Hardware / Software Codesign Engineer - 3P

Details

OpenAI’s Hardware organization develops silicon and system-level solutions for advanced AI workloads, including AI-native silicon, custom design tools, and hardware optimized for AI.

As an engineer on the hardware optimization and co-design team, you will co-design hardware from different vendors for programmability and performance. You will collaborate with kernel, compiler, and machine learning engineers to understand requirements related to ML techniques, algorithms, numerical approximations, programming expressivity, and compiler optimizations. You will help influence hardware architectures for efficient training and inference on OpenAI models, including large language model distribution, system- and rack-wide networking optimization, compute pipelines, and memory hierarchies.

This role is based in San Francisco, California, with an additional location in Seattle, Washington. The hybrid work model requires three days per week in the office.

Responsibilities

• Co-design future hardware for programmability and performance with hardware vendors.
• Assist hardware vendors in developing optimized kernels and add support for them in the compiler.
• Develop performance estimates for critical kernels across different hardware configurations and drive decisions about compute core and memory hierarchy features.
• Build system performance models at different abstraction levels and analyze scale-up, scale-out, and front-end networking decisions.
• Work with machine learning engineers, kernel engineers, and compiler developers to understand requirements for high-performance accelerators.
• Manage communication and coordination with internal and external partners.
• Influence hardware partner roadmaps to optimize platforms for OpenAI workloads.
• Evaluate potential partners’ accelerators and platforms.
• As the team grows, understand and influence roadmaps for datacenter networks, racks, and buildings.

Requirements

• 4+ years of industry experience, including experience harnessing compute at scale and optimizing ML platform code to run efficiently on target hardware.
• Strong experience in software/hardware co-design.
• Deep understanding of GPUs and/or other AI accelerators.
• Experience with CUDA, Triton, or a related accelerator programming language.
• Experience driving machine learning accuracy with low-precision formats.
• Experience with system performance modeling and analysis to optimize ML model deployment.
• Strong coding skills in C/C++ and Python.
• Familiarity with the fundamentals of deep learning computing and chip architecture/microarchitecture.
• Ability to collaborate actively with ML engineers, kernel writers, compiler developers, system engineers, and chip architects/microarchitects.

Preferred Skills

• PhD in Computer Science and Engineering with a specialization in computer architecture, parallel computing, compilers, or other systems.
• Strong understanding of large language models and challenges related to their training and inference.

Benefits

• Base salary range of $342,000–$555,000 per year, plus equity.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and families, with employer contributions to Health Savings Accounts.
• Pre-tax accounts for health, dependent care, and commuter expenses.
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer match.
• Paid parental, medical, and caregiver leave.
• Paid time off, paid company holidays, and paid office closures.
• Mental health and wellness support.
• Employer-paid basic life and disability coverage.
• Annual learning and development stipend.
• Daily office meals and eligible meal delivery credits.
• Relocation support for eligible employees.
• Additional benefits may include charitable donation matching and wellness stipends.

OpenAI is an equal opportunity employer and provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.