CUDA KERNEL OPTIMIZATION SPECIALIST

About the job Mercor connects elite creative and technical talent with leading AI research labs. Headquartered in San Francisco, our investors include Benchmark , General Catalyst , Peter Thiel , Adam D'Angelo , Larry Summers , and Jack Dorsey . Position: CUDA Engineering Expert Type: Contract Compensation: $80–$120/hour Location: Remote Role Responsibilities • Analyze and optimize GPU kernels for performance, efficiency, and hardware utilization. • Use profiler metrics like L2 cache hit rate , L2 throughput , and occupancy to guide kernel improvements. • Review GPU kernel implementations to identify bottlenecks without needing extensive algorithmic background. • Write, modify, and reason about C++17 , Python , and GPU programming code. • Apply CUDA , HIP , and shader programming expertise to improve performance outcomes. • Document optimization decisions clearly, noting when specific profiler metrics are useful. Qualifications Must-Have • Available to work at least 20 hrs/wk . • Fluent in core C++ features through C++17 . • Working knowledge of Python and Git . • Fluent in at least one GPU programming model like CUDA , HIP , Slang , HLSL , or GLSL . • At least 1 year of professional or graduate-level research experience with GPUs . • Strong understanding of GPU profiler performance metrics for kernel optimization. • Ability to optimize GPU kernels without deep prior context on every algorithm. Preferred • Experience with CUDA , HIP , CUDA C++ Core Libraries , inline PTX assembly, or tensor core-level optimization. • Experience optimizing kernels for NVIDIA Blackwell hardware . • Familiarity with NSight Compute . • Prior experience with GPU hardware organizations like NVIDIA , AMD , or Qualcomm . • Open-source contributions related to GPU kernel optimization . Application Process (Takes 20–30 mins to complete) • Submit your resume or relevant technical background to get started. • Qualified applicants may be asked to complete a brief technical assessment or submit additional information. Resources & Support • For details about the interview process and platform information, please check: https://talent.docs.mercor.com/welcome • For any help or support, reach out to: support@mercor.com PS: Our team reviews applications daily. Please complete your AI interview and application steps to be considered for this opportunity.