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NVIDIA

Principal Software Engineer – Large-Scale LLM Memory and Storage Systems

NVIDIA is hiring a Principal Software Engineer – Large-Scale LLM Memory and Storage Systems in Santa Clara, United States. It pays $272k-$431k a year and Level rates it ; you can apply on NVIDIA.

Level's read on this job

  • Builds AI ●●●● is how Level rates this software engineer role: the job is building AI systems.
  • The listed pay starts 62% above the typical software engineer posting on Level.
  • Tools and skills the posting cites include vLLM.
  • Level classifies it as a lead role.
  • Level lists 2,600+ other open roles at NVIDIA.

AI in this role

vllm

NVIDIA Dynamo is a high-throughput, low-latency inference framework for serving generative AI and reasoning models across multi-node distributed environments. Built in Rust for performance and Python for extensibility, Dynamo orchestrates GPU shards, routes requests, and manages shared KV cache across heterogeneous clusters so that many accelerators feel like a single system at datacenter scale. As large language models rapidly outgrow the memory and compute budget of any single GPU, this platform enables efficient, resilient deployment of cutting-edge LLM workloads.


We are seeking a Principal Systems Engineer to define the vision and roadmap for memory management of large-scale LLM and storage systems.


What you'll be doing:

  • Design and evolve a unified memory layer that spans GPU memory, pinned host memory, RDMA-accessible memory, SSD tiers, and remote file/object/cloud storage to support large-scale LLM inference.

  • Architect and implement deep integrations with leading LLM serving engines (such as vLLM, SGLang, TensorRT-LLM), with a focus on KV-cache offload, reuse, and remote sharing across heterogeneous and disaggregated clusters.

  • Co-design interfaces and protocols that enable disaggregated prefill, peer-to-peer KV-cache sharing, and multi-tier KV-cache storage (GPU, CPU, local disk, and remote memory) for high-throughput, low-latency inference.

  • Partner closely with GPU architecture, networking, and platform teams to exploit GPUDirect, RDMA, NVLink, and similar technologies for low-latency KV-cache access and sharing across heterogeneous accelerators and memory pools.

  • Mentor senior and junior engineers, set technical direction for memory and storage subsystems, and represent the team in internal reviews and external forums (open source, conferences, and customer-facing technical deep dives).

What we need to see:

  • Masters or PhD or equivalent experience

  • 15+ years of experience building large-scale distributed systems, high-performance storage, or ML systems infrastructure in C/C++ and Python, with a track record of delivering production services.

  • Deep understanding of memory hierarchies (GPU HBM, host DRAM, SSD, and remote/object storage) and experience designing systems that span multiple tiers for performance and cost efficiency.

  • Distributed caching or key-value systems, especially designs optimized for low latency and high concurrency.

  • Hands-on experience with networked I/O and RDMA/NVMe-oF/NVLink-style technologies, and familiarity with concepts like disaggregated and aggregated deployments for AI clusters.

  • Strong skills in profiling and optimizing systems across CPU, GPU, memory, and network, using metrics to drive architectural decisions and validate improvements in TTFT and throughput.

  • Excellent communication skills and prior experience leading cross-functional efforts with research, product, and customer teams.

Ways to stand out from the crowd:

  • Prior contributions to open-source LLM serving or systems projects focused on KV-cache optimization, compression, streaming, or reuse.

  • Experience designing unified memory or storage layers that expose a single logical KV or object model across GPU, host, SSD, and cloud tiers, especially in enterprise or hyperscale environments.

  • Publications or patents in areas such as LLM systems, memory-disaggregated architectures, RDMA/NVLink-based data planes, or KV-cache/CDN-like systems for ML.

With highly competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package, NVIDIA is widely considered to be one of the technology world's most desirable employers. We have some of the most forward-thinking and hardworking people in the world working for us and, due to outstanding growth, our special engineering teams are growing fast. If you're a creative and autonomous engineer with a genuine passion for technology, we want to hear from you!

Your base salary will be determined based on your location, experience, and other objective job-related factors. The expected base salary range for this position is 272,000 USD – 431,250 USD.

You will also be eligible for equity and benefits.

Applications for this job will be accepted at least until November 3, 2026.

This posting is for an existing vacancy. 

NVIDIA uses AI tools in its recruiting processes.

NVIDIA is committed to fostering an inclusive work environment and proud to be an equal opportunity employer. As we highly value diversity in our current and future employees, we do not discriminate (including in our hiring and promotion practices) on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status or any other characteristic protected by law.

How we rate this

Principal Software Engineer – Large-Scale LLM Memory and Storage Systems at NVIDIA rates 92 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Builds AI (AI Level 4 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.

Classification

Builds AI. The job is building AI systems.

  1. ●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
  2. ●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
  3. ●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
  4. ●○○○ Little AI0 to 39

Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Read the description and count the AI tools, models and workflows it names.

Prepare for this job

Built from this posting and from similar jobs on Level.

Skills and AI tools this role asks for

vLLM

Also common in software engineer jobs at this level

Pay

This job starts at
$272k
Typical software engineer job
$168k

This posting starts 62% above the typical software engineer job. See software engineer jobs

Questions you could be asked

  1. What's a project where you used vLLM hands-on?
  2. How would you decide a model or AI system is ready to ship?
  3. Tell me about a time a model underperformed in production. How did you find out, and what did you change?

Adapt your resume

  • List these exact terms on your resume: vLLM. An applicant tracking system matches the wording, not the idea.
  • Attach one line of real, concrete experience to at least one of them. A tool named with nothing behind it rarely survives a human read.
  • Lead with what you built, trained or shipped. This role is judged on the AI system itself, not the tools around it.

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