CPU Microarchitecture Engineer - Dynamic Language Acceleration Researcher
About Huawei Research and Development UK Limited
Founded in 1987, Huawei is a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices. We have 207,000 employees and operate in over 170 countries and regions, serving more than three billion people around the world.
Our vision and mission is to bring digital to every person, home and organization for a fully connected, intelligent world. To this end, we will drive ubiquitous connectivity and promote equal access to networks; bring cloud and artificial intelligence to all four corners of the earth to provide superior computing power where you need it, when you need it; build digital platforms to help all industries and organizations become more agile, efficient, and dynamic; redefine user experience with AI, making it more personalized for people in all aspects of their life, whether they’re at home, in the office, or on the go.
This spirit of innovation has led Huawei to work in close partnership with leading academic institutions in the UK to develop and refine the latest technologies. With a shared commitment to innovation and progress, both parties have worked together to achieve common goals and establish a strong partnership. The partnership between UK and Huawei help to develop the technologies of the future that will transform the way we all communicate, work and live.
For the past 30 years we have maintained an unwavering focus, rejecting shortcuts and easy opportunities that don't align with our core business. With a practical approach to everything we do, we concentrate our efforts and invest patiently to drive technological breakthroughs.
This strategic focus is a reflection of our core values:
staying customer-centric,
inspiring dedication,
persevering,
Growing by reflection
Huawei Research and Development UK Limited Overview
Huawei’s vision is a fully connected, intelligent world. To achieve this, we work to inspire passion for basic research around the world. Our combined passion drives development across the global innovation value chain. Huawei has the largest Research and Development organization in the world with 96,000+ employees in research centers around the globe. In the UK, we already have design centers in Cambridge, London, Edinburgh and Ipswich. We continue to explore and define new research directions and new services. We have expanded our collaborations with academic researchers; researched new network architectures, integration of communications and key enabling technologies; and developed the fundamental theories of these technologies. We invite you to join us on this exciting journey and drive your career forward.
Job Summary
We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced with strong ISA extensions experience. This is a senior-level research and development role.
Key Responsibilities:
Analyse dynamic language overhead: Profile V8 and ArkTS interpreter/JIT to identify operations that consume disproportionate cycles (type checks, inline cache misses, garbage collection barriers, dynamic dispatch, deoptimisation)
Design ISA extensions: Propose new instructions or architectural features that accelerate common dynamic language patterns while maintaining backward compatibility and security boundaries
Prototype in software: Modify V8, ArkTS interpreter, or JIT compiler to use new instructions, measuring speedup on representative workloads (OpenHarmony apps, JavaScript benchmarks, browser workloads)
Model in architectural simulators: Implement proposed extensions in GEM5
Collaborate on RTL implementation: Work with digital design teams to refine instruction encoding, pipeline integration, and verification requirements
Publish and patent: Document novel contributions through internal technical reports, conference papers, and patent applications
This job description is only an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role. The jobholder will carry out any other duties as may be reasonably required by his/her line manager. The job description and personal specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of Huawei Research and Development UK Limited.
Required:
Deep understanding of CPU microarchitecture: pipelines, out-of-order execution, branch prediction, memory hierarchy, ISA design principles
Experience with architectural simulation (GEM5, Sniper, ZSim, or proprietary tools)
Familiarity with interpreter or JIT compiler internals—any of: V8, SpiderMonkey, JavaScriptCore, HotSpot, ART, LuaJIT, PyPy, or similar
Strong C/C++ and systems programming skills
Comfortable working in Linux environments with Git, Make, scripting
Equivalent industry experience (5+ years in CPU architecture, compilers, or language runtimes) welcomed
PhD or MSc in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or Electrical Engineering preferred
Desired:
Experience with RISC-V or ARM ISA extensions
Knowledge of tagged architectures, hardware type checking, or speculative optimisation support
Familiarity with V8 internals (TurboFan, Ignition, inline caches, hidden classes) or ArkCompiler/ArkTS
Background in compiler optimisation (SSA, register allocation, instruction selection)
Publication record in computer architecture or programming language implementation
What we offer
33 days annual leave entitlement per year (including UK public holidays)
Group Personal Pension
Life insurance
Private medical insurance
Medical expense claim scheme
Employee Assistance Program
Cycle to work scheme
Company sports club and social events
Additional time off for learning and development
Huawei Cambridge Research Center
Workplace & culture
This is a place where expertise and passion come together to unlock something really special to create an exciting future. Working at Huawei R&D UK, you will meet dedicated people who are passionate to bring the best product and service to customers.
About Huawei R&D UK
Huawei’s vision is a fully connected, intelligent world.
To achieve this, we work to inspire passion for basic research around the world. Our combined passion drives development across the global innovation value chain. Huawei has the largest Research and Development organization in the world with 96,000+ employees in research centers around the globe. In the UK, we already have design centers in Cambridge, London, Edinburgh, Ipswich and Bristol. We continue to explore and define new research directions and new services. We have expanded our collaborations with academic researchers; researched new network architectures, integration of communications and key enabling technologies; and developed the fundamental theories of these technologies.