Staff System Engineer | Researcher

Staff System Engineer | Researcher

San Jose, CA

Digital Systems - San Jose /

Full-time /

Hybrid

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About NIO

NIO Inc. is a pioneer and a leading company in the global smart electric vehicle market. Founded in November 2014, NIO aspires to shape a sustainable and brighter future with the mission of "Blue Sky Coming".

NIO envisions itself as a user enterprise where innovative technology meets experience excellence. NIO designs, develops, manufactures and sells smart electric vehicles, driving innovations in next-generation core technologies. NIO distinguishes itself through continuous technological breakthroughs and innovations, exceptional products and services, and a community for shared growth.

NIO provides premium smart electric vehicles under the NIO brand, premium smart electric vehicles for families through the ONVO brand, and small smart high-end electric cars with the FIREFLY brand.

About the Position

We are seeking a Staff System Engineer | Researcher to join our SkyOS team. The team is responsible for the design and development of NIO''s full-domain vehicle operating systems. The position will explore new ideas and designs that can make systems software faster, more dependable, and intelligent, from proof of concept to final production quality. You will have the opportunity to work on almost every layer of systems software, including kernel, networking, file system, drivers, hypervisor, libc, build system, etc, to optimize the system from high-level architecture down to the choice of assembly instructions, to bring high-impact innovations onto production systems by collaborating with engineering teams. If you enjoy building systems from scratch, writing high quality system code, optimizing performance, turning your research ideas into awesome real world products, and shaping the future of systems software for intelligent EVs, the stage is ready for you.

Responsibilities

• Conduct original research on systems software, including OS kernel, file systems, networking to improve system performance and dependability.
• Design and implement or rearchitect system components to fulfill the performance and safety goals.
• Define long-term systems software architecture and roadmap in the smart EV domain.
• Work with engineering teams to put research outcomes into real world deployments.

Qualifications

• Master or Ph.D. In computer science/engineering or related fields.
• Research experiences in operating systems, virtualization, system security.
• In depth knowledge of computer architecture. Expertise in at least one of the following architectures: x86, Arm, RISC-V.
• Proficiency in C, assembly, and Rust. Ability to understand, organize, and improve the code of complex system software.
• Ability to diagnose and solve complex system issues.
• Be able to conduct research independently and also be a good collaborator.
• Accurate and concise communication.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ph.D. In computer science / engineering, or related fields; or Ph.D. candidate expecting graduation within 6-12 months.
• Publications in top system conferences (SOSP, OSDI, EuroSys, DSN, ASPLOS ...).
• Experiences of building system software (be it a kernel, OS, hypervisor, file system, or network stack) from scratch.
• Hands-on experience in microkernels and multiserver operating systems.
• Familiarity with formal verification methods.

Benefits

• Along with competitive pay, as a full-time NIO employee, you are eligible for the following benefits on the first day you join NIO:
• Anthem Blue Cross, HSA, and Kaiser HMO medical plans with $0 for Employee Only Coverage.
• Dental (including orthodontic coverage) and vision plan. Both provide options with a $0 paycheck contribution covering you and your eligible dependents.
• Company Paid HSA (Health Savings Account) Contribution when enrolled in the High Deductible Anthem Blue Cross medical plan
• Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• 401(k) with Brokerage Link option
• Company paid Basic Life, AD&D, short-term and long-term disability insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Sick and Vacation time
• 13 Paid Holidays a year
• Paid Parental Leave for first 8 weeks at full pay (eligible after 90 days of employment with NIO)
• Paid Disability Leave for first 6 weeks at full pay (eligible after 90 days of employment with NIO)
• Voluntary benefits including: Voluntary Life and AD&D options for you, your spouse/domestic partner and dependent child(ren), pet insurance
• Commuter benefits
• Mobile Cell Phone Credit
• Free lunch and snacks
• Onsite gym
• Employee discounts and perks program

Compensation

The US base salary range for this full-time position is $163,500.00 - $212,400.00.

• Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

• Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only. It does not include discretionary bonus, equity, or benefits.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

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