At Cadence, we hire and develop leaders and innovators who want to make an impact on the world of technology.

Tensilica, a Cadence company, delivers configurable processor IP and DSP solutions powering AI, vision, audio, and communications workloads. Its Xtensa® architecture enables highly optimized, domain-specific designs with industry-leading performance and efficiency.

The C Compiler team builds the toolchain that unlocks this performance. Working on LLVM-based compilers for Xtensa processors, the team drives code generation, architecture-aware optimizations, and real-world workload performance. In close partnership with hardware teams, they enable new capabilities and deliver production-grade tools used by leading semiconductor and systems companies.

Responsibilities:

Design and implement compiler optimizations and features for Xtensa processors
Drive improvements in code generation, performance tuning, and architecture enablement
Partner closely with hardware teams on new ISA features and capabilities
Analyze and optimize real-world workloads (AI, DSP, vision)
Mentor junior engineers and contribute to technical direction

Requirements:

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field
4+ years of experience in compiler development or low-level systems software, academical of industrial
Strong C/C++ skills and solid debugging expertise
Good understanding of compiler internals (LLVM/GCC preferred)
Strong foundation in computer architecture and performance optimization

Nice to Have:

Experience with DSPs, AI/ML workloads, or embedded systems
Hands-on experience with LLVM/GCC backend or optimization passes
Experience working close to hardware or enabling new architectures

The annual salary range for San Jose, CA is $ 108,500 to $201,500. You may also be eligible to receive incentive compensation: bonus, equity, and benefits.Sales positions generally offer a competitive On Target Earnings (OTE) incentive compensation structure. Please note that the salary range is a guideline and compensation may vary based on factors such as qualifications, skill level, competencies and work location. Our benefits programs include: paid vacation and paid holidays, 401(k) plan with employer match, employee stock purchase plan, a variety of medical, dental and vision plan options, and more.

We’re doing work that matters. Help us solve what others can’t.

Lead Software Engineer

Benefits

Job Description