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OpenAIOpenAI

Host Systems Software Engineer

As a Host Systems Software Engineer, you will define and build the host software stack for next-generation AI systems, working on performance-critical software including Linux kernel drivers, high-throughput I/O paths, and system-scale networking. You will debug across hardware and software boundaries and optimize high-throughput, low-latency systems.

About the job

About the Role

We’re looking for an experienced systems software engineer to help define and build the host software stack for our custom next-generation AI systems. You will work close to the hardware on performance-critical software, including Linux kernel drivers, high-throughput I/O paths, and system-scale networking and RDMA. This role spans architecture, implementation, platform bring-up, debugging, and performance optimization. You will work across hardware and software boundaries to make new systems usable end to end, from low-level device interfaces through userspace tooling and production validation.

In this role you will:

  • Design, implement, and debug host-side systems software for AI infrastructure, including Linux kernel drivers and supporting userspace components.
  • Build and optimize software paths for high-throughput, low-latency communication, including RDMA and related networking functionality.
  • Develop software around PCIe, DMA, NICs, accelerators, memory movement, and device interaction.
  • Bring up new hardware platforms and diagnose complex issues across kernel, firmware, networking, and hardware boundaries.
  • Build tooling for integration, testing, diagnostics, observability, qualification, and performance characterization.
  • Collaborate with hardware, networking, and platform teams to define interfaces and integrate new capabilities.
  • Work with external vendors where needed to integrate technologies and drive issues to resolution.
  • Contribute across the systems software stack as the platform and team evolve.
  • Help shape the technical direction and engineering practices for a growing systems software stack.

You might thrive in this role if you have:

  • Experience building low-level or performance-critical systems software.
  • Strong programming skills in C or C++, with proficiency using Python and Linux tooling for automation and debugging.
  • Strong Linux systems fundamentals and the ability to debug across hardware and software boundaries.
  • Hands-on experience in at least one relevant area, such as Linux kernel drivers, kernel networking, RDMA, PCIe, DMA, NIC software, accelerator software, or high-performance I/O.
  • Experience owning complex software projects from design through implementation, bring-up, and validation.
  • Ability to thrive in ambiguity, work across subsystem boundaries, and build systems from scratch.
  • Strong cross-functional communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience developing Linux kernel drivers or other OS-level performance-critical components.
  • Familiarity with RDMA or RoCE, ibverbs, kernel networking, or congestion-control concepts such as ECN and DCQCN.
  • Experience with PCIe, DMA, peer-to-peer communication, SR-IOV, IOMMU, dma-buf, or related accelerator and I/O subsystems.
  • Experience bringing up accelerators, NICs, SoCs, or custom hardware platforms.
  • Experience profiling and optimizing high-throughput, low-latency systems.
  • Familiarity with Rust or experience using Rust for systems programming.

Skills

C++, Python, Linux, Rdma, Pcie, Dma, Nic, Rust, Kernel Networking, Accelerator Software

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