Datacenter System Software Architect

The Role:

Do you want to be part of the RISC-V revolution? RISC-V and SiFive are redefining computing platforms for the 21st century. As a datacenter system software architect, you’ll play a leading role in designing and implementing high-performance RISC-V Linux systems for datacenters, spanning software and hardware architecture and engineering. At SiFive, engineers work cross-functionally, with full access to our software and hardware codebases.

The home for this role is in SiFive’s Software Architecture group. You’ll architect and write software that takes advantage of SiFive and RISC-V hardware features and integrates cleanly with existing operating systems, primarily Linux. You’ll help author and review architecture specifications for new hardware and software features, and will help plan and execute the work involved in implementation.

• Architect systems and system software for hyperscaler deployments based on RISC-V, focusing on software and system architecture and collaborating closely with hardware architects.
• Engage with key customers and partners to integrate their functional and performance requirements, understand key workloads, and ensure that SiFive systems are well-supported in the associated software ecosystems.
• Help guide the development of RISC-V software and firmware stacks for servers, including platform controller firmware, platform firmware, hypervisors, Linux, and application stacks.
• Participate in the development of RISC-V standards pertaining to servers.
• Engage with RISC-V software ecosystem organizations to help guide external development.
• Work with SiFive performance benchmarking and software optimization teams to identify and resolve bottlenecks limiting the performance of the design.
• Help port and optimize modern hypervisors and virtualization stacks to run on RISC-V.
• Drive the adoption and integration of next-generation server extension cards, involving CXL, RDMA, networking and storage offload, and compute accelerators.
• Help plan, estimate, and drive complex software projects.

• Experience defining requirements for x86 or ARM servers for hyperscaler use cases.
• Experience with key server requirements including RAS, telemetry, manageability, and I/O offloading.
• Experience with key application workloads, including distributed databases, AI/ML training/inference, agentic AI, and high-throughput microservices.
• Experience developing low‑level code in C for multiprocessor, multithreaded operating systems such as the Linux kernel, BSD kernels, or other high-level operating systems.
• Understanding of computer architecture at the CPU and system levels, VLSI design concepts and how they impact hardware and software architecture.
• Experience writing and reviewing architecture specifications, both for hardware and software.
• Experience with modern desktop and server ecosystems, including PCIe, Device Tree, ACPI, and UEFI.
• Experience with the RISC‑V ISA and RISC‑V software ecosystem.
• Experience with datacenter Linux distributions such as Debian, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, and SLES.
• Strong communication skills.
• Strong project leadership skills, including the ability to develop roadmaps, work breakdowns, and estimates, and drive projects.

• Experience working with RTL engineers and with RTL product life cycles.
• Experience with C++ or Rust.
• Experience working in global teams and cross-cultural communication.

Consistent with SiFive values and applicable law, we provide the following information to promote pay transparency and equity. We have a market-based pay structure which varies by location. Please note that the base pay range is a guideline, and our compensation range reflects the cost of labor in the U.S. geographic market based on the location of the role. Pay within these ranges varies and depends on job-related knowledge, skills, and relevant work experience.

Base Pay Range: $ - $. In addition to base pay, this role may be eligible for variable or incentive compensation and/or equity. The role is also eligible for a comprehensive, competitive benefit package which may include health care, retirement plans, paid time off, and more.