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Principal Hardware Design Engineer

Austin, Texas, United States

About us 

Graphcore is one of the world’s leading innovators in Artificial Intelligence compute. It is developing hardware, software and systems infrastructure that will unlock the next generation of AI breakthroughs and power the widespread adoption of AI solutions across every industry. 

As part of the SoftBank Group, Graphcore is a member of an elite family of companies responsible for some of the world’s most transformative technologies. Together, they share a bold vision: to enable Artificial Super Intelligence and ensure its benefits are accessible to everyone. 

Graphcore’s teams are drawn from diverse backgrounds and bring a broad range of skills and perspectives. A melting pot of AI research specialists, silicon designers, software engineers and systems architects, Graphcore enjoys a culture of continuous learning and constant innovation. 

Job Summary 

We are seeking a Principal Hardware Design Engineer to play a critical role in the design and development of advanced AI/ML hardware systems. This role requires deep expertise in electrical engineering, system-level architecture, and complex server hardware design. 

The successful candidate will lead the development of system-level PCBAs and collaborate across architecture, mechanical, power, thermal, and firmware teams to deliver high-performance and reliable AI compute platforms. This individual will also serve as a technical leader, driving design excellence and helping shape next-generation AI infrastructure platforms. 

The Team 

Graphcore is a globally recognised leader in Artificial Intelligence computing systems. The company designs advanced semiconductors and data centre hardware that provide the specialised processing power needed to drive AI innovation, while delivering the efficiency required to support its broader adoption 

The Hardware Design team is responsible for designing Graphcore’s next-generation AI compute platforms, including system boards, interconnects, and rack-level infrastructure used in high-performance AI deployments. 

The team works closely with silicon, system architecture, firmware, and manufacturing teams to design high-performance hardware platforms that meet demanding performance, reliability, and scalability requirements. 

Responsibilities and Duties 

  • Lead the development and implementation of multiple simultaneous system-level PCBAs supporting AI/ML platforms. 
  • Drive system-level design implementation including electrical design, PCB layout guidance, and coordination across electrical, mechanical, power, thermal, and firmware domains. 
  • Design and implement system management bus topologies spanning multiple boards and devices. 
  • Define connector pinouts for high-speed and low-speed interconnects across system platforms. 
  • Participate in prototype builds and factory bring-up activities. 
  • Lead PCBA bring-up and hardware debugging in the lab across engineering teams, ODM partners, and customers. 
  • Develop and approve board validation plans to ensure design robustness and functionality. 
  • Collaborate with manufacturing operations to ensure test fixtures and production test programs provide adequate coverage. 
  • Support joint development programs with server ODM partners. 
  • Travel internationally as required to support manufacturing and system integration. 

Candidate Profile 

Essential 

  • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related discipline. 
  • 10+ years of experience in server hardware design and PCBA development. 
  • Experience designing complex rack-level hardware systems including compute, storage, networking, and power subsystems. 
  • Demonstrated ownership of multiple simultaneous PCBA or system-level hardware designs. 
  • Experience collaborating with server ODM partners in joint development environments. 
  • Working knowledge of PCIe, I2C, I3C, MCTP, USB, eSPI, and related system protocols. 
  • Hands-on experience with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and hardware debug tools. 
  • Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills. 
  • Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced engineering environment. 

Desirable 

  • Experience designing or deploying AI/ML rack-scale systems. 
  • Familiarity with data center infrastructure and emerging AI hardware technologies. 
  • Experience influencing system-level architecture decisions. 
  • Demonstrated ability to lead technical direction across teams through expertise and influence. 

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