--- title: 'Manufacturing Test Engineering Manager at Graphcore' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/manufacturing-test-engineering-manager-graphcore-austin-cy6ey5cdw6b7' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-10-13' --- # Manufacturing Test Engineering Manager at Graphcore - **Company:** Graphcore - **Location:** Austin, TX - **Posted:** 2026-08-06 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-13 - **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/graphcore/jobs/8684405002 ## Job description Manufacturing Test Engineering Manager Position Summary We are seeking an experienced Manufacturing Test Engineering Manager to lead the development and execution of the end-to-end manufacturing test strategy for next-generation AI server platforms and datacenter infrastructure. This role is responsible for defining and driving the manufacturing test architecture from L6 board assembly through L11 rack-level integration and final system validation, ensuring world-class product quality, manufacturability, and production scalability. This leader will manage a team of 3–5 Manufacturing Test Engineers while partnering closely with Hardware, Firmware, Platform, Validation, Quality, Operations, and Joint Design Manufacturing (JDM) partners. The role owns the manufacturing test strategy, test coverage, factory test infrastructure, manufacturing capacity planning, and continuous improvement of manufacturing quality. ## Key Responsibilities Manufacturing Test Strategy - Define and own the end-to-end manufacturing test strategy from L6 board assembly through L11 rack integration. - Develop standardized manufacturing test methodologies that optimize quality, throughput, cost of test, and scalability across multiple products and JDM sites. - Establish manufacturing test standards, best practices, and engineering processes that support high-volume server manufacturing. Technical Leadership & People Management - Lead, mentor, and develop a team of 3–5 Manufacturing Test Engineers supporting multiple hardware programs. - Establish team priorities, allocate resources, and ensure successful execution of manufacturing test deliverables. - Foster a culture of technical excellence, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement. - Serve as the primary technical escalation point for manufacturing test and production issues. Cross-Functional Engineering Collaboration - Partner with Hardware, Platform, Firmware, Validation, Reliability, Quality, and Operations teams to ensure manufacturing test coverage aligns with product design intent and customer quality expectations. - Lead Design for Test (DFT) and Design for Manufacturability (DFM) reviews to ensure products are optimized for efficient, high-quality manufacturing. - Own manufacturing test coverage reviews across board, subsystem, system, and rack levels, ensuring comprehensive structural and functional defect detection. JDM Partnership & Manufacturing Execution - Serve as the primary technical interface with JDM partners for manufacturing test strategy, implementation, and production readiness. - Lead technical reviews covering manufacturing readiness, test coverage, infrastructure, yield performance, capacity planning, and corrective actions. - Review and approve manufacturing test plans and ensure consistent execution across manufacturing sites. Manufacturing Infrastructure & Capacity Planning - Define the manufacturing test infrastructure required to support high-volume production, including: - Test stations - Test fixtures - Factory automation - Rack-level test infrastructure - Network infrastructure - Manufacturing software environments - Test data collection and traceability - Work with JDM partners to establish manufacturing capacity plans, optimize factory layouts, and ensure sufficient test throughput to meet production demand. Quality & Continuous Improvement - Define and monitor key manufacturing metrics, including First Pass Yield (FPY), retest rate, manufacturing escapes, test cycle time, and throughput. - Lead cross-functional root cause investigations and drive corrective and preventive actions (CAPA). - Establish a closed-loop quality process by partnering with Data Center Operations and Sustaining Engineering to analyze field failures and manufacturing escapes, ensuring lessons learned are incorporated into future manufacturing test strategies and diagnostic coverage. Required Qualifications - Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical discipline. - 10+ years of experience in manufacturing test engineering, production engineering, or hardware manufacturing. - 3+ years of engineering management experience, including leading and developing technical teams. - Experience managing teams. - Extensive experience supporting high-volume server, storage, networking, or AI infrastructure manufacturing. - Proven experience developing manufacturing test strategies from board-level (L6) through rack-level (L11) manufacturing. - Extensive experience working with JDM, ODM, or contract manufacturing partners. - Strong expertise in: - ICT and MDA - Board Functional Test - System and Rack-Level Manufacturing Test - Manufacturing diagnostics - Linux-based manufacturing environments - Automated manufacturing test systems - Experience defining manufacturing test infrastructure, fixture requirements, and production capacity planning. - Strong understanding of server hardware architecture, firmware, BIOS/BMC, networking, and power systems. - Demonstrated success improving yield, reducing manufacturing escapes, and driving structured root cause analysis. - Excellent communication, leadership, and cross-functional collaboration skills. ## Preferred Qualifications - Master’s degree in a relevant engineering discipline. - Experience supporting hyperscale cloud or AI infrastructure manufacturing. - Experience with Python or Bash scripting for manufacturing automation. - Familiarity with Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), factory analytics, and statistical process control. - Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma certification. Success Measures - Deployment of a scalable manufacturing test strategy spanning L6 through L11. - Comprehensive manufacturing test coverage aligned with product design intent and customer quality objectives. - Robust manufacturing test infrastructure and capacity supporting production volume without constraining throughput. - Improved first-pass yield, reduced manufacturing escapes, and shorter test cycle times. - Strong technical partnerships with internal engineering organizations and JDM manufacturing partners. - Continuous improvement of manufacturing quality through effective integration of field and data center feedback into manufacturing test strategies. We welcome people of different backgrounds and experiences and are committed to building an inclusive work environment that makes Graphcore a great home for everyone. We are an equal opportunity employer and want to build a work environment where everyone is happy, productive and respectful so they can do their best work. If you have a disability or additional need that requires accommodation, just let us know. USA Benefits In addition to a competitive salary, Graphcore offers flexible working and a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your health, wellbeing and financial future. Our benefits include medical, dental and vision coverage, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), disability and life insurance, a 401(k) retirement plan, commuter benefits, wellness services and an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). We welcome people of different backgrounds and experiences; we're committed to building an inclusive work environment that makes Graphcore a great home for everyone. We offer an equal opportunity process and understand that there are visible and invisible differences in all of us. We can provide a flexible approach to interview and encourage you to chat to us if you require any reasonable adjustments. ## About Graphcore ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Graphcore designs and builds the Intelligence Processing Unit (IPU), a processor purpose-built for machine intelligence, and provides a complete AI compute stack from silicon to software. - **Entity Type**: Private (wholly owned subsidiary of SoftBank Group Corp as of 2025/2026) - **Headquarters**: Bristol, England, UK - **Founded**: 2016 - **Founders**: Nigel Toon and Simon Knowles ## Core Business - **Primary industry**: AI hardware/accelerators, semiconductor design, AI software platform - **Target customers**: Cloud providers (Microsoft Azure), enterprises, AI researchers, hyperscalers - **Mission statement**: “Let innovators create the next breakthroughs in machine intelligence to enhance human potential” ## Products & Services - **[IPU (Intelligence Processing Unit)](https://www.graphcore.ai/)**: A processor designed from the ground up for machine intelligence workloads; uses a massively parallel architecture (MIMD) with fine-grained compute and on-chip memory. - **[IPU-Machine M2000](https://www.graphcore.ai/about)**: Second-generation IPU platform – a 1U server appliance housing 4 MK2 GC200 IPU processors, delivering an 8× performance uplift over the first generation. - **[C2 IPU Accelerator PCIe Card](https://www.graphcore.ai/about)**: PCIe form factor accelerator for server integration, first demonstrated at ICML 2018. - **[Poplar Software Stack](https://www.graphcore.ai/)**: Full SDK and framework integration (PyTorch, TensorFlow) that lets developers target the IPU directly. ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: Acquired by SoftBank Group Corp (amount undisclosed); prior to acquisition valued at $2.77 B (Series E, lead by Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board). - **Key Metric**: Total funding raised prior to acquisition – over $680 M across Series A through E. - **Notable Investors/Partners**: SoftBank (owner), Microsoft (customer and investor), BMW, Samsung, Dell Technologies, Bosch, Sequoia Capital, Atomico, Fidelity, Baillie Gifford, Ontario Teachers’. - **Growth Signals**: Part of the fast-growing SoftBank AI ecosystem; expanding teams globally (Bristol, London, Cambridge, Gdańsk, Hsinchu, Bengaluru); first customer (Microsoft Azure) live since 2018. ## Competitive Advantages - **First purpose-built AI processor**: The IPU architecture is fundamentally different from GPUs – designed specifically for the sparse, parallel nature of neural network computation. - **Full stack ownership**: Graphcore controls silicon, system hardware, and software (Poplar), enabling tight optimisation across the entire compute chain. - **Cloud + on‑prem availability**: IPUs are available in the cloud on Microsoft Azure and as hardware from Dell, giving customers flexible deployment options. - **Strong IP and ecosystem**: 99+ engineering staff; deep expertise in semiconductor, systems, and AI software, backed by long-term SoftBank investment. ## Strategic Focus - **Scale AI infrastructure**: Delivering key technology into SoftBank’s global AI ecosystem and expanding the IPU platform to meet growing demand for AI compute. - **Expand into new regions**: Opening offices and hiring in India (Bengaluru) and across Europe (Gdańsk, London, Cambridge) to accelerate R&D and customer support. - **Democratise AI**: Continuing to lower the barrier for machine intelligence by providing accessible, high-efficiency hardware and software for innovators worldwide. ## Why Work Here - **Flexible hybrid work**: Employees are expected on-site three days a week, with trust and flexibility to balance work and life. - **Comprehensive benefits**: Unlimited annual leave, private medical insurance (UK), dental & health cash plan, income protection, life assurance, pension matched up to 5%, generous parental leave, and a personal development plan. - **Culture and growth**: ML reading groups, board game socials, book clubs, yoga, running, watersports, team events; strong DE+I initiatives; ambitious but supportive environment. - **Perks**: Free barista‑made coffee, snacks, and wellbeing rooms; cycle‑to‑work scheme; gym membership discount; education/training allowances. - **Purpose-driven work**: Opportunity to shape the future of AI compute and see your contributions used by global innovators. ## Sources 1. [graphcore.ai/about](https://www.graphcore.ai/about) 2. [graphcore.ai/](https://www.graphcore.ai/) 3. [graphcore.ai/careers](https://www.graphcore.ai/careers) 4. [graphcore.ai/jobs](https://www.graphcore.ai/jobs) 5. 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