Kernel Optimization Software Engineer, AI Hardware

What To Expect
The Performance Optimization team takes research models and makes them run efficiently on Tesla's AI-ASICs, powering Autopilot and Optimus. This role sits at the intersection of AI research, compiler development, kernel optimization, and hardware design. You'll collaborate with AI researchers on novel quantization techniques, precision improvements, and non-standard architectures. You'll develop optimized kernels using our MLIR-based compiler stack to achieve real-time latency for self-driving and humanoid robots. You'll work directly with hardware teams to shape our next-generation AI5, AI6, and Dojo3 chips.

What You'll Do

Implement, optimize, and profile highly performant kernels for inference and training on Tesla's AI and Dojo ASICs

Optimize bottlenecks in the inference flow, make precision/performance tradeoff decisions, and develop novel techniques to improve hardware utilization and throughput

Work on a variety of edge and datacenter workloads, from small encoders/decoders to distributed LLM inference

Work with hardware teams to shape the next generation of Tesla hardware, evaluating architectural tradeoffs and balancing performance with versatility

Research and implement state-of-the-art machine learning techniques to achieve high performance on our hardware

Experiment with numerical methods and alternative architectures

Collaborate with the compiler team on programmability and performance

What You'll Bring

Hands-on experience with kernel optimization, distributed systems, inference runtimes, or serving frameworks

Experience with LLMs, transformers, state space models, diffusion models, CNNs, and their performance characteristics

Familiarity with performance modeling and roofline analysis

Understanding of computer and GPU architecture, SIMD, multithreading, and/or other accelerators with vectorized instructions

Strong analytical and debugging skills

Ability to work across team boundaries with compiler, hardware, and ML teams

Degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent in experience and evidence of exceptional ability

Contributions to ML serving frameworks, compilers, and frameworks is a bonus (e.g. SGLang, LLVM, PyTorch, MLIR)

Benefits
Compensation and Benefits
Along with competitive pay, as a full-time Tesla employee, you are eligible for the following benefits at day 1 of hire:

Medical plans > plan options with $0 payroll deduction

Family-building, fertility, adoption and surrogacy benefits

Dental (including orthodontic coverage) and vision plans, both have options with a $0 paycheck contribution

Company Paid (Health Savings Accounts) HSA Contribution when enrolled in the High-Deductible medical plan with HSA

Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

401(k) with employer match, Employee Stock Purchase Plans, and other financial benefits

Company paid Basic Life, AD&D

Short-term and long-term disability insurance (90 day waiting period)

Employee Assistance Program

Sick and Vacation time (Flex time for salary positions, Accrued hours for Hourly positions), and Paid Holidays

Back-up childcare and parenting support resources

Voluntary benefits to include: critical illness, hospital indemnity, accident insurance, theft & legal services, and pet insurance

Weight Loss and Tobacco Cessation Programs

Tesla Babies program

Commuter benefits

Employee discounts and perks program

Expected Compensation

$176,000 - $420,000/annual salary cash and stock awards benefits

Pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements dependent on the position offered. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.

, Tesla