Senior Software Engineer - AI System

NVIDIA is hiring a Senior Software Engineer - AI System in Santa Clara, United States. It pays $184k-$288k 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 10% above the typical software engineer posting on Level.
Tools and skills the posting cites include C, CUDA and Linux.
Level lists 1,800+ other open roles at NVIDIA.
The role was posted within the past week.

AI in this role

Develop and optimize AI-powered media SDKs, accelerated inference engines, and video/audio workflows on GPUs.

ccudalinuxdockerjenkinsgitlab-citensorrt

computer-visionsystem-engineeringsdk-developmentci-cdinference-optimization

NVIDIA has been transforming computer graphics, animation, gaming, and accelerated computing for more than 25 years. It’s a unique legacy of innovation that’s fueled by phenomenal technology - and amazing people. We are seeking an experienced software engineer to help build NVIDIA AI for Media SDKs, a GPU-accelerated platform delivering AI-powered video, audio, and augmented reality capabilities for developers building media, content creation, and broadcast workflows.

You will develop and optimize AI software across cloud and embedded platforms while advancing the build, validation, and delivery infrastructure behind our SDKs. This role combines strong C++ systems engineering, linux expertise, accelerated inference, and software delivery automation. You will collaborate with algorithm, platform, infrastructure, and QA teams to deliver efficient, reliable software on NVIDIA hardware.

What You’ll Be Doing:

Build efficient, low-latency software for AI media workloads across cloud and embedded platforms.
Optimize and deploy AI models and software stacks on embedded processors and NVIDIA GPU platforms.
Profile AI workloads to improve performance, power, and memory usage.
Develop and maintain cross-platform CI/CD, packaging, and test systems.
Collaborate across NVIDIA to bring the new hardware capabilities and platform software to AI media applications.
Drive projects from design through validated release, with clear milestones, documentation, and reliable handoffs.

What We Need To See:

Strong C++ and CUDA programming, system design, debugging, and software engineering skills.
Strong Linux development expertise, including toolchains, dependency management, scripting, and troubleshooting.
BS or MS degree, or equivalent experience, with 8+ years of relevant systems software development experience.
Experience with CI/CD systems such as Jenkins or GitLab CI, including automated build, test, and packaging workflows.
Experience with Docker-based development and build environments.
Strong background in computer vision/graphics, and linear algebra
Ability to work independently, define project scopes, communicate risks, and drive work through completion.
Experience shipping production SDKs and developer libraries
Proficiency in AI-driven development best practices and agentic engineering workflows.

Ways To Stand Out From The Crowd:

TensorRT inference integration or optimization experience.
Experience building and deploying software or AI models on embedded platforms, particularly ARM-based systems.
Experience optimizing deep learning system performance, including latency analysis, profiling, and tuning of AI workloads.
Expertise in image/video processing in GPU-accelerated media applications
Proficiency with Python and shell scripting for development and infrastructure automation.

At NVIDIA, you will work with engineers and researchers across disciplines to bring AI capabilities into production applications. If you enjoy solving challenging systems problems, improving developer workflows, and delivering accelerated software, we want to hear from you.

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 on the planet working for us. If you're creative, passionate and self-motivated, we want to hear from you! NVIDIA is leading the way in groundbreaking developments in Artificial Intelligence, High-Performance Computing and Visualization. The GPU, our invention, serves as the visual cortex of modern computers and is at the heart of our products and services.

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:
184,000 USD – 287,500 USD for Level 4; and 224,000 USD – 356,500 USD for Level 5.

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 Software Engineer - AI System at NVIDIA rates 85 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.

●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
●○○○ 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.

Key facts

Senior Software Engineer - AI System is an open job at NVIDIA.
Level rates this role AI Level 4 of 4: Builds AI.
The listed salary is $184k-$288k a year.
The role is based in US, CA, Santa Clara.
The job was posted on October 26, 2026.
Seniority: senior.
Applications are handled by NVIDIA. Apply on NVIDIA

Prepare for this job

Built from this posting and from similar jobs on Level.

Skills and AI tools this role asks for

Computer visionSystem EngineeringSdk DevelopmentCI/CDInference OptimizationCCUDALinux

Also common in software engineer jobs at this level

LLM Machine learning AWS AI agents Kubernetes Java

Pay

This job starts at: $184k
Typical software engineer job: $168k

This posting starts 10% above the typical software engineer job. See software engineer jobs

Questions you could be asked

Walk me through a computer vision problem you solved, from raw data to a deployed model.
Tell me about a project where system engineering was part of your work. What did you do?
Tell me about a project where sdk development was part of your work. What did you do?
Tell me about a project where ci/cd was part of your work. What did you do?
Tell me about a project where inference optimization was part of your work. What did you do?

Adapt your resume

List these exact terms on your resume: Computer vision, System Engineering, Sdk Development, CI/CD, and Inference Optimization. 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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