Staff Microcontroller Firmware Developer, Graphcore
2+ days a week in office
Advanced AI systems and services
Be an early applicant
Advanced AI systems and services
501-1000 employees
Be an early applicant
2+ days a week in office
501-1000 employees
Company mission
To make machine learning faster, easier and more intelligent.
Role
Who you are
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related discipline
- 7+ years of firmware development experience including embedded systems programming
- Hands-on experience with Zephyr RTOS including device tree, Kconfig, and driver development
- Experience with ARM Cortex-M or similar microcontroller architectures
- Strong knowledge of embedded interfaces such as SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, PWM, GPIO, interrupts, and DMA
- Experience using Git-based development workflows and CI/CD pipelines
- Strong debugging skills using tools such as logic analyzers, JTAG/SWD, and GDB
Desirable
- Experience contributing to open-source RTOS projects such as Zephyr
- Experience with networking stacks supported by embedded RTOS platforms
- Knowledge of secure firmware architectures and embedded cryptography
- Experience implementing MCUboot, OTA firmware pipelines, or secure provisioning flows
- Proficiency with Python for automation, tooling, or test frameworks
What the job involves
- We are seeking a Staff Microcontroller Firmware Developer with strong experience in embedded firmware development to design and implement firmware for microcontroller-based management systems across Graphcore’s AI server and rack-scale platforms
- This role focuses on developing Zephyr RTOS-based firmware and low-level device drivers for real-time embedded systems supporting hyperscale data center infrastructure
- Graphcore is a globally recognised leader in Artificial Intelligence computing systems. The company designs advanced semiconductors and data centre hardware that provide the specialised processing power needed to drive AI innovation, while delivering the efficiency required to support its broader adoption
- The Firmware Engineering team develops embedded software infrastructure used to manage and monitor Graphcore’s AI compute platforms
- The team works closely with hardware engineering, system architecture, validation, and platform software teams to implement firmware supporting sensors, power subsystems, connectivity interfaces, and management features across server and rack-level systems
- Architect, design, develop, and deploy Zephyr RTOS-based firmware for server and rack management platforms
- Develop device drivers and middleware layers for sensors, connectivity interfaces, storage devices, and peripherals
- Implement firmware interfaces supporting telemetry, power management, thermal monitoring, and remote manageability
- Perform board configuration using device tree (DTS), Kconfig, and embedded build systems
- Support board bring-up and hardware validation in collaboration with hardware teams and ODM partners
- Implement secure boot, firmware update mechanisms (MCUboot, DFU), and OTA update capabilities
- Develop automated unit tests, integration tests, and hardware-in-the-loop testing frameworks
- Integrate firmware development workflows into CI/CD pipelines with automated builds and regression testing
- Debug firmware and hardware interactions using JTAG/SWD, logic analyzers, and tracing tools
Our take
The hardware required to train AI models comes at a high cost, both financially and environmentally, producing millions of dollars in expenses and hundreds of tons of greenhouse gases. In response, Graphcore develops accelerator chips designed to expedite AI system training while significantly reducing power consumption.
AI accelerators like those crafted by Graphcore specialise in enhancing specific AI applications, such as artificial neural networks, deep learning, and machine learning. Utilising multicore designs and prioritising low-precision arithmetic or in-memory computing, these accelerators elevate the performance of large AI algorithms, achieving breakthrough results in natural language processing and computer vision.
Graphcore has ambitious plans to create an AI supercomputer, aiming to be one of the most powerful in its class. However, progress on this has extended beyond its planned 2024 debut, and the company was purchased by Softbank later that year. Though the acquisition by the Japanese multinational lowered Graphcore's valuation and highlighted structural problems in the local financing of UK tech pioneers, the buyout will undoubtedly aid the company in its ambitions to shape the future of AI computing.
Freddie
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Insights
Company
Funding (last 2 of 6 rounds)
Dec 2020
$222m
SERIES E
Feb 2020
$150m
SERIES D
Total funding: $682m
Company benefits
- Work-Life Balance: We believe you should have a good work-life balance. Everyone's situation is different, so we offer flexible working arrangements and start and finish times, allowing you to choose when to work from home or come into the office
- Wellbeing: We want to ensure that our employees have the resources and support they need to prioritise their health and wellbeing
- Healthcare: We offer Private Medical Insurance (PMI) to our employees to help them take care of their health and that of their loved ones
- Progression: We prioritise learning and development as an integral part of our culture at Graphcore. Our Talent Development team is dedicated to equipping all our employees with the necessary tools, resources, and support to enhance their skills and reach their full potential in their careers
- Pension: We believe that our employees deserve the best when it comes to planning for their future
- Income Protection: Graphcore understands that unforeseen circumstances can happen, and we want to ensure our employees have the necessary financial security in place
Company HQ
Old City, Bristol, UK
Leadership
Nigel Toon
(Co-Founder & Exec Chair)Previously the President and CEO at picoChip Designs (processors for telecoms). As well as the VP and GM of Europe at Altera (semiconductors, merged with Intel).
Simon Knowles
(Co-Founder & CTO)Founded two successful semiconductor companies, Element14 and Icera, for a combined value of over $1 billion.
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