Senior System Software Engineer
Company websitenvidia.com (NVIDIA, opens in new tab)
Base salary $184,000 to $356,500
Employer-published annual base salary, USD. Advertised base range in Santa Clara, CA +2 more
You apply on the employer's own site. Six Figure Work does not handle applications.
- LocationSanta Clara, CA +2 more
- WorkplaceWorkplace not stated
- Status at last checkSource accepting applications when checked
- Last checked (18 min ago) · observed since
All places named
- Santa Clara, CA
- Champaign, IL
- Redmond, WA
About this job
NVIDIA has been transforming computer graphics, PC gaming, and accelerated computing for more than 25 years. It’s a unique legacy of innovation that’s fueled by great technology—and amazing people. Today, we’re tapping into the unlimited potential of AI to define the next era of computing. An era in which our GPU acts as the brains of computers, robots, and self-driving cars that can understand the world. Doing what’s never been done before takes vision, innovation, and the world’s best talent. As an NVIDIAN, you’ll be immersed in a diverse, supportive environment where everyone is inspired to do their best work. Come join the team and see how you can make a lasting impact on the world.
NVIDIA is seeking a Sr. Systems Software Engineer for the Apache Spark Acceleration group. Over the past five years GPU accelerated data processing has moved from proof of concept to production deployments. Many enterprises recognize accelerated computing is vital to handle their large data processing needs. Multi-node GPU deployments will reduce cloud computing costs and lower latency in batch ETL workloads. Apache Spark is the most popular data processing engine in data centers. At NVIDIA, we are developing an open source plugin to accelerate Spark applications on GPUs without any code changes.
What you'll be doing:
Enable C++ native execution of Spark operations on CUDA
Develop CUDA/C++ libraries to accelerate DataFrames and I/O operations on common file formats such as Parquet, ORC and JSON
Collaborate with distributed systems teams to craft solutions to distributed processing problems challenges at large scale
Work with open source communities to enhance libraries like RAPIDS, CCCL and UCX through technical discussion and code contributions
Provide recommendations and feedback to teams regarding decisions surrounding topics such as infrastructure, continuous integration and testing strategy
Build, test and optimize across different platforms
What we need to see:
9+ years of experience in software development
5+ years hands on experience with data platform development
BS/MS/PhD in computer science or a related field (or equivalent experience)
Proficiency in C++, Java, Scala
Experience supporting enterprise customers
Familiarity with the open source data platform ecosystem is a plus (Apache Spark, Velox, Presto, Apache Arrow, Apache DataFusion, etc.)
Experience using AI tools in software development
184,000 USD – 287,500 USD for Level 4; and 224,000 USD – 356,500 USD for Level 5.
You will also be eligible for equity and benefits.
Applications for this job will be accepted at least until November 3, 2026.This posting is for an existing vacancy.
NVIDIA uses AI tools in its recruiting processes.
NVIDIA is committed to fostering an inclusive work environment and proud to be an equal opportunity employer. As we highly value diversity in our current and future employees, we do not discriminate (including in our hiring and promotion practices) on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status or any other characteristic protected by law.Source: NVIDIA on Workday · View original posting (opens in new tab)
Pay in context
This role's base floor ($184,000) is above 56% of the 4,279 Software Engineering roles in California listed on this site; 124 others list the same floor. Their median floor is $176,362; the middle half runs from $149,100 to $204,000.
Only jobs on this site count, and each one publishes a base salary of $100,000 or more, so this compares six-figure jobs with each other, not with the whole market. Computed Nov 6, 2026.
This listingSenior System Software Engineer$184,000 to $356,500
Senior Software Engineer, Subnet Management$184,000 to $356,500
Senior Software Engineer, AI Networking$184,000 to $356,500
Senior Software Engineer, Machine Learning Safety$184,000 to $356,500
Senior Firmware Security Architect, Networking$184,000 to $356,500
Senior Compiler Engineer - AI$184,000 to $287,500
Senior System Software Engineer, Performance - CUDA Driver$184,000 to $356,500
Chart as a table
| Role | Published base |
|---|---|
| Senior System Software Engineer (this listing) | $184,000 - $356,500 |
| Senior Software Engineer, Subnet Management | $184,000 - $356,500 |
| Senior Software Engineer, AI Networking | $184,000 - $356,500 |
| Senior Software Engineer, Machine Learning Safety | $184,000 - $356,500 |
| Senior Firmware Security Architect, Networking | $184,000 - $356,500 |
| Senior Compiler Engineer - AI | $184,000 - $287,500 |
| Senior System Software Engineer, Performance - CUDA Driver | $184,000 - $356,500 |
Observed changes
- First observed on the employer's board
- Began meeting the published-salary criteria
- Observed since
- Employer-stated posting date
- 2026-10-30
Where this pay comes from
Location as the employer wrote it: US, CA, Santa Clara • US, IL, Champaign • US, WA, Redmond (Levels 4-5 combined)
184,000 USD – 287,500 USD for Level 4; and 224,000 USD – 356,500 USD for Level 5.
- Method
- Employer text, read with fixed rules and re-verified
- Checked
- Rule set
- us-base-v2
The pay passage appears in the employer's own job text. Fixed, deterministic rules located it, and the passage below was checked against the stored copy of the posting.
What we verified
- The pay figures come from the employer's own listing, quoted exactly above.
- The pay is an annual base salary in US dollars with a minimum of at least $100,000.
- The role was publicly listed on the employer's job board when last checked.
We do not verify what the employer will actually offer, whether the employer is still recruiting for the role, or anything beyond what the employer published. Full methodology.
