Systems Software Engineer

Systems Software Engineer Overview

This opportunity is with an innovative AI hardware start-up building a fundamentally new kind of AI infrastructure. The company is creating hardware designed to access and move through very large knowledge structures at machine speed, and it is looking for a Systems Software Engineer to create the software layer that lets developers use that hardware in real AI workloads.

The role sits at the boundary between hardware and software. You would be responsible for the runtime, SDK, and API layers that connect FPGA/ASIC-based hardware to application developers, with a strong emphasis on performance, developer usability, and close hardware/software co-design. The position is described as UK remote, and the location shown on the page is London, England.

What you would do

• Build the software foundation that enables developers to integrate the company’s novel hardware into practical AI systems.
• Own the runtime components that sit between applications and the underlying FPGA/ASIC hardware.
• Develop the SDK and API surface that external engineers will use to access the platform.
• Work across the hardware/software boundary to make sure the platform is efficient, robust, and straightforward to use.
• Contribute to hardware/software co-design so the software stack is aligned with the architecture and behaviour of the silicon.
• Help turn a new hardware concept into a usable platform for real AI workloads.
• Collaborate closely with FPGA and hardware engineering teams to ensure the software and hardware pieces fit together well.
• Improve performance through benchmarking, profiling, and optimisation work.
• Support developer tooling, automation, and SDK-related tasks using Python where appropriate.
• Play a part in shaping how developers interact with an entirely new computing architecture.

What the company is looking for

• Substantial experience developing C or C++ software on Linux.
• A background in systems software, especially in areas such as accelerator runtimes, FPGA platforms, DPUs, SmartNICs, or custom silicon.
• Practical experience with low-level hardware interfaces such as PCIe, DMA, memory-mapped I/O, or comparable mechanisms.
• Experience working directly with FPGA engineers or other hardware specialists.
• A strong grasp of performance engineering, including optimisation, benchmarking, and profiling.
• Python experience for SDK development, tooling, or automation.
• Ideally, experience building runtime software, SDKs, or APIs for new hardware platforms or similarly novel technology.
• Interest in working on AI infrastructure and low-level software in a start-up environment.
• Ability to contribute to a team building a new computing approach from the ground up.

Package and context

• Salary is listed as £100,000 to £130,000, depending on experience.
• Equity is included in the package.
• The role offers the chance to join a start-up working on a highly ambitious AI hardware platform.
• You would be working on technology that combines AI, hardware design, and systems software in a highly specialised area.
• The position offers the opportunity to help define an entirely new computing architecture.

How to apply

Interested candidates are invited to apply through the job advert. The page also provides contact details for Callum Allen at IC Resources for anyone who wants to discuss the role further or ask about other opportunities in systems software, C++, Linux, FPGA, accelerators, or AI infrastructure.

The page notes that applicants can use the apply option or contact Callum Allen directly by phone or email to learn more about the position.

Degree Requirement: Not Specified

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