3P Systems Architect

About the Team OpenAI’s Hardware organization develops system and infrastructure solutions tailored to the demands of advanced AI workloads. We work across the full stack—from silicon to system integration—partnering closely with internal teams and external vendors to define and deliver next-generation AI infrastructure. Our team focuses on defining scalable, high-performance system architectures and reference designs that balance performance, cost, and operational efficiency across rapidly evolving technologies. About the Role We are seeking a 3P Architect to define and drive rack- and cluster-level reference designs in collaboration with external partners. This role is responsible for translating workload requirements and system-level goals into concrete architectures, aligning partners on critical design attributes, and ensuring vendor roadmaps meet our infrastructure needs. You will work closely with performance modeling and internal architecture teams to evaluate tradeoffs, while owning the end-to-end definition and execution of third-party system designs. This includes identifying gaps in current technologies, driving vendor development, and shaping future infrastructure capabilities. This role requires strong system intuition, cross-functional leadership, and the ability to operate effectively across internal teams and external ecosystems. This role is based in San Francisco, CA. We use a hybrid work model of 3 days in the office per week and offer relocation assistance. Key Responsibilities - Define rack- and cluster-level reference architectures for AI infrastructure deployments. - Translate workload requirements into clear system design specifications and partner deliverables. - Collaborate with performance modeling teams to evaluate architectural tradeoffs and system behaviors. - Align internal stakeholders and external partners on critical system attributes (performance, cost, power, reliability, scalability). - Identify gaps in current technology offerings and drive vendors (ODM/JDM, silicon, networking) to close those gaps. - Influence and shape vendor roadmaps to meet future infrastructure needs. - Track emerging technologies and evaluate their applicability to AI systems. - Define and lead proof-of-concept (PoC) efforts to validate new architectures and technologies. - Act as a key interface between OpenAI and external partners, ensuring execution against design intent. Qualifications - Have strong experience in system architecture for large-scale infrastructure or data center environments. - Understand AI workload characteristics and how they map to system-level design decisions. - Are comfortable working with performance modeling outputs to inform architectural direction. - Have experience working with or managing hardware vendors (ODM/JDM, silicon, networking). - Can drive alignment across multiple stakeholders with competing constraints. - Have a track record of turning ambiguous requirements into clear, executable system designs. - Are proactive in identifying gaps and driving solutions across organizational boundaries. Preferred Skills - Experience defining rack- or cluster-level systems for hyperscale or AI workloads. - Familiarity with accelerators (GPUs/ASICs), interconnects, and data center networking architectures. - Experience influencing vendor roadmaps and reference designs. - Background in infrastructure deployment, hardware engineering, or systems integration. - Experience leading PoCs or early-stage hardware validation efforts. About OpenAI OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. We push the boundaries of the capabilities of AI systems and seek to safely deploy them to the world through our products. AI is an extremely powerful tool that must be created with safety and human needs at its core, and to achieve our mission, we must encompass and value the many different perspectives, voices, and experiences that form the full spectrum of humanity. We are an equal opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other applicable legally protected characteristic. For additional information, please see OpenAI’s Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement. Background checks for applicants will be administered in accordance with applicable law, and qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment consistent with those laws, including the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the California Fair Chance Act, for US-based candidates. For unincorporated Los Angeles County workers: we reasonably believe that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship with the following job dutie