Cadence is a pivotal leader in electronic design, building upon more than 30 years of computational software expertise. The company applies its underlying Intelligent System Design strategy to deliver software, hardware and IP that turn design concepts into reality.
Cadence customers are the world’s most innovative companies, delivering extraordinary electronic products from chips to boards to systems for the most dynamic market applications including consumer, hyperscale computing, 5G communications, automotive, aerospace industrial and health.
At Cadence, we hire and develop leaders and innovators who want to make an impact on the world of technology.
Job Title: Lead Software Engineer – Compiler/LLVM
Location: Cork, Ireland or Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Reports to: Sr Software Architect
Job Overview:
Tensilica, a Cadence company, delivers configurable processor IP and DSP solutions powering AI, vision, audio, and communications workloads. Its Xtensa® architecture enables highly optimized, domain-specific designs with industry-leading performance and efficiency.
The C Compiler team builds the toolchain that unlocks this performance. Working on LLVM-based compilers for Xtensa processors, the team drives code generation, architecture-aware optimizations, and real-world workload performance.
In close partnership with hardware teams, they enable new capabilities and deliver production-grade tools used by leading semiconductor and systems companies.
Responsibilities:
- Design and implement compiler optimisations and features for Xtensa processors
- Drive improvements in code generation, performance tuning, and architecture enablement across the toolchain
- Partner closely with hardware and architecture teams on new ISA features and capabilities
- Analyse and optimise real‑world workloads, including AI, DSP, and vision use cases
- Provide technical mentorship to junior engineers and contribute to the team’s technical direction and best practices
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience)
- Typically 4+ years of experience in compiler development or low‑level systems software (academic or industry experience considered)
- Strong C/C++ programming skills with solid debugging and problem‑solving expertise
- Good understanding of compiler internals (LLVM, GCC, or similar frameworks)
- Strong foundation in computer architecture and performance optimisation
Nice to Have:
- Experience with DSPs, AI/ML workloads, or embedded systems
- Hands‑on experience with LLVM or GCC backends and optimisation passes
- Experience working close to hardware teams or enabling new processor architectures
Check what we can offer you:
- Competitive salary
- 25 days holiday per year
- Private Medical and Dental plans, Income Protection and Life Insurance
- Group Personal Pension Plan
- Cycle to work scheme and gym subsidy
- 5 days paid time to volunteer to give back to our communities
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan
- The opportunity to work for a Great Place to Work© & Fortune 100 organization
Cadence is committed to equal employment opportunity and employment equity throughout all levels of the organization. We strive to attract a qualified and diverse candidate pool and encourage diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
We’re doing work that matters. Help us solve what others can’t.Skills Required
- Bachelor's or Master's in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field
- 4+ years of experience in compiler development or low-level systems software
- Strong C/C++ skills and solid debugging expertise
- Good understanding of compiler internals (LLVM/GCC preferred)
- Strong foundation in computer architecture and performance optimization
Cadence Design Systems Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Cadence Design Systems and has not been reviewed or approved by Cadence Design Systems.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — A discounted ESPP with a lookback feature and equity included in total compensation make ownership broadly accessible and potentially meaningful. Structured compensation at an industry leader adds predictability to equity participation.
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Healthcare Strength — Medical, dental, and vision coverage are described as solid, with mental‑health/EAP and fertility support enhancing the offering. The breadth across core care and family‑building needs strengthens the healthcare package.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Global Recharge Days, volunteer time off, and companywide breaks indicate a comprehensive time‑off framework. In addition, many salaried roles are described as having flexible or generous PTO policies.
Cadence Design Systems Insights
What We Do
Cadence enables electronic systems and semiconductor companies to create the innovative end products that are transforming the way people live, work and play. Cadence® software, hardware and IP are used by customers to deliver products to market faster. The company's Intelligent System Design strategy helps customers develop differentiated products—from chips to boards to intelligent systems—in mobile, consumer, cloud, data center, automotive, aerospace, IoT, industrial and other market segments. Cadence is listed as one of Fortune Magazine's 100 Best Companies to Work For.
