Systems Software Engineer, Silicon Bringup

Details

About the Team

OpenAI’s Hardware organization develops AI-native silicon and system-level solutions for the demands of advanced AI workloads. Building on efforts like Jalapeño, the team is developing future generations of AI-native silicon and tightly integrated systems to power OpenAI’s supercomputing platform. By co-designing chips, systems, tools, and methodologies, the team helps deliver faster, more efficient, and production-ready hardware for OpenAI’s supercomputing platform.

About the Role

You will work on the systems software strategy and execution that brings new AI silicon from first power-on to a fully integrated system running production-representative models at expected functionality and performance. You will define how software exercises and validates compute, memory, interconnect, and I/O subsystems, then build the diagnostics, automation, and observability needed to find issues quickly.

This role sits at the center of silicon, firmware, platform, systems, and workload teams. You will turn hardware specifications and performance targets into an end-to-end bringup plan, drive cross-functional debugging, and establish the stress and regression infrastructure that makes each new platform reliable across operating environments.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the end-to-end software bringup and validation strategy for new silicon and first-party systems.
• Define software-driven test coverage across compute, memory, interconnect, I/O, and their system-level interactions.
• Build diagnostics, test automation, telemetry, and regression infrastructure that accelerate first-silicon learning and issue isolation.
• Lead bringup from initial silicon arrival through board and system integration, docking, runtime enablement, and model execution.
• Design stress tests that characterize reliability, performance, and stability across workloads and operating conditions.
• Translate architecture specifications and performance models into measurable acceptance criteria, coverage goals, and pass/fail signals.
• Debug complex hardware-software failures, drive root-cause analysis, and coordinate fixes across silicon, firmware, electrical, platform, and workload teams.
• Validate that integrated systems deliver expected functionality and model performance, and turn bringup learnings into reusable infrastructure for future generations.

Requirements

• Strong systems programming experience in C, C++, Rust, Python, or comparable low-level environments.
• Experience bringing up or validating complex silicon, accelerators, servers, or other hardware-software systems.
• Understanding of computer architecture and the behavior of compute, memory, interconnect, and I/O subsystems.
• Skill in low-level debugging across firmware, drivers, operating systems, and hardware interfaces.
• Ability to create rigorous test strategies, reason about coverage gaps, and build scalable automation and observability.
• Experience with performance characterization, stress testing, reliability testing, or production readiness.
• Clear communication across disciplines and the ability to drive ambiguous, high-stakes technical work from plan through closure.
• Commitment to building durable tools and processes that make subsequent bringup cycles faster and more predictable.

Candidates may need to meet certain legal status requirements under U.S. export control laws and regulations.

About OpenAI

OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. OpenAI is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on legally protected characteristics. Background checks and reasonable accommodations are handled in accordance with applicable laws.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, 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, office closures, and sick or safe time as required by law.
• 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.

The compensation package also includes equity and performance-related bonuses for eligible employees.