System Software Engineer, First-Party Hardware

About the Role

The role requires a deep understanding of low-level system software, embedded software, firmware, and device drivers. You will be responsible for defining requirements, reviewing code and artifacts, reproducing builds, and pushing fixes to ensure the successful launch of AI hardware systems. With a strong emphasis on collaboration, you will work with hardware, firmware, security, networking, infrastructure, manufacturing, and operations teams to drive issues to closure and deliver production-grade silicon.

As a key member of the team, you will have the opportunity to contribute to the development of custom design tools and methodologies that accelerate innovation and enable hardware optimized specifically for AI. With a focus on high-ownership and hands-on work, you will write and review low-level software, debug issues across hardware and software boundaries, and build infra and automation to test and manage devices in the lab.

What You Will Do

• Design, develop, and maintain low-level firmware and system software for first-party AI hardware manageability, including BMC software, Redfish services, gNMI telemetry, firmware update and recovery flows, BIOS/UEFI interactions, platform drivers, and hardware diagnostics.
• Own integration and acceptance of partner and vendor software releases, including requirements, code and artifact review, reproducible builds, CI, regression monitoring, version tracking, acceptance criteria, and launch-readiness evidence.
• Build and maintain automation and CI infra for testing and managing systems in the lab.
• Define and debug hardware management protocols across accelerators, host systems, management controllers, firmware, and platform services, including interfaces such as I2C, SMBus, PMBus, PCIe, Ethernet, GPIO, UART, and JTAG.
• Build system health monitoring, telemetry, remote diagnostics, and recovery paths that make hardware failures diagnosable in the lab, at manufacturing partners, and in production data centers.
• Develop validation and test automation for board bring-up, rack bring-up, qualification, manufacturing readiness, deployment readiness, and long-term reliability.
• Convert engineering releases into manufacturing-ready software recipes: images, versions, logs, limits, remediation mapping, provisioning hooks, secure artifact handling, and traceable data export.
• Debug complex production issues spanning hardware signals, BMC firmware, BIOS/UEFI, kernel drivers, platform services, network topology, PCIe behavior, power, thermals, boot, provisioning, and manufacturing test.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to define software contracts, unblock bring-up, and drive issues to closure.
• Produce durable architecture notes, runbooks, validation records, and decision documents that help Openai and partner teams reproduce, operate, and improve the platform.

What We Are Looking For

• 7+ years of hands-on experience in low-level system software, embedded software, firmware, BMC software, platform software, device drivers, or hardware.
• Strong understanding of computer architecture, operating systems, and software development principles.
• Experience with Agile development methodologies and version control systems such as Git.
• Excellent problem-solving skills, with the ability to debug complex issues across hardware and software boundaries.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills, with experience working with cross-functional teams.
• Ability to write and review low-level software, including C, C++, and scripting languages.
• Experience with automation and CI infra, including tools such as Jenkins or GitLab CI/CD.
• Knowledge of hardware management protocols, including I2C, SMBus, PMBus, PCIe, Ethernet, GPIO, UART, and JTAG.
• Understanding of system health monitoring, telemetry, remote diagnostics, and recovery paths.

Nice to Have

• Experience with AI-native silicon and system-level solutions.
• Knowledge of custom design tools and methodologies for AI-optimized hardware.
• Familiarity with Openai's technology stack and ecosystem.
• Experience with manufacturing and deployment of AI hardware systems.
• Certification in Agile development methodologies or equivalent.

Benefits and Perks

• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• Opportunity to work with a cutting-edge technology stack and contribute to the development of AI-native silicon.
• Collaborative and dynamic work environment with a team of experienced professionals.
• Flexible working hours and remote work options.
• Access to professional development and training opportunities.
• Recognition and reward for outstanding performance and contributions.
• Comprehensive health insurance and wellness programs.
• Generous PTO and paid holidays.
• Employee stock options and equity incentives.

• To stand out in the application process, highlight your experience with low-level system software, embedded software, and firmware, and provide specific examples of your achievements in these areas.
• Make sure to showcase your problem-solving skills and ability to debug complex issues across hardware and software boundaries.
• Familiarize yourself with Openai's technology stack and ecosystem, and be prepared to discuss how your skills and experience align with the company's goals and objectives.
• Be prepared to provide examples of your collaboration and communication skills, and demonstrate your ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Consider creating a personal project or contributing to open-source projects to demonstrate your skills and passion for system software engineering.
• When negotiating salary, be sure to research the market rate for system software engineers in the industry and location, and be prepared to make a strong case for your worth.
• Be cautious of red flags such as unclear expectations, lack of communication, or unrealistic deadlines, and be prepared to ask questions during the interview process to ensure the role is a good fit for you.