Principal Software Engineer

Drive Advanced SoC Performance Monitoring and Analysis as a Principal Software Engineer!

PDS Tech Commercial is seeking a highly experienced Principal Software Engineer to lead performance characterization, monitoring, and optimization efforts for advanced System-on-Chip (SoC) platforms.

This is a senior-level technical role focused on developing tooling, methodologies, and processes to analyze on-chip performance, cache utilization, bandwidth allocation, Quality of Service (QoS), and communication fabric efficiency across complex semiconductor architectures.

Top Required Skills

Must-Have Experience

• 15+ years of overall engineering experience preferred
• 10+ years of SoC performance analysis experience
• Experience building tools and processes for performance monitoring and characterization
• Deep understanding of:
• L2 Cache behavior
• L3 Cache behavior
• Network-on-Chip (NoC) architectures
• On-die communication fabrics
• Ability to characterize and establish limits for:
• Bandwidth allocation
• Quality of Service (QoS)
• Channel prioritization
• Traffic management strategies
• Experience with:
• Intel Tiger Lake
• Intel Ice Lake
• Intel Alder Lake
• AC20-193 certification experience preferred for immediate consideration

Position Overview

This role will serve as a top-level technical contributor responsible for architecting and implementing software solutions that enable performance analysis, monitoring, and optimization of advanced semiconductor systems.

The successful candidate will work closely with hardware architects, silicon teams, firmware developers, and software engineers to identify bottlenecks, optimize system performance, and establish performance standards across complex SoC environments.

Key Responsibilities

SoC Performance Analysis

• Analyze and characterize complex SoC architectures.
• Monitor utilization and performance across:
• L2 Caches
• L3 Caches
• Memory Subsystems
• Interconnect Fabrics
• Network-on-Chip (NoC) communications
• Identify bottlenecks and contention points affecting performance.

Performance Monitoring & Tool Development

• Design and develop tools that measure system performance.
• Create automated monitoring frameworks and diagnostics.
• Establish performance metrics and benchmarking methodologies.
• Develop reporting and visualization capabilities for performance data.

Optimization & Characterization

• Define and validate:
• QoS policies
• Bandwidth allocation strategies
• Resource prioritization schemes
• Throughput targets
• Characterize traffic patterns and communication performance across SoC elements.
• Support optimization of cache and memory subsystem utilization.

Software Engineering Leadership

• Design, develop, modify, and implement software applications and tools.
• Provide technical guidance to project teams and engineering stakeholders.
• Lead complex technical initiatives from concept through implementation.
• Collaborate across hardware, firmware, and software disciplines.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with:
• Silicon architects
• Firmware engineers
• Hardware design teams
• Validation teams
• Performance engineering organizations
• Support design reviews and performance investigations.
• Present findings and recommendations to technical leadership.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in:
• Computer Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Computer Science
• Related technical discipline
• 8+ years of software engineering experience (minimum requirement)
• Extensive SoC performance analysis experience.
• Strong understanding of cache architecture and memory systems.
• Experience developing performance monitoring frameworks and analytical tools.
• Ability to work independently on highly complex technical challenges.

Preferred Qualifications

• 15+ years of overall industry experience
• Expertise with:
• Intel Tiger Lake
• Intel Ice Lake
• Intel Alder Lake architectures
• Experience with silicon performance validation.
• Deep knowledge of:
• Network-on-Chip (NoC) architectures
• Cache coherency
• High-performance computing concepts
• Memory bandwidth management
• AC20-193 certification experience.
• Experience serving as a technical lead, architect, or principal engineer.
• Strong communication and technical presentation skills.

Why Join Us?

• Exceptional pay rate of $120/hr
• Hybrid work flexibility
• Opportunity to work on cutting-edge SoC technologies
• Highly visible technical leadership role
• Influence architecture, performance strategy, and optimization efforts
• Work alongside elite semiconductor and systems engineering teams
• Complex, challenging work involving advanced processor architectures and performance engineering

Apply Today

If you have deep expertise in SoC performance analysis, cache architecture, bandwidth optimization, QoS management, Network-on-Chip technologies, Intel Tiger Lake/Ice Lake/Alder Lake platforms, or performance monitoring tool development , we want to hear from you.

Join PDS Tech Commercial as a Senior SoC Performance Architect and help define the performance capabilities of next-generation computing platforms.

This position requires use of information or access to facilities subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or Export Administration Regulations (EAR). These regulations may limit access of controlled technologies: 1) to U.S. Persons, including U.S. Citizens, lawful permanent residents, and other narrow categories including refugees and asylees, or 2) to certain foreign nationals that have received an export license.

Pay Details: $120.00 per hour

Benefit offerings available for our associates include medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, additional voluntary benefits, EAP program, commuter benefits and a 401K plan. Our benefit offerings provide employees the flexibility to choose the type of coverage that meets their individual needs. In addition, our associates may be eligible for paid leave including Paid Sick Leave or any other paid leave required by Federal, State, or local law, as well as Holiday pay where applicable.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled

Military connected talent encouraged to apply

To read our Candidate Privacy Information Statement, which explains how we will use your information, please navigate to https://www.pdstech.com/candidate-privacy

The Company will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with federal, state, and local laws and/or security clearance requirements, including, as applicable:

• The California Fair Chance Act
• Los Angeles City Fair Chance Ordinance
• Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers
• San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Massachusetts Candidates Only: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.