---
title: 'Principal Network Program Manager, AI Infrastructure at Graphcore'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/principal-network-program-manager-ai-infrastructure-graphcore-milpitas-ta509snr3rw9'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-08'
---

# Principal Network Program Manager, AI Infrastructure at Graphcore

- **Company:** Graphcore
- **Location:** Milpitas California, United States
- **Posted:** 2026-09-04
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-08
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/graphcore/jobs/8784010002

## Job description

## About Us

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 enjoys a culture of continuous learning and constant innovation.

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced Network Program Manager to lead cross-functional programs focused on next-generation AI networking infrastructure, optical connectivity, and hyperscale datacenter technologies.

This role combines technical depth in networking and optical interconnect technologies with strong program leadership across engineering, operations, suppliers, manufacturing, and deployment organizations. The ideal candidate will drive alignment between network architecture, hardware development, optical connectivity suppliers, and operational readiness to ensure scalable, high-performance AI infrastructure delivery.

The successful candidate will bring strong experience managing complex networking programs involving high-speed interconnects, optical transceivers, silicon photonics, and hyperscale datacenter ecosystems. This role requires close collaboration with network architects, systems engineers, AI infrastructure teams, suppliers, and manufacturing partners throughout the product lifecycle.

The Team

The System Engineering Program Management team is responsible for driving cross-functional execution and delivery of next-generation AI compute and networking systems across the full product lifecycle. The team partners closely with architecture, hardware, networking, software, operations, and supply chain organizations to coordinate complex engineering programs, align technical and business priorities, manage dependencies and risks, and ensure scalable, high-quality system deployment for Graphcore’s AI infrastructure platforms.

## Responsibilities and Duties

- Lead cross-functional network infrastructure programs from concept through deployment and operational readiness
- Coordinate engineering execution across networking, optical connectivity, systems hardware, operations, manufacturing, and supplier teams
- Drive program schedules, technical milestones, dependency tracking, risk management, and executive reporting
- Partner with network architecture and hardware engineering teams on development and deployment of high-speed network solutions
- Manage supplier engagement and roadmap alignment for optical connectivity and networking infrastructure components
- Coordinate qualification, validation, and production readiness activities for networking and optical technologies
- Support deployment and scaling of AI datacenter networking infrastructure including high-bandwidth optical interconnect solutions
- Align networking technology roadmaps with operational scalability, supply chain resilience, quality, and cost objectives
- Interface with hyperscale datacenter customers, ecosystem partners, and industry standards organizations where required
- Facilitate collaboration across geographically distributed engineering and operations teams
- Drive issue escalation and cross-functional resolution for complex technical and operational challenges
- Support continuous improvement initiatives for networking deployment processes and infrastructure program execution

Candidate Profile

Essential

- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Physics, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related technical discipline
- 12+ years of experience in technical program management, product management, or engineering leadership within networking, optical connectivity, or datacenter infrastructure environments
- Strong understanding of AI and hyperscale datacenter networking technologies
- Experience with high-speed optical interconnect technologies
- Experience leading cross-functional programs involving hardware, software, networking, operations, and supplier organizations
- Proven ability to manage external supplier relationships and drive technical roadmap alignment
- Experience coordinating product lifecycle activities from architecture and development through qualification and deployment
- Strong communication and stakeholder management skills across executive, engineering, and external partner organizations
- Experience operating within fast-paced, highly technical infrastructure environments

Desirables

- Knowledge of networking protocols and infrastructure technologies including Ethernet, PCIe, UCIe, RDMA, RoCEv2, or related high-performance interconnect technologies
- Experience with silicon photonics, optical compute interconnects, or co-packaged optics technologies
- Familiarity with AI networking architectures and large-scale GPU/accelerator cluster infrastructure
- Knowledge of hyperscale datacenter operations and network fabric deployment
- Experience collaborating with industry standards organizations such as IEEE, OIF, PCI-SIG, or related consortiums
- Background in supplier sourcing strategy, manufacturing ramp, or operational scaling
- Experience supporting networking infrastructure for AI or HPC platforms
- Understanding of advanced networking telemetry, optical diagnostics, or infrastructure resiliency strategies

## Why This Role is Unique

This role sits at the intersection of AI infrastructure, networking innovation, and large-scale systems execution. The successful candidate will help drive the next generation of high-performance AI networking platforms by coordinating the technologies, teams, and supplier ecosystems necessary to deliver world-class infrastructure at scale.

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. [builtin.com/company/graphcore](https://builtin.com/company/graphcore)

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