Systems R&D Engineer, Industrial Compute at OpenAI

San Francisco, California, United States

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$310,000 – $460,000Compensation

Senior (5 to 8 years), Expert & Leadership (9+ years)Experience Level

Full TimeJob Type

UnknownVisa

AI, Technology, High-Performance ComputingIndustries

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or a related field
Strong background in system architecture, large-scale distributed systems and AI/HPC networking expertise (high performance multipath transport protocols, RDMA, RoCE, Infiniband)
5+ years of software development experience in C/C++ and Python
Experience developing and running large-scale distributed AI workloads
Hands-on lab experience with datacenter hardware (racks, servers, switches, NICs, accelerators, etc.)
Experience with low-level software and/or FPGA hardware development (e.g., firmware or RTL)

Responsibilities

Lead advanced R&D, rapid prototyping, and build-out of in-house lab infrastructure to support system bring-up, testing, and qualification for next-generation systems
Work closely with research, fleet, silicon, hardware health, and external vendors and partners to accelerate system qualification, increase deployment velocity, and improve platform and fleet robustness at scale
Focus on detailed evaluation and systematic testing of early hardware, including servers, racks, NICs, switches, chips, optics, transceivers, and other lab prototype equipment
Engineering work will span a broad range of software (systems, firmware, RDMA, collectives, cluster provisioning, orchestration, etc.) and/or hardware solutions (e.g., FPGA development) to manage lab infrastructure, support bring-up activities and perform extensive characterizations of new hardware through microbenchmarking, fault injection, impairment modeling, localized stress testing, and end-to-end evaluations

Skills

Key technologies and capabilities for this role

Systems EngineeringR&DRapid PrototypingLab InfrastructureHardware TestingFirmwareRDMACollectivesCluster ProvisioningOrchestrationFPGA DevelopmentMicrobenchmarkingFault InjectionStress TestingNetworkingNICsSwitchesOpticsTransceivers

Questions & Answers

Common questions about this position

What is the salary range for the Systems R&D Engineer role?

The salary range is $310K - $460K.

Is this a remote position, or does it require office work?

This is a hybrid role based in San Francisco, CA or Seattle, WA, requiring 3 days in the office per week. Relocation assistance is offered to new employees.

What skills and experience are required for this position?

Required qualifications include a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related field, strong background in system architecture, large-scale distributed systems, and AI/HPC networking (RDMA, RoCE, Infiniband), 5+ years of software development in C/C++ and Python, experience with large-scale distributed AI workloads, hands-on lab experience with datacenter hardware, and experience with low-level software or FPGA development.

What is the team like at OpenAI for this role?

You will join the Scaling team, part of the Industrial Compute team under the Stargate initiative, working closely with research, fleet, silicon, hardware health teams, and external vendors to build lab infrastructure for AI systems.

What makes a candidate thrive in this Systems R&D Engineer role?

Candidates thrive with a strong background in system architecture, distributed systems, AI/HPC networking, hands-on datacenter hardware experience, and software development in C/C++ and Python, particularly those who enjoy rapid prototyping and lab infrastructure build-out.

OpenAI

Develops safe and beneficial AI technologies

About OpenAI

OpenAI develops and deploys artificial intelligence technologies aimed at benefiting humanity. The company creates advanced AI models capable of performing various tasks, such as automating processes and enhancing creativity. OpenAI's products, like Sora, allow users to generate videos from text descriptions, showcasing the versatility of its AI applications. Unlike many competitors, OpenAI operates under a capped profit model, which limits the profits it can make and ensures that excess earnings are redistributed to maximize the social benefits of AI. This commitment to safety and ethical considerations is central to its mission of ensuring that artificial general intelligence (AGI) serves all of humanity.

San Francisco, CaliforniaHeadquarters

2015Year Founded

$18,433.2MTotal Funding

LATE_VCCompany Stage

AI & Machine LearningIndustries

1,001-5,000Employees

Benefits

Health insurance

Dental and vision insurance

Flexible spending account for healthcare and dependent care

Mental healthcare service

Fertility treatment coverage

401(k) with generous matching

20-week paid parental leave

Life insurance (complimentary)

AD&D insurance (complimentary)

Short-term/long-term disability insurance (complimentary)

Optional buy-up life insurance

Flexible work hours and unlimited paid time off (we encourage 4+ weeks per year)

Annual learning & development stipend

Regular team happy hours and outings

Daily catered lunch and dinner

Travel to domestic conferences

Risks

Elon Musk's legal battle may pose financial and reputational challenges for OpenAI.

Customizable ChatGPT personas could lead to privacy and ethical concerns.

Competitors like Anthropic raising capital may intensify market competition.

Differentiation

OpenAI's capped profit model prioritizes ethical AI development over unlimited profit.

OpenAI's AI models, like Sora, offer unique video creation from text descriptions.

OpenAI's focus on AGI aims to create AI systems smarter than humans.

Upsides

OpenAI's $6.6 billion funding boosts its AI research and computational capacity.

Customizable ChatGPT personas enhance user engagement and satisfaction.

OpenAI's 'Operator' AI agent could revolutionize workforce automation by 2025.

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