Principal Software Development Engineer

ADVANCE YOUR CAREER. ADVANCE THE WORLD.
At AMD, we belief technology has the power to solve the world's most important challenges. From advancing healthcare and scientific discovery to powering AI and the technologies people rely on every day, innovation at AMDis shapingthefuture.
Whetheryou're redesigning next-gen processors, enabling AI breakthroughs, orbringing leading edge products to market, every role at AMD contributes to something bigger- technologythat moves the world forward.Join us and, together, we'll advance your career.
THE ROLE:Join a team helping shape what comes next for AMD at the intersection of real-time graphics, gaming, machine learning, and emerging interactive experiences. In this highly visible role, you will work across software engineering, architecture, research, marketing, business leadership, customers, and ecosystem partners to identify opportunities that could influence AMD's future PC and console gaming technologies.
You will have the opportunity to explore new ideas, evaluate what is technically possible, develop and test concepts quickly, and help determine which technologies AMD should invest in over the next several generations. Your work will span software, hardware, developer tools, and the broader gaming ecosystem, giving you the opportunity to influence technology strategy from early concept through execution.
THE PERSON:You are a highly technical and collaborative leader who is comfortable operating in ambiguity and turning complex technical information into a clear, compelling direction. You bring strong judgment, curiosity, and the ability to influence without direct authority while remaining open to new information and changing direction when the evidence supports it.
You are an effective storyteller and communicator who can engage deeply with engineers and architects while also translating complex ideas for customers, partners, and senior leadership. You take ownership, create momentum when the path forward is not yet defined, and enjoy bringing people together around innovative technical opportunities.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Identify emerging opportunities across graphics, gaming, AI, and related technologies and assess where AMD can create meaningful differentiation.
Develop and evaluate technical concepts, prototypes, benchmarks, and proofs of concept in partnership with architects and engineering teams.
Help define the technology roadmap for future PC and console gaming capabilities and influence technology investments across multiple generations of AMD products.
Partner with customers, game studios, ISVs, developers, and internal teams to understand technical needs, ecosystem trends, and opportunities for innovation.
Evaluate technology options and make clear recommendations on whether AMD should build, reuse, partner, redirect, or stop an initiative.
Apply performance analysis, characterization, and debugging techniques to evaluate technologies and identify opportunities for improvement.
Use AI and Agentic AI tools as part of the development and exploration process, including creating tools or infrastructure and leveraging AI to rapidly develop and test proofs of concept.
Translate complex technical opportunities into clear recommendations, presentations, and actionable plans for technical teams and senior leadership.
During the first 30 days, develop a strong understanding of the technology, customer use cases, and opportunities the team may not currently be addressing.
Within 60 days, begin developing actionable plans around identified opportunities and align the appropriate technical and business partners.
Within 90 days and beyond, demonstrate meaningful progress executing those plans while continuing to identify new opportunities that can influence AMD's longer-term technology portfolio.
PREFERRED EXPERIENCE:
Strong software development and software architecture experience, with the technical depth to evaluate and influence complex engineering decisions.
Deep understanding of computer graphics and 3D graphics technologies, particularly within PC or console gaming environments.
Experience with rendering, GPU architecture, graphics software, or ML-based graphics technologies.
Familiarity with graphics APIs and ecosystems such as DirectX, Vulkan, or related technologies.
Experience with performance analysis, performance characterization, debugging, and operating-system concepts.
Experience using Agentic AI and AI-enabled development tools, including creating custom tools or infrastructure and using AI to accelerate prototyping and technical experimentation.
Experience developing technical prototypes, proofs of concept, benchmarks, or other methods for evaluating emerging technologies.
Ability to evaluate customer needs, technical constraints, competitive signals, and available engineering resources and translate them into a clear technical recommendation.
Experience influencing senior stakeholders and collaborating across hardware, software, engineering, research, product, and business teams without direct authority.
Experience communicating complex technical concepts to both highly technical audiences and non-technical or executive stakeholders.
ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS:
Bachelor's or advanced degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field preferred.
LOCATION:Markham, Ontario, Canada (Onsite)
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Benefits offered are described: AMD benefits at a glance.
AMD does not accept unsolicited resumes from headhunters, recruitment agencies, or fee-based recruitment services. AMD and its subsidiaries are equal opportunity, inclusive employers and will consider all applicants without regard to age, ancestry, color, marital status, medical condition, mental or physical disability, national origin, race, religion, political and/or third-party affiliation, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We encourage applications from all qualified candidates and will accommodate applicants' needs under the respective laws throughout all stages of the recruitment and selection process.
AMD may use Artificial Intelligence to help screen, assess or select applicants for this position. AMD's "Responsible AI Policy" is available here.
This posting is for an existing vacancy.
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