Software Systems Engineer Jobs
Software Systems Engineer jobs are open across defense, aerospace, enterprise software, telecommunications, and embedded systems, from new-grad to principal and staff engineer, with specializations in real-time systems, systems architecture, and firmware integration. Find a role that fits from the openings below and apply directly.
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Software Engineer, Systems ML - Compilers / Backend Responsibilities:
- Analyze and design effective compiler passes and optimizations. Implement and/or enhance code generation targeting machine learning accelerators
- Work with algorithm research teams to map ML graphs to hardware implementations, model data-flows, create cost-benefit analysis and estimate silicon power and performance
- Work with hardware architects to co-design hardware features that maximize performance, power efficiency and programmability
- Contribute to the development of machine-learning libraries, intermediate representations, export formats, and analysis tools
- Analyze and improve the efficiency, scalability, and stability of our toolchains. Optimize and tune kernels and compiled code to achieve latency targets for ML inference
- Conduct design and code reviews. Evaluate code performance, debug, diagnose and drive resolution of compiler and cross-disciplinary system issues
- Interface with other compiler-focused teams to evaluate and incorporate their innovations and vice versa
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, relevant technical field, or equivalent practical experience
- 2+ years experience developing compilers, toolchains, runtime, or similar code optimization software
- Experience in software design and programming experience in Python and/or C/C++ for development, debugging, testing and performance analysis
- Experience in AI framework development or accelerating models on hardware architectures (GPU, TPU, custom AI ASICs)
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience of developing in a mainstream machine-learning framework, e.g. PyTorch, MLIR, Tensorflow or Caffe
- Experience with machine-code generation or compiler back-ends for on-device inference workloads
- Experience working and communicating cross functionally in a team environment
- Experience working on and contributing to an active compiler toolchain codebase, such as LLVM, MLIR, GCC, MSVC, Glow
- Demonstrated ongoing AI skill development (e.g., prompt/context engineering, agent orchestration) and staying current with emerging AI technologies
- Experience adhering to and implementing responsible, ethical AI practices (e.g., risk assessment, bias mitigation, quality and accuracy reviews)
- Experience in deep learning algorithms and techniques, e.g., convolutional neural networks, recurrent networks, etc
- Demonstrated ability to integrate AI tools to optimize/redesign workflows and drive measurable impact (e.g., efficiency gains, quality improvements)
- Experience developing high-performance kernels or runtime components and tuning them for inference specific accelerator platforms
About Meta:
Meta builds technologies that help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses. When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect. Apps like Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp further empowered billions around the world. Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology. People who choose to build their careers by building with us at Meta help shape a future that will take us beyond what digital connection makes possible today—beyond the constraints of screens, the limits of distance, and even the rules of physics.Meta is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance or accommodations due to a disability, please let us know at accommodations-ext@meta.com.
$154,003/year to $217,000/year + bonus + equity + benefits
Individual compensation is determined by skills, qualifications, experience, and location. Compensation details listed in this posting reflect the base hourly rate, monthly rate, or annual salary only, and do not include bonus, equity or sales incentives, if applicable. In addition to base compensation, Meta offers benefits. Learn more about benefits at Meta.
Software Systems Engineer Jobs by Experience Level
Top Cities Hiring Software Systems Engineers
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Find JobsSoftware Systems Engineer Job Market
Who's Hiring
- Apple53

- NVIDIA27

- Lockheed Martin14L
- Tesla13T
- Anduril13A
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software74
- Electronics & Hardware53
- Science & Research12
- Aerospace & Defense11
- Manufacturing9
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in software systems engineer jobs.
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, electrical engineering, or a related engineering discipline
- Proficiency in C, C++, or Python for systems-level development
- Experience designing or integrating real-time or embedded systems
- Familiarity with Linux internals, networking protocols, or hardware interfaces
- Ability to obtain or hold a security clearance, depending on the sector
- Experience with systems modeling tools, test frameworks, or CI/CD pipelines for systems code
Tips for Your Software Systems Engineer Job Search
Tailor your resume to each domain
Defense and aerospace postings often require different technical depth than enterprise software roles. Highlight domain-relevant experience like RTOS, hardware-software interfaces, or distributed systems explicitly, rather than relying on a generic systems engineering summary.
Quantify system-level design decisions
Hiring managers for this role want to see outcomes, not just tools. Call out latency improvements, reliability gains, or scale metrics that resulted from architecture choices you owned. Numbers tied to system behavior are more compelling than tool lists.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists software systems engineer openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Read job postings for unspoken stack signals
Software systems engineer postings rarely list every tool, but phrases like 'bare-metal,' 'hypervisor,' or 'FPGA integration' tell you exactly what the team runs. Match your application language to those signals, even when the tool isn't called out as a hard requirement.
Prepare a system design walkthrough story
Most technical interviews for this role include at least one deep-dive on a past project. Practice walking through requirements, constraints, your design decision, the tradeoffs you rejected, and how the system performed post-deployment. Judges will probe the tradeoffs hardest.
Negotiate scope, not just base pay
Systems engineering offers often have flexibility in technical scope, on-call rotation, and tooling budget that doesn't appear in the initial package. Once you have an offer, ask directly about ownership over architecture decisions and access to performance testing infrastructure.
Software Systems Engineer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most software systems engineers?
The companies hiring the most software systems engineers right now include Apple, NVIDIA, and Lockheed Martin, with the largest share of openings in California, Texas, and Virginia, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Demand is particularly concentrated in defense contracting, enterprise infrastructure, and telecommunications.
How many software systems engineer jobs are remote?
About 40% of software systems engineer openings are fully remote or hybrid as of August 2026, though the share varies significantly by specialization. Roles focused on cloud infrastructure, distributed systems, and enterprise software tend to offer more remote flexibility, while embedded systems, firmware, and cleared defense roles are more likely to require on-site or secure-facility work.
How do you become a software systems engineer?
Most software systems engineers start with a degree in computer science, electrical engineering, or systems engineering, then gain hands-on experience through internships or entry-level roles in firmware, backend infrastructure, or embedded development. Building depth in one domain, such as real-time systems or distributed architecture, and demonstrating end-to-end ownership of a system component are the steps that typically move candidates into a dedicated systems engineering title.
Can you get hired as a software systems engineer without much experience?
Yes, entry-level software systems engineer roles exist, especially at companies with structured rotation or associate engineering programs. The most effective path without direct experience is to build a portfolio that shows systems thinking: a documented side project involving an OS, networking stack, or embedded controller, with clear explanation of design constraints and tradeoffs, carries more weight than coursework alone.
What does the software systems engineer interview process look like?
The process typically includes a recruiter screen, a technical phone or video interview covering data structures and systems concepts, and a multi-stage onsite or virtual loop. Expect at least one session focused on system design, where you'll be asked to architect a component under real-world constraints. Roles in defense or cleared environments often add a background review stage before or alongside the technical rounds.
Where can I find and apply to software systems engineer jobs?
You can find and apply to software systems engineer jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Search the listings to find roles that match your background and apply directly to each one that fits.
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