job posting

[Gregory V. Tarsy]

The SunSoft Floating Point and Performance Group is seeking a suitably experi-
enced and inclined floating-point software support and performance person.

The ideal candidate would have experience in numerical analysis and floating
point arithmetic on computers, experience in optimizing compilers and in 
software and hardware testing.  Unix, RISC and x86 experience would be helpful.  

Members of the Floating Point Group develop and maintain mathematics library 
components, advise others about floating point issues, evaluate the performance
of compilers and systems on floating point intensive and other programs, and 
test the correctness of compilers and systems.

It's hard to say exactly what we're looking for, since most people end up
in this line of work by accident and without much relevant training.  A
perverted intolerance for the sort of minor errors and discrepancies that
normal people learn to live with appears to be in order; compulsive attention
to balancing checkbooks to the nearest penny might be a positive indicator.
The ability to recall humorous or exciting anecdotes involving floating point
arithmetic would seem to distinguish good prospects from programmers
in general, who don't see anything funny or exciting in this subject.
 
Worldwide broadcast of this posting would be far less helpful than bringing it 
to the attention of a few good prospects.
 
Candidates may contact me at

                                       Gregory V. Tarsy
         		    Mgr., Floating Point and Performance Group 
				          SunSoft
			            2550 Garcia Avenue
				       Mountain View,
				         CA 94043
				       M/S MPK16-303
			              (415) 786-8908
				 Gregory.Tarsyaeng.sun.com