At a Glance
- Tasks: Transform large-scale system measurements into actionable insights for AI performance.
- Company: Join Graphcore, a leader in AI compute backed by SoftBank.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, generous leave, and health benefits.
- Other info: Inclusive culture with opportunities for growth and collaboration.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on the future of AI technology.
- Qualifications: Strong software engineering skills, especially in Python and Linux environments.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
About Graphcore
At Graphcore, we’re building the future of AI compute. We’re a team of semiconductor, software and AI experts, with deep experience in creating the complete AI compute stack—from silicon and software to infrastructure at datacentre scale. As part of the SoftBank Group, backed by significant long-term investment, we are delivering key technology into the fast-growing SoftBank AI ecosystem. To meet the vast and exciting AI opportunity, Graphcore is expanding its teams around the world. We are bringing together the brightest minds to solve the toughest problems, in a place where everyone has the opportunity to make an impact on the company, our products and the future of artificial intelligence.
Job Summary
We turn large-scale system measurements into decisions. Our team runs workloads across clusters of machines and collects detailed performance data. The challenge isn’t running the measurements—it’s deciding what they mean, and whether a system is good enough to enter production. You will work with results from real systems and help answer questions like:
- Is this system behaving as expected?
- Is performance stable enough to trust?
- Does this meet the criteria to enter production?
This work includes systems engineering and analysis. It involves understanding variability, repeatability, and the differences between signal and noise. You won’t be confined to a single role. You may shape measurements, influence how they are run, or improve how results are interpreted. You are free to specialise, but the team is responsible for leaving no gaps. This is not a dashboarding or reporting role in the traditional sense. The goal is to produce outputs that support real engineering decisions.
We’re Looking For Engineers Who
- Think carefully about uncertainty and evidence
- Prefer clarity over presentation
- Are comfortable challenging conclusions when data is weak
Selection Criteria
Our engineers typically bring significant practical experience and sound engineering judgement. Depth in one area is valued, but the ability to work across boundaries is equally important.
Essential
- Strong software engineering experience, typically gained across multiple projects or systems over several years
- Experience working in Linux-based environments, ideally with distributed or high-performance systems
- Proficiency in Python
- Experience with automation and CI/CD systems (e.g. GitLab CI, Jenkins, GitHub Actions)
- Ability to design, implement, and run experiments or tests that produce meaningful results
- Ability to interpret results and communicate findings clearly, with an emphasis on accuracy and usefulness to decision-making
- Comfortable working in areas where requirements are not fully defined and judgement is required
Desirable
- Experience working with large-scale or distributed systems (e.g. clusters, cloud platforms, HPC environments)
- Experience with performance, reliability, or systems-level testing/measurement
- Familiarity with pytest or similar frameworks for structured test/measurement execution
- Experience analysing system behaviour under load (compute, network, or ML workloads)
- Experience working with containerisation, orchestration, or provisioning systems (e.g. Docker, Kubernetes, OpenStack)
- Proficiency in other applications programming languages (e.g. C++)
- Exposure to data analysis, statistics, or interpreting variability in results
Benefits
In addition to a competitive salary, Graphcore offers flexible working, a generous annual leave policy, private medical insurance and health cash plan, a dental plan, pension (matched up to 5%), life assurance and income protection. We have a generous parental leave policy and an employee assistance programme (which includes health, mental wellbeing, and bereavement support). We offer a range of healthy food and snacks at our central Bristol office and have our own barista bar. 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.
Sponsorship
Applicants for this position must hold the right to work in the UK. Unfortunately at this time, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship or support for visa applications.
Senior Systems Engineer – Performance & Reliability (Analysis) employer: graphcore
Contact Detail:
graphcore Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Systems Engineer – Performance & Reliability (Analysis)
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the company inside out! Research Graphcore's projects, values, and culture. This will help you tailor your conversations during interviews and show that you're genuinely interested in being part of the team.
✨Tip Number 2
Network like a pro! Connect with current employees on LinkedIn or attend industry events. Building relationships can give you insider info about the role and even lead to referrals, which can boost your chances of landing that job.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for technical interviews by brushing up on your skills! Practice coding challenges and system design questions relevant to performance and reliability. The more confident you are, the better you'll perform when it counts.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re proactive and serious about joining the Graphcore team.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Systems Engineer – Performance & Reliability (Analysis)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience with performance and reliability in systems engineering. We want to see how your skills align with the role, so don’t hold back on showcasing relevant projects!
Show Your Problem-Solving Skills: In your application, give examples of how you've tackled complex issues in previous roles. We love engineers who can think critically about uncertainty and evidence, so share those moments where you challenged conclusions based on data.
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, clarity is key! We appreciate straightforward communication, so avoid jargon and focus on making your points easy to understand. Remember, we’re looking for accuracy and usefulness in your findings.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to submit your application directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen to join our team at Graphcore!
How to prepare for a job interview at graphcore
✨Know Your Systems Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of Linux-based environments and distributed systems. Be ready to discuss your past projects and how you've tackled performance and reliability challenges. This will show that you have the practical experience they’re looking for.
✨Demonstrate Your Analytical Skills
Prepare to talk about how you approach data analysis and decision-making. Think of examples where you’ve interpreted results under uncertainty and how you communicated those findings. They want someone who can challenge weak conclusions, so be ready to showcase your critical thinking.
✨Showcase Your Coding Proficiency
Since proficiency in Python is essential, make sure you can discuss your coding experience confidently. If you have experience with CI/CD systems like GitLab CI or Jenkins, highlight that too. Consider preparing a small coding example or discussing a project where you automated processes.
✨Be Ready for Real-World Scenarios
Expect questions that put you in real-world situations related to system behaviour and performance testing. Think about how you would design experiments or tests to produce meaningful results. This will demonstrate your ability to think on your feet and apply your knowledge practically.