Pragmatike

CUDA Kernel Engineer (Remote US)

Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States · On-site · FullTime

Apply on the employer’s site ↗See how well you match this job

You apply directly with the employer. ROLIVA does not submit applications from this page and is not the employer.

About the role

Description from the employer’s posting. Check the employer’s page for the current version.

  • EmployerPragmatike
  • LocationCambridge, Massachusetts, United States
  • Work styleOn-site
  • Employment typeFullTime
  • Employer posted

Location: SF on-site
Start date: ASAP
Languages: English (required)

About the Role

Pragmatike is hiring on behalf of a fast-growing AI startup recognized as a Top 10 GenAI company by GTM Capital, founded by MIT CSAIL researchers.

We are searching for a CUDA Kernel Engineer who has hands-on experience developing and optimizing NVIDIA CUDA kernels from scratch. You will work on the GPU performance layer powering large-scale, high-throughput AI systems used by Fortune 500 customers.

This role is ideal for someone who deeply understands NVIDIA GPU architecture, memory hierarchy, warp-level execution, and profiling workflowsnot someone coming from generic hardware, FPGA, or non-NVIDIA compute backgrounds. You will directly influence the GPU efficiency, throughput, and scalability of mission-critical AI systems.

What Youll Do

Design, implement, and optimize custom CUDA kernels for NVIDIA GPUs, with a focus on maximizing occupancy, memory throughput, and warp efficiency.

Show full description

Profile GPU workloads using tools such as Nsight Compute, Nsight Systems, nvprof, and CUDA‐MEMCHECK.

Analyze and eliminate performance bottlenecks including warp divergence, uncoalesced memory access, register pressure, and PCIe transfer overhead.

Improve GPU memory pipelines (global, shared, L2, texture memory) and ensure proper memory coalescing.

Collaborate closely with AI systems, model acceleration, and backend distributed systems teams.

Contribute to GPU architecture decisions, kernel libraries, and internal performance-engineering best practices.

What Were Looking For

Proven track record building NVIDIA CUDA kernels from scratchnot just calling existing libraries.

Strong ability to optimize kernels (tiling strategies, occupancy tuning, shared memory design, warp scheduling).

Deep understanding of CUDA threads, warps, blocks, and grids, GPU memory hierarchy and memory coalescing, as well as warp divergence (how to detect, analyze, and mitigate it)

Experience diagnosing PCIe bottlenecks and optimizing host-device transfers (pinned memory, streams, batching, overlap).

Familiarity with C++, CUDA runtime APIs, and GPU debugging/profiling tooling.

Bonus Points

Experience with multi-GPU or distributed GPU systems (NCCL, NVLink, MIG).

Background in GPU acceleration for ML frameworks or HPC workloads.

Knowledge of model inference optimization (TensorRT, CUDA Graphs, CUTLASS).

Exposure to compiler-level optimization or PTX/SASS analysis.

Startup experience or comfort working in fast-moving, ambiguous environments.

Why This Role Will Pivot Your Career

Research pedigree: MIT CSAIL founders recognized for breakthrough AI and systems contributions.

Customer impact: Deploy AI solutions powering Fortune 500 clients.

Industry momentum: Lab alumni have led high-value acquisitions (MosaicML Databricks, Run:AI Nvidia, W&B CoreWeave).

Funding & growth: Oversubscribed seed round, next funding in 2026.

Career growth & influence: Lead AI initiatives, optimize pipelines, and directly impact production AI systems at scale.

Culture & autonomy: Own critical systems while collaborating with world-class engineers.

Aspirational impact: Solve GPU/AI performance challenges few engineers ever face.

Benefits

Competitive salary & equity options

Sign-on bonus

Health, Dental, and Vision

401k

Pragmatike is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants without discrimination. We recruit on behalf of our clients and prohibit discrimination and harassment based on race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.We are committed to a fair and inclusive hiring process. We process your personal data solely for recruitment purposes, in accordance with applicable privacy laws, and maintain reasonable safeguards to protect your information. Your data may be shared with our client(s) for hiring consideration, but will not be disclosed to third parties outside of the recruitment process.

Staying safe while you apply

  • Never pay to apply, interview or accept an offer. ROLIVA never asks you for payment to apply to a job.
  • Apply only through the official “Apply on the employer’s site” button, on the employer’s own site, and check that a recruiter’s email uses that employer’s own domain rather than a free email address.
  • Be cautious of an offer made with no real interview, or pressure to decide quickly or share financial details early.

Does something look wrong with this listing? Use “Report broken link” in the role details, or read ROLIVA’s full job-safety guidance ↗.

Preparing for this role with ROLIVA

  • Check the fit.

    Compare the requirements with the experience you have confirmed, including gaps.

  • Prepare honestly.

    Build interview stories and application drafts from your own evidence.

  • Keep track.

    Save the role and record your own application status and follow-ups.

Create a free workspace or log in.

At a glance

  • Work styleOn-site
  • Employment typeFullTime
  • Employer posted
  • Added to ROLIVA
  • Last checked

Skills in this posting

Skills ROLIVA found in the employer’s own description above. A mention is not a requirement.

C++

Explore similar roles

Similar jobs

Pragmatike

Staff Product Manager

San Francisco, California, United States

Remote (restrictions not stated)FullTimeUSD 200,000–400,000/year

Pragmatike

Lead Product Engineer

San Francisco, California, United States

Remote (restrictions not stated)FullTimeUSD 200,000–400,000/year