Yeah, I posted a blog post [1] that explains my motivation in curating this list. Seeing the broad range of companies that do this kind of work was really helpful early in my career.
Probably more the latter, but that requires some amount of the former. You’ll usually either be working on a custom LLVM backend or working on integrating LLVM into some compiler other than Clang.
I think it's possible to join the compilers field with no previous experience if you can find the right team willing to mentor. Best would be for you to have adjacent skills that are valuable to the team; things like domain expertise, low level programming skill, or hardware knowledge.
Everyone starts somewhere. It's not the easiest thing, but I think can be done.
There's always non-specialist work to go around, even on specialist teams like those working on compilers. Build system integration & profile gathering for instance. Some teams will be happy to start you off on that while you ramp up.
It would be incorrect to assume this is a list of poorly paying companies.
Some of the companies in this list are known to pay very well for compiler type senior roles (and don't advertise that fact), some of them probably don't.
The missing icon I'd like to see is "the work is mostly or all open source".
It's a significant differentiating factor.
With so many companies using LLVM or GCC there probably are a few where the job's output is mostly or all open source by default, and there are certainly other compiler jobs where it isn't.
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[ 2.9 ms ] story [ 39.5 ms ] thread[1]: https://www.mgaudet.ca/technical/2019/12/10/compiler-jobs
They keep an updated list regularly since the mid-90s.
but what actually "LLVM" means here? proficency at LLVM IR and it's tools or internals and source code of LLVM?
Everyone starts somewhere. It's not the easiest thing, but I think can be done.
What's the incentive for anyone to work there?
Some of the companies in this list are known to pay very well for compiler type senior roles (and don't advertise that fact), some of them probably don't.
With so many companies using LLVM or GCC there probably are a few where the job's output is mostly or all open source by default, and there are certainly other compiler jobs where it isn't.
Hard to judge often!