Principal Network Program Manager, AI Infrastructure

Graphcore

• $150K — $180K *
Telecommunications & Hardware
11 - 15 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Physics, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical discipline
  • 12+ years of experience in technical program management or engineering leadership within networking, optical connectivity, or datacenter environments
  • Strong understanding of AI and hyperscale datacenter networking technologies
  • Experience with high-speed optical interconnect technologies
  • Proven ability to manage external supplier relationships and drive technical roadmap alignment
  • Strong communication and stakeholder management skills across diverse organizations
  • Experience operating in fast-paced, highly technical infrastructure environments

Responsibilities

  • Lead cross-functional network infrastructure programs from concept through deployment
  • Coordinate engineering execution across various technical teams
  • Drive program schedules, technical milestones, and risk management strategies
  • Partner with teams on development and deployment of network solutions
  • Manage supplier engagement and roadmap alignment for optical components
  • Coordinate qualification and validation activities for networking technologies
  • Support the scaling of AI datacenter networking infrastructure

Benefits

  • Flexible working hours
  • Medical, dental, and vision coverage
  • Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
  • Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)
  • Disability and life insurance
  • 401(k) retirement plan
  • Commuter benefits
  • Wellness services
  • Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
Full Job Description
Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced Network Program Manager to lead cross-functional programs focused on next-generation AI networking infrastructure, optical connectivity, and hyperscale datacenter technologies.

This role combines technical depth in networking and optical interconnect technologies with strong program leadership across engineering, operations, suppliers, manufacturing, and deployment organizations. The ideal candidate will drive alignment between network architecture, hardware development, optical connectivity suppliers, and operational readiness to ensure scalable, high-performance AI infrastructure delivery.

The successful candidate will bring strong experience managing complex networking programs involving high-speed interconnects, optical transceivers, silicon photonics, and hyperscale datacenter ecosystems. This role requires close collaboration with network architects, systems engineers, AI infrastructure teams, suppliers, and manufacturing partners throughout the product lifecycle.

The Team

The System Engineering Program Management team is responsible for driving cross-functional execution and delivery of next-generation AI compute and networking systems across the full product lifecycle. The team partners closely with architecture, hardware, networking, software, operations, and supply chain organizations to coordinate complex engineering programs, align technical and business priorities, manage dependencies and risks, and ensure scalable, high-quality system deployment for Graphcore's AI infrastructure platforms.

Responsibilities and Duties
  • Lead cross-functional network infrastructure programs from concept through deployment and operational readiness
  • Coordinate engineering execution across networking, optical connectivity, systems hardware, operations, manufacturing, and supplier teams
  • Drive program schedules, technical milestones, dependency tracking, risk management, and executive reporting
  • Partner with network architecture and hardware engineering teams on development and deployment of high-speed network solutions
  • Manage supplier engagement and roadmap alignment for optical connectivity and networking infrastructure components
  • Coordinate qualification, validation, and production readiness activities for networking and optical technologies
  • Support deployment and scaling of AI datacenter networking infrastructure including high-bandwidth optical interconnect solutions
  • Align networking technology roadmaps with operational scalability, supply chain resilience, quality, and cost objectives
  • Interface with hyperscale datacenter customers, ecosystem partners, and industry standards organizations where required
  • Facilitate collaboration across geographically distributed engineering and operations teams
  • Drive issue escalation and cross-functional resolution for complex technical and operational challenges
  • Support continuous improvement initiatives for networking deployment processes and infrastructure program execution
Candidate Profile
Essential
  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Physics, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related technical discipline
  • 12+ years of experience in technical program management, product management, or engineering leadership within networking, optical connectivity, or datacenter infrastructure environments
  • Strong understanding of AI and hyperscale datacenter networking technologies
  • Experience with high-speed optical interconnect technologies
  • Experience leading cross-functional programs involving hardware, software, networking, operations, and supplier organizations
  • Proven ability to manage external supplier relationships and drive technical roadmap alignment
  • Experience coordinating product lifecycle activities from architecture and development through qualification and deployment
  • Strong communication and stakeholder management skills across executive, engineering, and external partner organizations
  • Experience operating within fast-paced, highly technical infrastructure environments
Desirables
  • Knowledge of networking protocols and infrastructure technologies including Ethernet, PCIe, UCIe, RDMA, RoCEv2, or related high-performance interconnect technologies
  • Experience with silicon photonics, optical compute interconnects, or co-packaged optics technologies
  • Familiarity with AI networking architectures and large-scale GPU/accelerator cluster infrastructure
  • Knowledge of hyperscale datacenter operations and network fabric deployment
  • Experience collaborating with industry standards organizations such as IEEE, OIF, PCI-SIG, or related consortiums
  • Background in supplier sourcing strategy, manufacturing ramp, or operational scaling
  • Experience supporting networking infrastructure for AI or HPC platforms
  • Understanding of advanced networking telemetry, optical diagnostics, or infrastructure resiliency strategies
Why This Role is Unique

This role sits at the intersection of AI infrastructure, networking innovation, and large-scale systems execution. The successful candidate will help drive the next generation of high-performance AI networking platforms by coordinating the technologies, teams, and supplier ecosystems necessary to deliver world-class infrastructure at scale.

USA Benefits
In addition to a competitive salary, Graphcore offers flexible working and a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your health, wellbeing and financial future. Our benefits include medical, dental and vision coverage, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), disability and life insurance, a 401(k) retirement plan, commuter benefits, wellness services and an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). We welcome people of different backgrounds and experiences; we're committed to building an inclusive work environment that makes Graphcore a great home for everyone. We offer an equal opportunity process and understand that there are visible and invisible differences in all of us. We can provide a flexible approach to interview and encourage you to chat to us if you require any reasonable adjustments.

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