Graphcore · 3 hours ago
Principal Firmware Design Engineer
Austin, Texas, United States
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level, Lead/Staff
7+ years expGraphcore is a globally recognised leader in Artificial Intelligence computing systems, and they are seeking a Senior Firmware Design Engineer to design, develop, and maintain embedded software for hyperscale data center environments. The role involves collaborating with hardware and software teams to deliver high-reliability firmware across server and rack-scale platforms.
AI InfrastructureArtificial Intelligence (AI)Machine LearningSemiconductor
Responsibilities
Architecture, design, development, and deployment of Zephyr-based firmware for hyperscale server and rack management platforms. This includes kernel configuration, board bring-up, and subsystem integration
Develop and maintain device drivers, subsystems, and middleware layers for sensors, connectivity, power management, storage, and peripherals
Design and implement robust and scalable firmware interfaces for telemetry, power/thermal controls, remote manageability, and firmware update infrastructure
Perform board configuration (DTS, Kconfig, build system) and debug low-level issues
Collaborate with hardware teams and ODM partners through all phases of the design and development lifecycle. This includes schematic reviews, validation of interfaces, and supporting board bring-up and hardware validation
Implement secure boot, firmware update mechanisms (MCUboot, DFU), and over-the-air (OTA) functionality when required
Develop automated unit tests, integration tests, and hardware-in-the-loop testing using Zephyr’s testing frameworks (Twister, ztest)
Guide and support integration of firmware into CI/CD pipelines, including automated builds, regression testing, static analysis, and deployment workflows
Partner with hardware, BMC/RMC, security, systems, and validation teams to drive alignment across the entire platform stack
Debug complex hardware/firmware/system issues in lab and production environments. Provide debugging and root-cause analysis using tools such as JTAG/SWD, logic analyzers, and Zephyr tracing/logging systems
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related discipline
7+ years of hands-on experience in firmware development, with at least 3 years in a senior engineering role
Hands-on experience with Zephyr RTOS, including device tree, Kconfig, board configuration, and driver development
Experience with MCU architectures
Solid understanding of SPI, I²C, UART, CanBus, PWM, GPIO, interrupts, DMA, and other low-level interfaces
Familiarity with version control (Git), CI/CD workflows, and code-review practices
Strong debugging abilities with embedded hardware and software tools
Experience with code static analysis tools and vulnerability scanners
Experience with system-level debug tools such as logic analyzers, JTAG, and GDB
Preferred
Experience contributing to open-source RTOS projects, ideally Zephyr
Background in networking stacks supported by Zephyr
Knowledge of secure firmware architectures, trusted execution environments, or cryptography libraries used in embedded systems
Experience with MCUboot, OTA pipelines, or secure firmware provisioning
Proficiency with Python for automation, tooling, or testing
Benefits
In addition to a competitive salary, Graphcore offers a competitive benefits package.
Company
Graphcore
Graphcore develops a microprocessor designed for AI and machine learning applications.
201-500 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Graphcore has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2023 (3)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$682MKey Investors
Ontario Teachers' Pension PlanMayfair Equity PartnersSequoia Capital
2024-07-11Acquired
2021-02-01Private Equity
2020-12-29Series E· $222M
Leadership Team
Nigel Toon
CEO and Chairman
Nick Bishop
CFO
Recent News
Foundation Capital
2025-12-18
cambridgenetwork.co.uk
2025-12-18
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