# Senior AI Kernel Engineer at Modular

Modular is hiring a Senior AI Kernel Engineer for a remote role open to applicants in United States. It pays $180k-$324k a year and Level rates it Builds AI ●●●●; you can [apply on Modular](https://jobsbylevel.com/go/2b9a85bd-5af6-4a30-a3bf-f6d58f8c6a8f?utm_medium=ai-agent).

AI Level 4, AI centrality 93 out of 100. Remote (United States - Remote).

## Details

- Company: [Modular](https://jobsbylevel.com/companies/modular)
- AI level: AI Level 4 (score 93 out of 100)
- Location: Remote (United States - Remote)
- Salary: $180k-$324k
- Posted: January 27, 2026
- Apply: https://jobsbylevel.com/go/2b9a85bd-5af6-4a30-a3bf-f6d58f8c6a8f?utm_medium=ai-agent
- Free CV review for this job: https://jobsbylevel.com/cv-review?job=senior-ai-kernel-engineer-at-modular-469ca4

## Description

About Modular
At
Modular, a Qualcomm company
, we’re on a mission to revolutionize AI infrastructure by systematically rebuilding the AI software stack from the ground up. Our team, made up of industry leaders and experts, is building cutting-edge, modular infrastructure that simplifies AI development and deployment. By rethinking the complexities of AI systems, we’re empowering everyone to unlock AI’s full potential and tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges.
If you’re passionate about shaping the future of AI and creating tools that make a real difference in people’s lives, we want you on our team. You can read about
our culture
and
careers
to understand how we work and what we value.
About the role:
We are seeking a Senior AI Kernel Engineer to lead the design and optimization of high-performance kernels for large-scale AI inference on GPUs and emerging custom accelerators. In this role, you will own performance-critical paths, drive architectural decisions, and turn complex AI workloads into highly optimized implementations that run efficiently at scale.
You will work at the intersection of hardware, compilers, and AI systems, collaborating closely with compiler, runtime, model, and infrastructure teams to deliver production-quality inference performance.

LOCATION:
Candidates based in the
US or Canada
are welcome to apply. You can work in our office in Los Altos, CA or remotely from home. Onboarding for new hires is conducted in-person in our Los Altos, CA office.
What you will do:
Design, implement, and optimize
performance-critical kernels
for AI inference workloads (e.g., GEMM, attention, communication, fusion).
Lead kernel-level optimization efforts across
single-GPU, multi-GPU, and heterogeneous hardware
environments.
Make informed trade-offs between latency, throughput, memory footprint, and numerical precision.
Drive adoption of new hardware features (e.g., Tensor Cores, asynchronous execution, advanced memory spaces).
Analyze performance using profilers, hardware counters, and microbenchmarks; translate insights into concrete improvements.
Work closely with compiler and runtime teams to influence code generation, scheduling, and kernel fusion strategies.
Review and mentor other engineers on kernel design, performance tuning, and best practices.
Contribute to technical roadmaps and long-term performance strategy for AI inference.
What you bring to the table:
5+ years of experience in
performance-critical systems or kernel development
(or equivalent depth of expertise).
Strong proficiency in
C/C++
and low-level programming.
Extensive hands-on experience with
GPU kernel programming
(CUDA, HIP, or equivalent).
Deep understanding of
GPU architecture
, including memory hierarchies, synchronization, and execution models.
Proven track record of delivering measurable performance improvements in production systems.
Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work independently on complex, ambiguous performance challenges.
Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field and 4+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.

OR

Master's degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field and 3+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.

OR

PhD in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field and 2+ years of Software Engineering or related work experience.
AND
2+ years of work experience with Programming Language such as Python, Mojo, Rust, C++, etc.
Helpful, but not required:
Experience with
PTX, assembly-level tuning, or code generation frameworks
(e.g., Triton).
Experience optimizing
distributed or multi-GPU inference
pipelines.
Familiarity with
custom AI accelerators
or domain-specific hardware.
Understanding of modern AI models

The description is cut here. Read the full offer: https://jobsbylevel.com/jobs/senior-ai-kernel-engineer-at-modular-469ca4

Source: https://jobsbylevel.com/jobs/senior-ai-kernel-engineer-at-modular-469ca4

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