Principal Software Engineer, Embedded Linux (AI2524) - San Jose, California, United States
$203,800 - $315,900 USD yearly
Originally posted 21 July 2026 by the employer.
About the role
The SoC software team develops the SDK for SiMa.ai’s MLSoC product line, spanning OS porting, boot SW, device drivers, and runtime environments across multiple CPU subsystems. This includes implementing embedded Linux applications and APIs to support end-to-end customer workflows utilizing MLSoC IO subsystems.
What you'll do
- Leverage IP SW from Synopsys and ARM and integrate into the MLSoC SW environment. - Develop drivers for peripheral devices including low- and high-speed interfaces for Linux. - Develop drivers and support for Docker and Hypervisor environments. - Test and verify Linux drivers and environments using Chip Virtualizers and Zebu emulators. - Implement hardware communication between multiple heterogeneous cores and configure Linux environments for reference boards. - Modify and perform Yocto and eLxr/Debian builds for new functionality and support the HW MLSoC test validation team.
What you'll need
- BS or MS in Computer Science with a minimum of 10 years of experience. - Hands-on experience developing firmware, boot code, and SW using 64-bit Arm processors. - Hands-on experience developing drivers for SPI, I2C, USB, PCIe, MIPI, Ethernet, and eMMC. - Experience collaborating with silicon teams on pre-silicon verification, post-silicon bring-up, and troubleshooting. - Proficiency in C/C++. - Proven track record building and delivering complex SW products.
Skills: Embedded Linux, OS device drivers, boot SW, Hypervisor, Yocto
This role has been open 90 days — well above the 60-day median for Systems Software Engineering roles.
Systems Software Engineering · Systems Software
|
Open roles in category
680
|
Median days open
60 d
|
Median salary
$213k
|
See the full market breakdown ▾Category comparison, skills in demand, and who else is hiring
| Metric | SiMa.ai | All employers we track in this specialty (680 roles · 71 employers) |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles in this specialty | 3 | 680 |
| Open roles in the wider Software, Firmware & Systems family | 8 | 6166 · 145 employers |
| Median days open | 90 d | 60 d (+30 d vs this employer) |
| Median salary (USD postings) | — | $213k |
Skills observed across this category: Embedded Linux, OS device drivers, boot SW, Hypervisor, Yocto
Who's hiring in this category
- Qualcomm · 169 open roles · median 80 d
- NVIDIA · 129 open roles · median 45 d
- AMD · 63 open roles · median 53 d
- Mobileye · 26 open roles · median 78 d
- Broadcom · 22 open roles · median 55 d
- Arm Holdings · 20 open roles · median 116 d
How we counted: 680 open Systems Software Engineering (Systems Software) roles from 71 employers tracked in the SemiconductorJobs index, counted 19 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 Software, Firmware & Systems family row. Figures refresh nightly.