Principal Post Silicon Validation Engineer Bringup
Graphcore is a Bristol-based AI chipmaker (IPU accelerators), a SoftBank subsidiary and a Molten Ventures portfolio company.
About Graphcore
Graphcore (graphcore.ai) is a British semiconductor company building Intelligence Processing Units (IPUs) for AI workloads. Founded in Bristol in 2016, it was acquired by SoftBank in 2024. It is a portfolio company of Molten Ventures.
Skills
Candidate Availability
Required and preferred rules are kept separate and reflect the wording in the original posting.
About the Role
You will validate high-performance AI chips and platforms from FPGA and emulator testing through first-silicon deployment and characterization. You will develop bare-metal C/C++ tests and Python regression frameworks, debug failures, analyze results, collaborate across disciplines, and guide improvements to validation infrastructure and processes.
Requirements
- Strong experience with bare-metal or embedded C/C++
- Good knowledge of digital ASICs
- Experience with post-silicon validation in digital ASIC environments
- Python and Linux experience
- Ability to identify root causes of complex issues across teams and programming languages
- Communication and collaboration skills
- Problem-solving, analytical, and diagnostic skills
- Driver-level experience with PCIe, Ethernet, memory technologies, or peripherals such as I2C, I3C, or SPI
- Knowledge of PLLs, high-speed PHYs, and IC control or communication protocols
- Experience with Arm CPUs, system IP, and debug tools
- Experience with AMBA protocols
- Understanding of ML applications and workloads
- Experience in characterization, failure analysis, test development, statistical analysis, or customer support
Responsibilities
- Plan, design, develop, and debug silicon validation tests in bare-metal C/C++
- Run tests on FPGA and emulators before first silicon
- Deploy and debug validation tests on first silicon
- Develop automated Python test frameworks and regression suites
- Collaborate with engineers across disciplines
- Implement improvements to validation methodologies
- Analyze test results and debug failures and defects
- Contribute to shared test and validation infrastructure
- Provide feedback to architects
- Lead, mentor, and guide other engineers
- Report project status and progress to program management
Benefits
- Phantom equity
- Medical coverage
- Dental coverage
- Vision coverage
- Flexible Spending Accounts
- Health Savings Accounts
- Disability insurance
- Life insurance
- 401(k) retirement plan
- Commuter benefits
- Wellness services
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Flexible working