Senior Kernel & Device Drivers Engineer
About the role
SambaNova is seeking a Senior Software Engineer to develop kernel-level drivers and low-level software for high-speed IO and memory subsystems within the DataScale® platform and RDU architecture.
You will enable system bring-up, debug complex cross-layer issues, and deliver production-quality software that scales across systems and deployments. Working across kernel, firmware, and hardware, you will build robust, maintainable drivers and frameworks supporting validation, manufacturing, and system performance.
This is a hands-on role for an engineer with strong low-level programming skills, solid hardware understanding, and a focus on reliability, performance, and code quality.
Responsibilities
Kernel & Driver Development
Develop and maintain kernel-space drivers for high-speed IO and memory subsystems
Enable platform bring-up and support driver integration across new silicon and system
configurations
Write clean, maintainable, production-quality code and drive code reviews
System Bring-Up & Debug
Support system bring-up from early silicon through production
Debug complex issues across kernel, firmware, and hardware layers
Drive issues to root cause and resolution in collaboration with cross-functional teams
PHY & Hardware Interaction
Support PHY initialization and validation across high-speed interfaces
Debug issues related to IO, memory, and PHY subsystems in coordination with
hardware teams
Interpret hardware specifications and schematics to guide bring-up and debug
Performance & Validation Software
Develop tools and frameworks for performance analysis, validation, and manufacturing
test
Identify system bottlenecks and implement optimizations across driver and system layers
Enable post-silicon validation through software automation and infrastructure
Required Qualifications
B.S. in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field
5+ years of experience in kernel or low-level system software development
Experience with Linux kernel, drivers, user space libraries, and applications
Strong Linux fundamentals
Strong C/C++ programming and debugging skills; scripting experience - Python or Shell
Experience with high-speed IO or interconnects - PCIe, Ethernet, or similar
Experience with system bring-up and hardware-software co-debug
Experience with manufacturing test flows
Familiarity with development tools such as Git, Docker, Jenkins, or Bazel
Familiarity with build systems and toolchains - GCC, LLVM, Make, or CMake
Strong ownership and ability to drive issues to resolution
Clear communicator with a collaborative, problem-solving mindset
Preferred Qualifications
Experience with PHY bring-up and initialization
Ability to read and understand hardware specifications and register-level documentation
Exposure to pre-silicon validation (FPGA, emulation) and post-silicon bring-up
Familiarity with board schematics and low-level hardware interaction
Solid debugging skills using logs, trace tools (GDB), JTAG, or hardware debuggers
Background in high-performance or accelerator-based systems
Base Salary Range:
Base Pay Range
$120,000—$200,000 USD