--- title: 'Staff Mechanical Engineer at Graphcore' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/staff-mechanical-engineer-graphcore-austin-5gcwxsmc80a7' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-10-27' --- # Staff Mechanical Engineer at Graphcore - **Company:** Graphcore - **Location:** Austin, TX - **Posted:** 2026-10-22 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-27 - **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/graphcore/jobs/8909256002 ## Job description ## About Graphcore Graphcore is a leading innovator in artificial intelligence computing. We develop hardware, software, and data center infrastructure that provide the specialized processing and systems capabilities needed to advance AI while improving the efficiency required for broad adoption. As part of SoftBank Group, Graphcore works alongside companies developing advanced technologies. Our teams bring together AI researchers, silicon designers, hardware and software engineers, and systems architects to solve complex technical problems across the computing stack. The Opportunity As Staff Mechanical Engineer, you will provide technical leadership for the mechanical infrastructure that supports Graphcore's advanced machine learning and high-capacity computing environments.   You will shape design standards, review critical systems, and coordinate with data center developers, consultants, and project partners. You will work across mechanical, electrical, controls, facilities, and IT infrastructure teams to deliver reliable and efficient data center systems. This Austin-based role includes approximately 10% to 20% travel for site visits, inspections, commissioning, and factory acceptance testing. ## What You Will Do - Own and maintain mechanical design standards, specifications, and owner requirements for data center projects. - Review mechanical system builds, computations, blueprints, technical requirements, equipment choices, and control sequences for technical quality and operational fit. - Translate AI and high-performance computing rack requirements into scalable cooling, airflow, hydronic, piping, and heat-rejection solutions. - Provide technical direction to external consultants, developers, equipment suppliers, and engineering partners. - Evaluate design options for reliability, maintainability, energy and water performance, capacity, and future expansion. - Coordinate mechanical interfaces with electrical systems, building controls, fire protection, IT infrastructure, and site operations. - Lead design reviews, resolve technical issues, and document decisions, risks, and required follow-up actions. - Support site inspections, equipment submittal reviews, factory acceptance tests, commissioning, and operational-readiness activities. - Verify that projects meet approved requirements, applicable codes, safety expectations, and commissioning criteria before handover. - Guide engineers, share technical knowledge, and assess emerging mechanical technologies for future data center deployments. ## What You Will Bring - A bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in mechanical engineering or a related discipline. - Experience crafting or reviewing mechanical systems for data centers, critically important facilities, or comparable infrastructure. - Knowledge of HVAC systems and equipment, including chillers, pumps, air-handling equipment, ductwork, piping, hydronic systems, and sequences of operation. - Experience reviewing design calculations, drawings, specifications, equipment submittals, and control strategies. - Experience coordinating mechanical requirements with IT, infrastructure, facilities, and multidisciplinary engineering teams. - Experience supporting commissioning, inspections, acceptance testing, issue resolution, and operational handover. - The ability to provide clear technical direction and communicate decisions through concise documentation and collaborative reviews. ## Preferred Qualifications These qualifications are helpful, not required. We encourage you to apply even if you do not meet every preferred qualification. - Experience with hyperscale data centers, colocation facilities, or Tier III or Tier IV environments. - A Professional Engineer license or comparable international credential. - Experience with high-density AI or high-performance computing infrastructure. - Knowledge of direct liquid cooling, high-capacity chilled-water systems, building automation, or advanced heat-rejection technologies. - United States Benefits Overview Graphcore offers 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. ## Equal Opportunity and Accommodations 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. Candidate Privacy Personal information submitted during the recruiting process will be handled in accordance with Graphcore's applicable candidate privacy notices. - ## 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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