Lambda

Staff HPC Network Architect

Lambda$160K — $190K *
Information Technology
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 7+ years of experience in architecting high-performance data center networks for HPC, AI/ML, or cloud infrastructure.
  • Deep understanding of InfiniBand (HDR/NDR) and advanced Ethernet fabrics, RoCE and RDMA protocols.
  • Proficient in data center switching architectures, congestion control, QoS, and network virtualization technologies.
  • Skilled in designing for low-latency and high-throughput data paths.
  • Expert in BGP-based fabric design and ECMP routing principles.
  • Experience with SDN, APIs, network automation, and telemetry solutions.
  • Strong competency in optical networking and advanced transceiver technologies.

Responsibilities

  • Architect high-performance networking solutions for cloud platforms focusing on ultra-low-latency and high-bandwidth connectivity.
  • Define network topology and architectural patterns for GPU clusters and multi-tenant environments.
  • Evaluate and select cutting-edge network technologies to support AI workload needs.
  • Develop standards, reference designs, and scalability roadmaps for hybrid environments.
  • Collaborate with compute and storage teams for seamless data flow and fault tolerance.
  • Develop network automation strategies for efficient provisioning and operational visibility.
  • Mentor engineers and teams on advanced networking concepts and troubleshooting.

Benefits

  • Work in a dynamic team environment requiring onsite presence 4 days a week with flexibility for a designated remote day.
  • Opportunities for professional growth through mentorship.
  • Exposure to next-generation network technologies and architectures in a cutting-edge field.
Full Job Description
*Note: This position requires presence in our San Jose, San Francisco, or Bellevue office location 4 days per week; Lambda's designated work from home day is currently Tuesday.

What You'll Do
  • Architect high-performance networking solutions that power cloud platforms, with a focus on ultra-low-latency and high-bandwidth connectivity.
  • Define the network topology and architectural patterns for large-scale GPU clusters, storage backends, and multi-tenant environments.
  • Evaluate, benchmark, and select next-generation network technologies (e.g., InfiniBand NDR/XDR, RoCE, 400G-1.6T Ethernet, Ultra Ethernet, ESUN, OCI, etc) to meet AI workload requirements.
  • Develop and maintain network architecture standards, reference designs, and scalability roadmaps for multi-site and hybrid environments.
  • Partner with compute and storage architects to ensure seamless end-to-end data flow and fault tolerance.
  • Guide network automation strategies and tooling to enable efficient provisioning, telemetry, and operational visibility.
  • Mentor engineers and cross-functional teams on advanced network concepts, troubleshooting, and architectural best practices.

You
  • Proven experience (7+ years) architecting high-performance data center networks, preferably for HPC, AI/ML, or large-scale cloud infrastructure.
  • Deep expertise with InfiniBand (HDR/NDR) and advanced Ethernet fabrics, including RoCE and RDMA protocols.
  • Strong understanding of data center switching architectures, congestion control (PFC, ECN), QoS, and network virtualization technologies such as VXLAN and EVPN.
  • Skilled in designing for low-latency and high-throughput data paths, including GPU-to-GPU and storage traffic optimization.
  • Expertise with BGP-based fabric design, including eBGP underlays, MP-BGP EVPN, ECMP, route policy, and convergence.
  • Experience with SDN, APIs, automation, and network telemetry.
  • Strong optical networking competency, including transceiver technologies, fiber types and topologies, link budgets, breakout architectures, and WDM.
  • Experience building resilient, fault-tolerant high-performance network architectures with redundancy, failover, and high availability.
  • Excellent communication and leadership skills, capable of influencing technical decisions across diverse teams.
  • Strong ownership and can do attitude, self-starter who feels comfortable working in ambiguity.

Nice to Have
  • Hands-on experience with AI workload profiling, collective communication patterns (e.g., NCCL, MPI), and network tuning for distributed training.
  • Familiarity with network automation frameworks and telemetry tools.
  • Exposure to DPU/SmartNIC technologies, including NVIDIA BlueField, or similar.
  • Knowledge of large-scale, multi-site interconnect design, including DWDM or metro/long-haul networking.
  • Experience collaborating with hyperscale or enterprise customers on highly customized network designs.

Salary Range Information

The annual salary range for this position has been set based on market data and other factors. However, a salary higher or lower than this range may be appropriate for a candidate whose qualifications differ meaningfully from those listed in the job description.

About Lambda

Lambda is an online education company that offers courses in computer science and software engineering. The company was founded in 2017 by Austen Allred and Ben Nelson. Lambda's courses are designed to be accessible to anyone, regardless of their background or prior experience. The company's mission is to provide high-quality education that leads to well-paying jobs in the tech industry. Lambda has partnerships with a number of companies, including Amazon, Google, and Microsoft, and has helped thousands of students launch careers in tech.
Learn more about Lambda
Size
1,000 employees
Industry
Net Income
-$5 million
Founded
2017
5 Year Trend
+100%
Revenue
$100 million
NASDAQ

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