Architecture / architect

OpenAI's Hardware organization develops system and infrastructure solutions tailored to the demands of advanced AI workloads. We work across the full stack-from silicon to system integration-partnering closely with internal teams and external vendors to define and deliver next-generation AI infrastructure.

Our team focuses on defining scalable, high-performance system architectures and reference designs that balance performance, cost, and operational efficiency across rapidly evolving technologies.

We are seeking a 3P Architect to define and drive rack- and cluster-level reference designs in collaboration with external partners. This role is responsible for translating workload requirements and system-level goals into concrete architectures, aligning partners on critical design attributes, and ensuring vendor roadmaps meet our infrastructure needs.

You will work closely with performance modeling and internal architecture teams to evaluate tradeoffs, while owning the end-to-end definition and execution of third-party system designs. We use a hybrid work model of 3 days in the office per week and offer relocation assistance.

Define rack- and cluster-level reference architectures for AI infrastructure deployments.

Collaborate with performance modeling teams to evaluate architectural tradeoffs and system behaviors.

Align internal stakeholders and external partners on critical system attributes (performance, cost, power, reliability, scalability).

Identify gaps in current technology offerings and drive vendors (ODM/JDM, silicon, networking) to close those gaps.

Define and lead proof-of-concept (PoC) efforts to validate new architectures and technologies.

Have strong experience in system architecture for large-scale infrastructure or data center environments.

Are comfortable working with performance modeling outputs to inform architectural direction.

Have experience working with or managing hardware vendors (ODM/JDM, silicon, networking).

Familiarity with accelerators (GPUs/ASICs), interconnects, and data center networking architectures.

Background in infrastructure deployment, hardware engineering, or systems integration.

OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. We are an equal opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other applicable legally protected characteristic.

For additional information, please see OpenAI's Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement.

Background checks for applicants will be administered in accordance with applicable law, and qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment consistent with those laws, including the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the California Fair Chance Act, for US-based candidates. For unincorporated Los Angeles County workers: we reasonably believe that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship with the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment: protect computer hardware entrusted to you from theft, loss or damage; return all computer hardware in your possession (including the data contained therein) upon termination of employment or end of assignment; and maintain the confidentiality of proprietary, confidential, and non-public information. In addition, job duties require access to secure and protected information technology systems and related data security obligations.

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