CPU Cores Global Performance Lead - CA, Santa Clara, United States
Originally posted 28 October 2026 by the employer.
About the role
Lead the engineering team responsible for CPU performance analysis and optimization across AMD CPU Cores. You will partner with Core Architecture and RTL teams to manage performance modeling and analysis requirements across the roadmap.
What you'll do
- Take end-to-end ownership of the performance analysis and optimization for CPU Cores. - Partner with Core Architecture and RTL teams to deliver a high-performance CPU core that meets or exceeds program objectives. - Manage performance modeling and analysis requirements across the entire CPU Core roadmap. - Represent the Performance Team and report regular progress towards program goals. - Communicate program, organization, and company updates to the team.
What you'll need
- BS, MS, or PhD degree in Electrical or Computer Engineering. - Extensive experience managing significant CPU performance analysis and optimization efforts, as well as large teams (20+ engineers). - Working knowledge with all aspects of CPU performance, including Early Investigation, Core Architecture, Performance Modeling, Analysis and Correlation, and Post-Silicon Performance Validation. - Hands-on experience with modern ISAs (e.g., x86-64, Armv8/Armv9, or RISC-V) in performance analysis and optimization contexts. - Demonstrated experience in hypothesis-driven performance investigation and making timely, data-backed decisions.
Nice to have
- Technical background in one or more areas of CPU performance: Performance Modeling, Architecture, Correlation, or Post-Silicon Performance Validation. - Technical background in one or more traditional CPU units (e.g., Branch Prediction, Instruction Fetch, Decode, Execution, Scheduler, Floating Point, Load Store). - Knowledge of x86 Architecture (ISA). - System-level knowledge or experience (e.g., Memory Controller, IO). - Demonstrated leadership development through formal training, coaching, mentorship, or practical management experience.
Skills: CPU performance, performance modeling, microarchitecture, ISA, x86
This role has been open 0 days — well below the 76-day median for SoC/Chip Architecture roles.
SoC/Chip Architecture · SOC Architecture
|
Open roles in category
487
|
Median days open
76 d
|
Median salary
$237k
|
See the full market breakdown ▾Category comparison, skills in demand, and who else is hiring
| Metric | AMD | All employers we track in this specialty (487 roles · 69 employers) |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles in this specialty | 40 | 487 |
| Open roles in the wider Digital Design & Verification family | 258 | 3363 · 116 employers |
| Median days open | 61 d | 76 d (−15 d vs this employer) |
| Median salary (USD postings) | — | $237k |
Skills observed across this category: CPU performance, performance modeling, microarchitecture, ISA, x86
Who's hiring in this category
- Qualcomm · 77 open roles · median 92 d
- NVIDIA · 53 open roles · median 71 d
- Apple · 44 open roles · median 20 d
- AMD (this employer) · 40 open roles · median 61 d
- Arm Holdings · 31 open roles · median 79 d
- Micron Technology · 21 open roles · median 105 d
How we counted: 487 open SoC/Chip Architecture (SOC Architecture) roles from 69 employers tracked in the SemiconductorJobs index, counted 29 Oct 2026. Specialty figures count only roles carrying this exact specialty label, so an employer's related work in neighbouring specialties is not included there — it is counted in the wider Digital Design & Verification family row. Figures refresh nightly.