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Staff Software Engineer, Kernel Virtualization

Google· Advanced
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Sunnyvale, CA, USA$207k - $300kFull-timePosted 1mo ago

About the role

Staff Software Engineer role focused on hardware-software co-design for next-generation custom silicon and SoCs, with emphasis on optimizing Linux kernel internals, hypervisors, and virtualization performance for planet-scale workloads within Google's AI and Infrastructure teams.

Responsibilities

  • Lead hardware-system co-design for next-generation custom silicon and SoCs, translating low-level software performance insights into architectural requirements for future processor and server platforms.
  • Optimize Linux kernel internals and hypervisors to systematically identify and eliminate virtualization overhead across both x86 and Arm-based hyperscale infrastructure.
  • Architect bare-metal microbenchmarks, diagnostic tools, and profiling suites to isolate and resolve complex system bottlenecks spanning CPU cores, caches, and memory hierarchies.
  • Drive cross-functional technical alignment across silicon architecture, platform firmware, operating system, and cloud infrastructure teams to set the performance roadmap for planet-scale workloads.
  • Mentor and technically direct engineers, fostering rigorous systems performance methodologies, experimental benchmarking standards, and architectural best practices.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.
  • 8 years of experience in software development and system programming.
  • Experience with Linux kernel internals, kernel virtualization, or hypervisor development.
  • Experience in performance analysis, debugging, and system optimization on server architectures.

Skills

Required:Linux kernel internalskernel virtualization / hypervisor developmentperformance analysis and system optimization

Benefits

  • Learn more about benefits at Google (see link in job description).
Last updated Oct 23, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.

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