OpenAI

Hardware Operations Technical Program Manager

OpenAI$120K — $160K *
US-AnywhereRemote in San Francisco, CA
Technical Services
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 7+ years in technical program management or related fields
  • Experience with large-scale hardware systems and data centers
  • Strong grasp of hardware lifecycle from NPI to operational support
  • Ability to manage complex schedules and cross-functional dependencies
  • Technical fluency in infrastructure deployment and manufacturing readiness
  • Excellent communication skills for technical and non-technical audiences
  • Experience with AI infrastructure and hyperscale data centers is a plus

Responsibilities

  • Drive Hardware Operations readiness for AI infrastructure systems
  • Develop scalable processes for deployment and repair operations
  • Lead execution of readiness initiatives for operational handoff
  • Collaborate with teams to ensure alignment on operational requirements
  • Create reporting frameworks to measure operational performance
  • Identify and mitigate operational and technical risks early
  • Facilitate issue resolution during deployment and operational ramp
  • Establish governance models for readiness reviews and performance tracking

Benefits

  • Comprehensive healthcare coverage
  • Flexible working hours
  • Opportunities for professional development
  • Collaborative work environment
  • Access to cutting-edge technology
Full Job Description
About the Role

We are seeking a Hardware Operations Technical Program Manager to drive execution across the lifecycle of AI infrastructure hardware programs.

In this role, you will own cross-functional program execution across hardware readiness, supplier coordination, deployment planning, rack-level integration, manufacturing operations, logistics, field deployment, and operational handoff. You will partner closely with hardware engineering, data center engineering, networking, supply chain, manufacturing, deployment, and operations teams to ensure critical infrastructure programs move from design intent to production readiness.

This role is ideal for someone who can operate at both the technical and programmatic level: understanding hardware systems, identifying operational blockers, driving accountability across teams, and creating scalable processes for high-volume infrastructure deployment.

Key Responsibilities
  • Drive end-to-end Hardware Operations readiness programs across AI infrastructure systems, including servers, racks, networking hardware, power and cooling interfaces, and related data center infrastructure.
  • Develop and operationalize scalable hardware operations processes, workflows, and support models spanning deployment, repair operations, diagnostics, break/fix, escalation management, and sustaining operations.
  • Lead cross-functional execution of Hardware Operations readiness initiatives, ensuring operational capabilities, tooling, documentation, staffing models, and workflows are established prior to production deployment and operational handoff.
  • Partner across Hardware Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Data Center Operations, Network Operations, Deployment, Reliability Engineering, and external suppliers to ensure alignment on operational requirements, supportability, and readiness milestones.
  • Develop operational scorecards, reporting frameworks, and metric algorithms to measure hardware operational health, repair performance, deployment quality, readiness status, and execution efficiency.
  • Identify operational, technical, supplier, tooling, and process risks early; drive mitigation plans, cross-functional alignment, and executive-level communication.
  • Lead cross-functional issue resolution efforts during hardware deployment, validation, operational ramp, and sustaining operations, ensuring rapid containment, corrective action development, and long-term process improvement.
  • Create and mature operational governance models, including standardized readiness reviews, action tracking, escalation management, performance reviews, and operational business rhythms.
  • Ensure operational knowledge sharing and alignment across internal teams, external suppliers, and infrastructure partners to improve execution consistency, issue resolution efficiency, and operational maturity.

You Might Thrive in This Role If You
  • Have experience driving complex hardware or infrastructure programs from development through production and deployment.
  • Are comfortable operating across engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, deployment, and operations teams.
  • Can understand technical system dependencies without needing to be the deepest engineer in every domain.
  • Know how to create structure in ambiguous, fast-moving environments.
  • Are effective at driving accountability across teams and vendors without direct authority.
  • Can move between tactical execution details and executive-level communication.
  • Have strong judgment around when to escalate, when to unblock directly, and when to create a repeatable process.
Qualifications
  • 7+ years of experience in technical program management, hardware operations, manufacturing operations, infrastructure deployment, or related technical execution roles.
  • Experience supporting hardware systems at scale, ideally including servers, racks, networking hardware, data center infrastructure, or high-performance compute environments.
  • Strong understanding of hardware development and deployment lifecycle, including NPI, qualification, manufacturing ramp, logistics, installation, validation, and operational support.
  • Demonstrated ability to manage complex cross-functional schedules, dependencies, risks, and executive communications.
  • Strong technical fluency across hardware systems, rack integration, manufacturing readiness, and infrastructure deployment.
  • Proven ability to operate in ambiguous environments and create scalable execution mechanisms.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence technical and non-technical stakeholders.
  • Experience with AI infrastructure, hyperscale data centers, cloud infrastructure, or high-density compute systems is a plus.
  • Bachelor's degree in engineering, computer science, operations, supply chain, or equivalent practical experience.

Preferred Skills
  • Experience with GPU, accelerator, server, rack, or cluster-scale infrastructure programs.
  • Background in hardware operations, manufacturing program management, supply chain operations, data center deployment, or technical infrastructure TPM.
  • Familiarity with rack integration, power/cooling constraints, cabling, networking, serviceability, and deployment readiness.
  • Experience building operating rhythms, readiness reviews, risk registers, launch dashboards, or executive program reviews.
  • Experience scaling programs from prototype/NPI into repeatable production deployment.


About OpenAI

OpenAI is an artificial intelligence research laboratory consisting of the for-profit corporation OpenAI LP and its parent company, the non-profit OpenAI Inc. The company was founded in 2015 by a group of technology leaders, including Elon Musk, Sam Altman, Greg Brockman, Ilya Sutskever, and John Schulman. OpenAI's mission is to develop and promote friendly AI for the betterment of humanity. The company has developed a number of cutting-edge AI technologies, including GPT-3, a language processing system that can generate human-like text. OpenAI has received funding from a number of high-profile investors, including LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and venture capitalist Peter Thiel.
Learn more about OpenAI
Size
100 employees
Industry
Founded
2015

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at OpenAI

More Technical Services Jobs

Find similar Hardware Operations Technical Program Manager jobs: