Principal Bring-Up and Characterisation Engineer

About us 

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.  

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. 

Job Summary 
 
Our team is at the forefront of the artificial intelligence revolution, enabling innovators from all industries and sectors to expand human potential with technology. The availability of specialised artificial intelligence compute will be a decisive factor in AI’s rate of progress. Graphcore allows innovators to go further, faster. What we do, really makes a difference. 
 
We are looking for a Principal Characterisation and Bring-Up lead to work with Architecture, Silicon Engineering, Hardware Engineering, Operations (device manufacture) and Product teams to lead a team in the definition and execution of bring-up and characterisation of our cutting-edge silicon devices and system platforms. Graphcore design and develop leading edge silicon processors and high-power high-speed blade systems at the forefront of AI technology. As such you will need to develop a detailed understanding of our silicon and platform products. 
 
Your role will be to manage a team of engineers tasked with characterising and bringing-up our silicon devices in systems to show that they operate correctly over all conditions in the final product. This team will concentrate on automated and manual testing of systems in the lab and datacentre. The results will be integrated with data from other teams to provide the complete bring-up and characterisation solution for the product. For example, a large amount of device testing can be performed by the production test team using high-speed production test equipment. Working with the production test team and hardware engineering, you will be responsible for making sure that all aspects of the device have been covered. 
 
You will be responsible for specifying and driving the requirements for physical lab requirements, ensuring you have the right equipment and infrastructure in place to successfully execute bring-up and characterisation. 
 
You will have knowledge of PCIe and ethernet protocols. 
This is a technical hands-on role. 
 
The Team  
 
This is a new team within Graphcore and will be initially part of manufacturing operations. The manufacturing operations group has members in Bristol, Cambridge and Taiwan and is responsible for delivering world-class leading-edge AI products to customers. 
 
Responsibilities And Duties 

•  Management of a team of engineers to deliver characterisation and bring-up plans.  
•  Creation of product specific characterisation and bring-up plans.  
•  Maintain and develop an automated system for running characterisation testing, capturing the results to a central database and performing data analysis.  
•  Understand the architecture and design of silicon devices and systems and influencing the design to facilitate successful and efficient bring-up and characterisation.  
•  Definition of infrastructure requirements for bring-up and characterisation, including bench top and lab infrastructure requirements, and ensure the timely delivery of those requirements.  
•  Work with other teams to understand tests available for characterisation and bring-up purposes, and drive changes if needed.  
•  Report regularly on progress and issues during the characterisation and bring-up process, providing a roll-up of all activities across teams.  
•  Work with the hardware and silicon engineering teams to ensure that the appropriate features are provided in the silicon and platforms to facilitate device bring-up and characterisation.  
•  Produce a product characterisation report containing platform test results and device-level production test equipment test results.  
  

Candidate Profile  
Essential

•  A proven track record of delivering technical output, perhaps as an individual contributor, manager, or project manager.  
•  Solid experience and understanding of silicon digital device design, bring-up and characterisation.  
•  Knowledge of silicon process technology and how that impacts device performance at transistor and system level.  
•  Knowledge of high-performance processor and system-on-chip systems.  
•  Experience of high-speed digital interfaces, such as PCIe, Ethernet or DDR.  
•  Knowledge of measurement automation and data analysis. The ability to code or script such automation and data analysis.  
•  Background knowledge of ATE systems and capabilities. Whilst you will not be directly involved with such testing, some of the characterisation work will be performed on such systems.  
•  An ability to work independently without daily oversight.  
•  Excellent communication, presentation, and relationship management skills at an execution team level  
•  Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience.  
  

 Desirable  

•  Knowledge of PCBA and system level technologies.  
•  Project management experience.