Data Center Hardware Quality – Reliability Engineer

OpenAI

. Own the end-to-end data-center hardware quality and reliability loop for OpenAI’s 3P infrastructure and 1P current and next-generation platforms .

Posted 9/28/2026full-timeSan Francisco • California • United StatesSeniorLead💰 $226,000 - $285,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in hardware quality and reliability engineering, with a strong focus on field-failure analysis, reliability statistics, and data-driven decision-making. Proficient in leading cross-functional teams and mentoring engineers to enhance product reliability and serviceability.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Hardware Quality/Reliability EngineeringField-Failure AnalysisReliability StatisticsFMEA/FTASQL and Python/R Proficiency

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Reliability StatisticsFMEAFTAField-Failure AnalysisCorrective-Action VerificationReliability GrowthTelemetry AnalysisData ModelingFailure AnalysisMetrics Definition

Soft Skills

Influencing Without AuthorityMentoringCross-Functional Collaboration

Tools & Technologies

SQLPythonLinuxBMCIPMIRedfishTelemetry ToolsAnalytics Tools

Industry Keywords

Data-Center OperationsMission-Critical InfrastructureRMACAPAHigh-Power DeliveryGPU/AI Server PlatformsDesign for ServiceabilitySupplier ExperienceAuditQBR

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

LinuxPythonSQL

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Own the end-to-end data-center hardware quality and reliability loop for OpenAI’s 3P infrastructure and 1P current and next-generation platforms
Build and govern the field-quality data model across telemetry, tickets, RMA/repair, failure analysis, firmware, configuration, supplier, and manufacturing genealogy
Define AFR, ASR, DPPM, MTBF/MTTR, repeat-repair, NTF, repair-cycle-time, and forecast-versus-actual metrics with explicit denominators and uncertainty
Provide fleet-level macro views and unit/FRU/cohort-level micro views; detect shifts and bound affected populations
Lead systemic field-failure triage, containment, failure analysis, 8D/CAPA, risk assessment, corrective-action verification, and recurrence monitoring
Develop cohort, life-data, reliability-growth, and spare-demand projections by product, FRU, supplier, configuration, geography, and age
Partner with MQE and NPI to convert field mechanisms into manufacturing-test coverage, screening/stress profiles, diagnostics, control plans, DFR/DFS requirements, FMEA/FTA, mission profiles, FRU strategy, and qualification gates
Verify whether upstream changes reduce field recurrence
Define supplier/CM failure-analysis standards, field-data contracts, scorecards, escalation paths, and closure evidence
Provide serviceability, TCO, and spares inputs without owning inventory execution or procurement
Create executive decision packages covering population at risk, exposure, confidence, options, cost/risk, and recommendation
Run the cross-functional reliability council and mentor 1P and 3P Field Quality Engineers as the team grows

Requirements

What you’ll need

BS in electrical, mechanical, computer, materials, reliability engineering, physics, or equivalent experience; MS preferred
8+ years in hardware quality/reliability, server/rack systems, or mission-critical infrastructure
3+ years owning field-failure, RMA, or CAPA outcomes
Working understanding of hardware and system architecture across board, tray, rack, firmware, telemetry, manufacturing test, and fleet behavior
Reliability statistics knowledge: censored life data, Weibull/Poisson/binomial methods, confidence bounds, MTBF/MTTR, and reliability growth
Hands-on FMEA/FTA, accelerated or reliability-demonstration testing, 8D/CAPA, failure analysis, and corrective-action verification
Working proficiency with SQL and Python/R or equivalent analytics tools
Ability to influence design, validation, operations, suppliers/CMs, and senior leaders without direct authority
Preferred: GPU/AI server platforms, liquid cooling, high-power delivery, high-speed networking, rack integration, or data-center operations
Preferred: design for serviceability, FRU boundaries, diagnostics, repair workflows, tooling/access, and spares policy
Preferred: qualification-to-field correlation and mission-profile development
Preferred: ODM/CM/supplier experience in FA quality, audit, QBR, and corrective-action governance
Preferred: Linux/BMC/IPMI/Redfish logs and fleet telemetry
Preferred: leadership of a cross-generation reliability program or launch-readiness gate

Benefits

Comp & perks

Equity
Performance-related bonus(es) for eligible employees
Medical, dental, and vision insurance for you and your family
Employer contributions to Health Savings Accounts
Pre-tax Health FSA, Dependent Care FSA, and commuter expense accounts
401(k) retirement plan with employer match
Paid parental leave up to 24 weeks for birth parents and 20 weeks for non-birthing parents
Paid medical and caregiver leave up to 8 weeks
Flexible PTO for exempt employees
Up to 15 days annually for non-exempt employees
13+ paid company holidays
Paid coordinated company office closures
Paid sick or safe time
Mental health and wellness support
Employer-paid basic life and disability coverage
Annual learning and development stipend
Daily meals in offices
Meal delivery credits as eligible
Relocation support for eligible employees
Charitable donation matching and wellness stipends may be provided