About this role
About the Team
OpenAI’s Hardware organization develops AI-native silicon and system-level solutions for the unique demands of advanced AI workloads. Building on efforts like Jalapeño, the team is developing future generations of AI-native silicon and tightly integrated systems to power the next generation of frontier models. By co-designing chips, systems, tools, and methodologies, the team helps deliver faster, more efficient, and production-ready hardware for OpenAI’s supercomputing platform.
About the Role
OpenAI's Hardware organization builds supercompute platforms from silicon and boards to full rack-scale systems to power advanced AI workloads. This role owns end-to-end quality for high-speed interconnect hardware across the product lifecycle: early design influence, supplier/contract manufacturer readiness, qualification, ramp, and fleet quality in lab and data center environments.
You will be the quality lead for advanced interconnect components and assemblies, including high-speed copper cables, cable cartridges, patch panels, backplane/cable-backplane solutions, high-speed connectors, and related electro-mechanical interfaces. You will partner closely with electrical, mechanical, SI/PI, systems, reliability, operations, and external vendors to prevent escapes and drive rapid, data-driven containment and corrective action.
In this role you will:
- Own quality for advanced interconnect components and assemblies: high-speed connectors, high-speed copper cables, cable cartridges (e.g., cable cassette style assemblies), patch panels & optics, and backplane/cable-backplane interconnect solutions.
- Drive quality-by-design: participate in design reviews, DFM/DFx, tolerance stacks, material and plating selections, connector mating strategy, strain relief, and assembly methods to reduce variation and field failures.
- Define and track quality and reliability metrics (DPPM, yield, escapes, RMA/FRACAS trends, Cpk/Ppk where applicable) for interconnects across NPI and mass production.
- Build and execute qualification strategies for cables/connectors/patch panels (mechanical, environmental, electrical, and reliability), including test coverage, sample plans, clear pass/fail criteria, defining installation criteria and processes, optics termination quality management and setting fiber standards criteria.
- Partner with engineering and operations to drive smooth ramp: risk assessments, pilot build learnings, change control, and readiness reviews (EVT/DVT/PVT/MP or equivalent phases).
- Own supplier and CM performance management: scorecards, audits (process and quality system), and follow-up to close findings with verified effectiveness
- Work with suppliers to improve manufacturing throughput, stability, and yields for cable and connector assembly processes (e.g., wire prep, welding/crimping, overmolding/injection molding, plating, and assembly fixturing).
- Lead rapid containment and root-cause investigations for failures found