Compiler designers are computer scientists who create programs called compilers. These programs translate high-level programming languages, like Python or Java, into machine code that a computer can understand and execute. This process is essential for software development, as it allows developers to write code in a more human-readable format. The work of compiler designers involves understanding both the syntax and semantics of programming languages. They must also be skilled in algorithms and data structures to optimize the translation process. Their efforts ensure that software runs efficiently and correctly on various hardware platforms, making them crucial to the field of computer science.