Embedded & Low-Level Software Engineer (AI Hardware)

Location: London or Bristol, United Kingdom — hybrid

Company

hirify.global is a young AI hardware company founded in 2022, developing chips and systems for high-speed inference of frontier AI models.

What you will do

• Write and debug a Rust-based Linux kernel driver for a PCIe-attached accelerator, including DMA, interrupts, and memory management.
• Develop and optimise ML inference kernels in high-level languages and assembly for RISC-V and a custom instruction set.
• Build firmware for board and device controllers, including bare-metal, RTOS, embedded Linux, and BMC software.
• Implement device security features such as root of trust, secure boot, device identity, and secure firmware updates.
• Build and extend a QEMU-based functional simulator for software development before silicon is available.
• Debug hardware-software integration issues including kernel crashes, race conditions, memory errors, and device bring-up.

Requirements

• Strong programming fundamentals in Rust, C, or C++.
• Hands-on experience with Linux, bare-metal systems, or an RTOS.
• Knowledge of at least one computer architecture and the ability to reason about hardware behaviour.
• Interest in low-level software, hardware-software boundaries, performance analysis, and learning quickly.
• A degree in Electronic Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Computer Science is common but not required.

Nice to have

• Experience writing GPU or ML kernels with CUDA, Triton, or similar technologies.
• Experience with Linux kernel drivers, PCIe, DMA, interrupts, firmware, embedded Linux, board bring-up, QEMU, emulators, assembly, RISC-V, profiling, attention kernels, or secure boot.

Culture & Benefits

• Work in a small, cross-functional environment with flexible boundaries between hardware and software areas.
• Contribute to software from specification and simulation through early boards and first silicon bring-up.
• Meaningful equity and ownership participation.
• Private medical, dental, and vision coverage, contributory pension, 25 days of holiday plus bank holidays, and life and critical illness insurance.
• Inclusive workplace committed to equal employment opportunity and diverse teams.

Hiring process

• Additional eligibility checks may be required because the work is subject to UK, US, and other international export control regulations.