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NVIDIA

Senior DFX Software Engineer - Machine Learning

NVIDIA is hiring a Senior DFX Software Engineer - Machine Learning in Santa Clara, United States. It pays $152k-$242k 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 posting mentions RAG and fine tuning among its tools and skills.
  • Level classes it as a senior role.
  • NVIDIA has 2,700+ other open roles on Level.

AI in this role

ragfine-tuning

We are now looking for a Senior DFX Software Engineer - Machine Learning. Do you like to think creatively and enjoy solving challenges that require innovation? If so, we may have an opportunity for you. On our team we define and build methodologies, software, and flows tailored to the field of silicon device testing, silicon debug, and silicon failure analysis. We owe our success to our people, some of the brightest in the world, and a company culture that fosters and encourages innovation, and fuels our creativity!

Our team contributes to the advancement of all the fields in which NVIDIA participates, from gaming to building groundbreaking state-of-the-art compute platforms and Artificial Intelligence, by enabling high quality Silicon defect screening to sustain all these fields. This often requires new ways of thinking in order to meet new challenges, and we pride ourselves in our ability to tackle these challenges in ways that enable our success. If you are a like-minded person who enjoys innovation and likes to solve technical challenges then we would love to hear from you!

What you'll be doing:

  • Develop high performance software to enable design and development of efficient test pattern generation, application of these patterns on Silicon, failure analysis, and yield learning

  • Create efficient parallel graph traversal and graph analysis techniques

  • Work with multi-functional teams to assess and tackle problems that involve multiple areas of expertise through the company

  • Apply LLMs, RAGs, graph-based ML approaches, and reinforcement learning to define innovative solutions

What we need to see:

  • BS in EE or CS (or equivalent experience); MS or higher degree preferred

  • 5+ years of experience in Software development

  • Strong programming experience in Python or C++. Hands on development in modern C++ is a huge plus.

  • Experience use of LLMs (Large Language Models), GNNs (Graph Neural Networks), and Reinforcement Learning for efficient EDA solution.

  • Expertise in high performance algorithms for DFT, simulations, and failure analysis.

  • Understanding of different agent architectures, RAG systems, and communication protocols

  • Deep familiarity with reinforcement learning algorithms like PPO, SAC, or Q-learning, including experience tuning hyper-parameters and reward functions

  • Hands on experience with large scale training (e.g., ZeRO) and data processing (e.g. Spark)

  • Excellent communication skills

Ways to stand out from the crowd:

  • Proven deployment of large-scale agentic application with high concurrency and agility

  • Experience with software and hardware especially involving DFT, failure analysis, and CAD tools

  • Working experience of agentic models / frameworks, observability and evaluation tools

  • In-depth understanding of the graph neural networks, and reinforcement learning for logic design automation

  • Experience with fine-tuning large language models, building advanced multi-agent systems, RAG pipelines and vector databases

NVIDIA offers highly competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package. We have some of the most brilliant and talented people in the world working for us and, due to unprecedented growth, our world-class engineering teams are growing fast. If you're a creative and autonomous engineer with real 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 ranges for this position are:
152,000 USD – 241,500 USD for Level 3; and 184,000 USD – 287,500 USD for Level 4.

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

Senior DFX Software Engineer - Machine Learning at NVIDIA rates 96 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

RAGFine-tuning

Also common in software engineer jobs at this level

Pay

This job starts at
$152k
Typical software engineer job
$167k

This posting starts 9% below the typical software engineer job. See software engineer jobs

Questions you could be asked

  1. How would you design a retrieval step so the model answers from real data instead of guessing?
  2. Walk me through fine-tuning a model: what data did you use, and how did you check the result?
  3. How would you decide a model or AI system is ready to ship?
  4. 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: RAG and Fine-tuning. 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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