--- title: 'Senior Firmware Validation Engineer at Graphcore' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-firmware-validation-engineer-graphcore-austin-texas-f3f9e73c3z1j' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-08' --- # Senior Firmware Validation Engineer at Graphcore - **Company:** Graphcore - **Location:** Austin Texas, United States - **Posted:** 2026-09-04 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-08 - **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/graphcore/jobs/8784003002 ## 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 a Senior Firmware Validation Engineer to support validation and quality assurance for the rack-level firmware stack across Graphcore’s ARM-based server platforms. This role focuses on validating firmware components including SoC firmware (EDK II/UEFI), OpenBMC firmware, rack management services, and platform-level infrastructure used in hyperscale AI server deployments. The Team 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. The Platform Validation team ensures the reliability and quality of Graphcore’s firmware and system software stack across server nodes and rack-scale AI infrastructure. The team collaborates closely with firmware engineering, silicon teams, hardware engineering, and ODM partners to validate complex platform management stacks and ensure production readiness. ## Responsibilities and Duties - Define and execute validation strategy for rack-level firmware stacks across ARM server platforms. - Develop validation plans and automated test frameworks for platform bring-up and firmware lifecycle management. - Integrate automated test cases for rack-level firmware components into CI/CD pipelines. - Validate firmware update frameworks including signed updates, redundancy mechanisms, and rollback protection. - Drive validation of platform security features including Root of Trust, secure boot, and TPM integration. - Participate in system-level debugging and root cause analysis across firmware, hardware, and platform integration. - Develop automation frameworks and regression testing pipelines supporting firmware validation. - Collaborate with silicon vendors, ODM partners, and platform engineering teams during bring-up and manufacturing ramp. Candidate Profile Essential - Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent experience. - Must have 6+ years of experience in firmware or platform validation for server or data center systems. - Experience validating ARM server firmware stacks including UEFI/EDK II and OpenBMC platforms. - Strong understanding of server architecture including power delivery, thermals, networking, and rack infrastructure. - Experience validating firmware security features including Root of Trust and secure boot. - Strong familiarity with firmware lifecycle management and firmware update frameworks. - Experience building automation frameworks and CI/CD pipelines for firmware validation. Desirable - Experience validating rack-scale firmware platforms in hyperscale or AI cloud environments. - Hands-on experience with EDK II/UEFI validation and OpenBMC system testing. - Experience validating firmware for liquid-cooled or high-density server platforms. - Experience building hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) or rack-level automated validation environments. - Experience validating high-speed interconnects such as PCIe in large-scale deployments. - Familiarity with hardware debug tools including JTAG, GDB, and logic analyzers. - Experience validating platform management protocols such as Redfish, PLDM, MCTP, and IPMI. 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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