--- title: 'Principal AI Performance Engineer at Graphcore' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/principal-ai-performance-engineer-graphcore-austin-nkrwx6t7hyy0' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-10-13' --- # Principal AI Performance Engineer at Graphcore - **Company:** Graphcore - **Location:** Austin, TX - **Posted:** 2026-10-09 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-13 - **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/graphcore/jobs/8870427002 ## Job description ## About the Job Set the performance direction behind large-scale AI systems built for real deployment. As a Principal AI Performance Engineer, you will define how Graphcore analyzes and optimizes AI training and inference workloads. Your work will shape decisions across hardware, software, networking and system architecture. You will lead the hardest performance investigations, from model behavior to multi-node scaling. You will turn profiling, benchmarking and modeling evidence into technical roadmaps and engineering priorities. You will set measurement standards, guide distributed communication strategy and review critical C++ and Python tools. Your judgment will help teams make better decisions when data is incomplete. This role gives you rare influence across AI infrastructure at data center scale. It is based in Austin, Texas. The team and culture The System Engineering Performance team architects, evaluates and optimizes high-performance infrastructure for large-scale data center deployments. The team works across the computing stack to understand real system behavior. Work happens through evidence, technical ownership and direct cross-team influence. You will guide strategy, resolve complex tradeoffs and raise performance-engineering standards across the organization. Decisions are shaped by benchmarks, simulations, models and clear technical debate. The team values engineers who think big, act fast, take responsibility, speak up and lead beyond their own area. ## What we’re looking for - Deep experience profiling and optimizing AI, machine learning or high-performance computing workloads at scale. - Proven technical leadership across complex performance-engineering or system-architecture initiatives. - Expert C++ and Python skills, including reliable tools or performance-sensitive software. - Expert understanding of compute, memory, communication and scaling behavior in distributed systems. - Ability to define benchmarks, measurement practices or optimization standards across teams. - Experience with MPI, NCCL, UCX, libfabric, MLPerf, accelerated architectures or high-performance interconnects. While we have outlined a set of requirements, we value transferable skills and diverse experiences. We also welcome engineers returning to the profession after a career break, including through returnship routes. ## Benefits Graphcore offers competitive compensation and benefits designed to support employees' health, financial well-being, work-life needs, and professional growth. Benefits and programs for eligible U.S. employees may include: - Medical, dental, and vision coverage, with options that may extend to eligible dependents. - Mental health, wellness, and employee assistance resources. - Retirement savings benefits and company contributions where applicable. - Paid vacation, sick time, company holidays, and parental or family leave in accordance with applicable plans and policies. - Life insurance and short-term or long-term disability coverage. - Flexible working hours and hybrid working arrangements where compatible with the role and team requirements. - Professional-development resources, learning programs, office amenities, and team-led activities. Benefits vary by work location, employment status, scheduled hours, and plan eligibility and are subject to the terms of the applicable plans and company policies. This overview is not a contract or guarantee of benefits. Graphcore is an equal opportunity employer. We consider qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law. Graphcore is committed to an inclusive and accessible hiring process. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, please let the recruiting team know. Personal information submitted during the recruiting process will be handled in accordance with Graphcore's applicable candidate privacy notices. Join the Team at Graphcore 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 brings together deep expertise to solve complex problems and deliver meaningful progress in AI compute. Ready to set the performance direction for AI systems at data center scale? Apply now to join Graphcore in Austin. ## 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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