About this role
Professionals who thrive on tackling complex power architecture challenges at scale will find a strong fit within OpenAI's Hardware organization. The team develops AI-native silicon and tightly integrated systems to power the next generation of frontier models. As a Rack Power Engineer, you will own rack power solutions from requirements and supplier development through deployment, including power shelves, rectifiers, and high-current distribution.
The role exists to ensure that advanced AI supercomputers have reliable, efficient, and scalable power delivery. You will characterize rack power under representative AI workloads, lead lab and fleet debugging, and evaluate emerging technologies like higher-voltage DC distribution. Success in this position requires deep expertise in high-power conversion and a collaborative approach to working across electrical, mechanical, thermal, and firmware disciplines.
What you will do
- Own rack power architecture and requirements for high-power AI supercomputing systems, covering power budgets, AC input interfaces, DC distribution, redundancy, and serviceability.
- Drive the design and supplier development of power shelves, rectifiers, PSUs, PMCs, busbars, connectors, and protection circuits while evaluating trade-offs in performance, cost, and reliability.
- Define and execute component, shelf, and rack qualification plans that test load transients, current sharing, hot-swap capabilities, fault protection, and thermal limits.
- Partner with firmware and software teams to define and validate PMC functionality, telemetry, alarms, power sequencing, power capping, and fault handling.
- Characterize rack power under representative AI workloads to translate steady-state demand and fast power excursions into design margins and energy-storage needs.
- Establish fleet rack power health metrics with operations teams by analyzing telemetry, event logs, and failure trends to detect degraded capacity or redundancy loss.
- Lead lab and fleet debugging across power hardware, firmware, and system interfaces to reproduce failures, identify root causes with suppliers, and validate corrective actions.
What you need
- At least 10 years of industry experience in power electronics or power delivery systems, including hands-on design and qualification of high-power rack or data center power systems.
- Possess a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Power Electronics, a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
- Demonstrate strong knowledge of AC/DC rectifiers, power shelves, PSUs, and DC distribution, including three-phase inputs, power conversion topologies, and control-loop stability.
- Have experience defining and qualifying PMCs or related power controllers, covering telemetry, fault management, and hardware-firmware integration.
- Bring strong laboratory and debugging skills using oscilloscopes, power analyzers, programmable AC sources, electronic loads, and data acquisition systems.
- Have taken power products from requirements through qualification and production in collaboration with suppliers and cross-functional teams.
Nice to have
- Experience with high-density AI racks
- Familiarity with OCP power architectures
- Background in energy-storage systems
Benefits
- Offers Equity
- Relocation assistance to new employees
Skills and tech stack
Questions candidates ask
Where is this role located and what is the remote work policy?
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 to new employees.
What is the salary range for this position?
The salary range for this position is $287K – $485K, and the offer includes equity.
What kind of systems and hardware will I be working with?
You will own rack power solutions including power shelves, AC/DC rectifiers, power supply units, power management controllers, and high-current distribution for AI supercomputers. You will also evaluate emerging rack power technologies, including higher-voltage DC distribution and battery or supercapacitor energy storage.