to ensure compliance with these laws when transferring technology to nationals of certain countries (such as EAR Country Groups D:1, E1, and E2).   These requirements apply to persons located in the U.S. and all countries outside the U.S.  As the position offered will have direct and/or indirect access to information, systems, or technologies subject to these laws, the offer may be contingent upon your citizenship/permanent residency status or ability to obtain prior license approval from the U.S. Commerce Department or applicable federal agency.  If employment is not possible due to U.S. export laws, any offer of employment will be rescinded.

Source: Tenstorrent careers (Greenhouse)

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