Arm
Software Performance Architect
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Software Performance Architect
CPU Performance Optimization Engineer
Job ID 2024-13267 ✦ Location Cambridge, United Kingdom Category Architecture ✦ Date posted 01/07/2026 ✦ Salary Range £73,500–£99,500 per year
About the Role
We are the CPU Technology team, part of Arm’s Central Technology Group—an engineering-driven group that invents, defines, and architects next-gen Arm CPUs. These innovations will power billions of devices globally!
As a CPU Performance Optimization Engineer, your work will revolutionize Arm CPU performance. You will collaborate across software, hardware, and design teams to push boundaries and redefine limits.
Responsibilities
- Analyse benchmarks and workloads to pinpoint opportunities for software and hardware optimisation.
- Deepen understanding of CPU performance to identify bottlenecks needing resolution.
- Collaborate with:
- Software teams (compilers, operating systems, applications)
- CPU design teams to drive improvements
- Arm Architecture group and modelling engineers
- Develop and refine performance tests—running them on C/C++ models, emulators, real devices (laptops, smartphones, servers, etc.) across Windows, Linux, and other OS.
- Drive technical initiatives and present results to business teams and external partners.
- Own subsystem roadmaps that ensure strategic alignment and technical validation across markets, scaling from IP to full systems solutions.
Required Skills & Experience
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- Education: Graduated from a Computer Science, Mathematics, Electrical/Electronic Engineering, or related science programme.
- Experience: Years of professional experience in software, hardware, or mathematics (specific minimum not listed).
- Technical mindset: Proven ability to balance solo problem-solving with cross-functional collaboration.
- Innovation drive: Passion for exploring new approaches and pushing boundaries.
- Communication: Strong verbal and written skills to explain technical concepts clearly.
Nice-to-Have Skills & Experience
Software Competencies
- Strong experience in high-level programming (C, C++, Java, Rust).
- Expertise in performance-critical domains:
- High-Performance Computing (HPC)
- Machine learning
- Distributed applications
- Mobile, web, or multimedia development
- Databases
Performance & Architecture Insight
- Hands-on knowledge of OS-level optimisations (power management, frequency governance, single/multi-threading impacts).
- Experience with performance analysis tools:
- Linux perf / Intel VTune
- Android (
android.simpleperf,perfetto) - PMU-based methodology, TDA
- Familiarity with
aarch64assembly and CPU microarchitectural techniques (branch prediction, prefetchers, cache optimisations). - Ability to develop and adapt experimental applications to benchmark new architectures.
Soft Skills
- Dedication: Willingness to go the extra mile for technical excellence.
- Communication: Clear articulation of technical results to internal teams and partners.
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What’s in It for You?
This role will shape the core interconnects and control subsystems in Arm’s processor portfolio, ensuring they’re high-performance, reusable, and coherent. Your work will directly impact Arm’s scaling from IP to full-system solutions, enabling broader innovation across devices.
Working Culture
Arm upholds a 10x Mindset: prioritizing bold, aligned collaboration and continuous growth. This philosophy drives everything we do—from engineering decisions to team dynamics.
Equal Opportunities at Arm
Arm is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse range of perspectives and prohibit discrimination based on race, religion, gender, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation.
Accommodations & Working Preferences
- Flexible hybrid working: Split between office and remote locations, customised per role/team needs.
- Accessibility support: If you need adjustments during recruitment/onboarding, email accommodations@arm.com.
- Legal considerations: Local policies may limit flexibility in certain regions; we’ll collaborate to find suitable solutions.
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