Operations Program Manager, AI Infrastructure

Details

About the Team

OpenAI’s Hardware organization develops silicon and system-level solutions designed for the unique demands of advanced AI workloads. The team builds next-generation AI-native silicon and system-level hardware, delivers production-grade silicon for OpenAI’s supercomputing infrastructure, and creates custom design tools and methodologies to accelerate hardware innovation.

About the Role

We are seeking an Operations Program Manager (OPM) to serve as the single-threaded operational leader for new hardware introductions (NPI) and production ramps across OpenAI’s AI infrastructure systems. This role combines hands-on execution with strategic ownership: defining the operating model, aligning cross-functional stakeholders, setting the critical path, making tradeoffs, escalating decisively, and ensuring hardware programs deliver on schedule, quality, cost, and scalability.

Success in this role requires comfort operating in ambiguity, influencing without authority, and driving alignment across internal teams and external partners—while keeping focus on long-term system scalability and repeatability.

Responsibilities

• Act as single-threaded owner for operational readiness across NPI and ramp, accountable from early bring-up through sustained production.
• Translate infrastructure strategy and engineering objectives into operating plans, execution priorities, and decision frameworks.
• Drive alignment across Engineering, Operations, Strategic Sourcing, Finance, Capacity Planning, and Executive stakeholders; frame tradeoffs, risks, and recommendations.
• Identify inflection points where decisions or investments are required to protect long-term scale, reliability, or cost targets.
• Influence operational strategy with manufacturing partners; set expectations on execution rigor, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Drive NPI build readiness: material accountability, manufacturing and test readiness, product data availability, factory infrastructure, and qualification plans.
• Lead transition activities from NPI to mass production; partner with Sustaining Operations for seamless ownership transfer.
• Translate engineering requirements into actionable, factory-ready plans with tier-1 manufacturing and integration partners.
• Lead cross-functional build and debug cadences; ensure issues are owned, driven to closure, and documented with root cause and prevention.
• Drive factory and deployment ramp readiness: throughput, site readiness, yield targets, quality controls, and reliability gates.
• Own end-to-end risk management: identification, mitigation planning, escalation, and executive-level communication.
• Surface systemic bottlenecks or failure modes and implement durable solutions across process, tooling, and organizational interfaces.
• Build, formalize, and scale repeatable operating mechanisms for predictable, high-velocity hardware development.
• Define requirements for operational systems (e.g., PLM enablement) and partner with internal teams to implement, test, and operationalize them.
• Establish clear scopes, roles, and responsibilities across internal teams and external partners.
• Build trust-based relationships with contract manufacturers, OEMs, and integrators to drive accountability, performance, and transparency.
• Support onsite factory builds and field deployments as needed (domestic and international travel).

Requirements

• 8+ years of experience in Operations, Engineering, Program Management, or equivalent within hardware development, manufacturing, or supply chain domains (compute, networking, datacenter, or similarly complex systems).
• Proven track record leading complex hardware NPI programs end-to-end, from early bring-up through production ramp.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing and supply chain fundamentals, including BOM management, ECO/MCO processes, build readiness, factory test, quality controls, and material planning.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams, influence senior stakeholders, and drive decisions in ambiguous, time-compressed environments.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; ability to distill complex issues for executive and external audiences.

Preferred

• Experience operating in hyperscale datacenter or large-scale infrastructure environments.
• Familiarity with supplier engagement models, build cost drivers, and NPI scaling tradeoffs.
• Technical background in server, rack, and/or network hardware.
• Experience designing or improving operational processes, dashboards, governance forums, or execution metrics.
• Experience supporting PLM processes and familiarity with ERP systems.

Compensation & Benefits

• Base salary range listed: $230,000 — $335,000 (offers equity). Base pay may vary by market location, knowledge, skills, and experience. Total compensation can include equity and performance-related bonuses for eligible employees.
• Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; HSA contributions; Health/Dependent Care FSAs; 401(k) with employer match; paid parental and medical leave; paid time off; company holidays and office closures; mental health support; employer-paid basic life and disability coverage; annual learning & development stipend; daily office meals and meal credits; relocation support for eligible employees; and other fringe benefits.

Additional Notes

• Background checks will be administered in accordance with applicable law. OpenAI is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.