Staff Software Engineer, Application Specific Integrated Circuits Firmware

Google's software engineers develop the next-generation technologies that change how billions of users connect, explore, and interact with information and one another. Our products need to handle information at massive scale, and extend well beyond web search. We're looking for engineers who bring fresh ideas from all areas, including information retrieval, distributed computing, large-scale system design, networking and data storage, security, artificial intelligence, natural language processing, UI design and mobile; the list goes on and is growing every day. As a software engineer, you will work on a specific project critical to Google’s needs with opportunities to switch teams and projects as you and our fast-paced business grow and evolve. We need our engineers to be versatile, display leadership qualities and be enthusiastic to take on new problems across the full-stack as we continue to push technology forward.

As a part of this team, you will develop C++ code that controls and monitors Google’s custom accelerators (ASICs), including TPUs (for machine learning) and VCUs (for video encode/decode). You will also define the API that the rest of the software stack uses to build planet-scale deployments of the systems that use these ASICs. You will write code that directly handles interrupts, DMAs, and many other hardware-centric features. You will have a direct role in the initial debug and bring-up of new ASICs and among the first teams to use the new chips. Additionally, our team owns simulation models that allow for early software development pre-silicon, work closely with external vendors and many internal teams including chip design, system software, ML supercomputer, compiler, and system test.The AI and Infrastructure team is redefining what’s possible. We empower Google customers with breakthrough capabilities and insights by delivering AI and Infrastructure at unparalleled scale, efficiency, reliability and velocity. Our customers include Googlers, Google Cloud customers, and billions of Google users worldwide.

We're behind Google's groundbreaking innovations, empowering the development of AI models, delivering unparalleled computing power to global services, and providing the essential platforms that enable developers to build the future. From software to hardware our teams are shaping the future of world-leading hyperscale computing, with key teams working on the development of our TPUs, Vertex AI for Google Cloud, Google Global Networking, Data Center operations, systems research, and much more.Individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

US: $207000 - $300000 (USD) + 20% bonus target + equity + benefits

Learn more about benefits at Google.

• Develop firmware responsible for handling features such as power-on and reset of the ASICs, initializing low level hardware, security, and virtualizing the ASIC to multiple processes and Virtual Machines (VMs).
• Support trusted firmware, key management, and protect user data and privacy (i.e. confidential compute) using advanced security technologies.
• Develop tools to update and debug ASIC firmware, while enabling chip bring-up and hardware debugging.
• Collaborate closely with the hardware design and development teams on code design hardware/software interface.
• Build functional and cycle-level simulators that bit-accurately model the custom accelerator ASICs, along with tools and infrastructure to help with ASIC design verification, tapeout, and bring-up, and develop embedded CPU simulators as part of the full system simulator.

Minimum qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.
• 8 years of experience in software development.
• 5 years of experience working with embedded operating systems.
• 3 years of experience with software design and architecture.
• Experience in C, C++ and Embedded Systems.

Preferred qualifications:

• Master’s degree or PhD in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field.
  
• 8 years of experience with data structures/algorithms.
• 3 years of experience working in a complex, matrixed organization involving cross-functional, or cross-business projects.
• Experience in embedded C/C++, embedded software development, Hardware/Software code design at the chip-level, multi-threaded designs, machine learning and video encoding/decoding.