Compute Server Platform Architect

The role

You will own the server-side platform architecture for Cerebras CS3-based AI clusters. You will translate workload behavior into hardware requirements and drive platform evaluations with vendors.

What you will do

• Own the architecture for all server roles in Cerebras clusters.
• Define and maintain server formulas including capacity planning and headroom policy.
• Specify platform configurations including CPU, memory, PCIe, and NIC selection.
• Translate software and runtime flows into measurable hardware requirements.
• Develop performance and scaling models and validate them with microbenchmarks.
• Define the OS, BIOS, firmware, and driver baseline for each server type.
• Stay current on emerging server technologies and run proof-of-concept evaluations.
• Lead technical vendor engagements to influence roadmaps and drive debugging.
• Define qualification and acceptance criteria and partner with Infrastructure Hardware TPM.
• Support bring-up and rare deployment debugging in lab and staging environments.

Required qualifications

• PhD. in Computer Science or Electrical/Computer Engineering and + 8 years industry experience, or Master’s/Bachelor’s in CS or EE + 10 years industry experience.
• 5+ years of experience in server platform architecture, systems performance engineering, or large-scale infrastructure design for AI/ML, HPC, or performance-sensitive distributed systems.
• Deep understanding of x86 server architecture: CPU microarchitecture basics, cache hierarchies, NUMA, memory controllers/channels, and memory bandwidth vs latency tradeoffs.
• Strong Linux systems knowledge: profiling and performance analysis, scheduling and syscall overheads, memory management behavior, and practical tuning methodology.
• Experience reasoning about high-performance IO paths, including NIC behavior at a systems level, RDMA/RoCE concepts, and NVMe performance characteristics.
• Proven ability to create capacity and performance models and validate them empirically with a rigorous benchmarking plan.
• Experience working directly with vendors/partners to evaluate platforms, drive issue resolution, and influence roadmaps.
• Strong cross-functional communication skills.
• Familiarity with application and system software (C, C++, Python).

Benefits

• Build a breakthrough AI platform beyond the constraints of the GPU.
• Publish and open source cutting-edge AI research.
• Work on one of the fastest AI supercomputers in the world.
• Enjoy job stability with startup vitality.
• Simple, non-corporate work culture that respects individual beliefs.

About the company

Cerebras Systems builds the world's largest AI chip. The company works with leading model labs, global enterprises, and cutting-edge AI-native startups.