2026 Graduate Software Engineer - System Software QA

Graphcore; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading AI hardware and software company in Cambridge, UK, seeks a Graduate Software Engineer for System Software QA. This role involves supporting software validation and quality assurance, with responsibilities including test design and maintaining integration pipelines. Qualifications include a degree in Computer Science or related fields, proficiency in C, C++, and Python, and a solid understanding of Linux internals. The company offers competitive salary, flexible working conditions, and comprehensive benefits.

Benefits

Flexible working

Generous annual leave

Private medical insurance

Dental plan

Matched pension up to 5%

Life assurance

Income protection

Employee assistance programme

Healthy food and snacks

Barista bar

Qualifications

• Experience working with linux internals.
• Prior low-level software test experience.
• Knowledge of virtualisation and hypervisor concepts.

Responsibilities

• Support Test Design and development for projects within System Software.
• Maintaining and Enhancing Continuous Integration pipelines against different platforms.
• Working closely with all System Software development teams.

Skills

C

C++

Python

Linux internals

Test-Driven Development

Education

Bachelor or Master’s in Computer Science, Maths, Machine Learning, Data Science

Job description

2026 Graduate Software Engineer - System Software QA

Cambridge, UK

About Us

Graphcore is one of the world’s leading innovators in Artificial Intelligence compute.

It is developing hardware, software and systems infrastructure that will unlock the next generation of AI breakthroughs and power the widespread adoption of AI solutions across every industry.

As part of the SoftBank Group, Graphcore is a member of an elite family of companies responsible for some of the world’s most transformative technologies. Together, they share a bold vision: to enable Artificial Super Intelligence and ensure its benefits are accessible to everyone.

Graphcore’s teams are drawn from diverse backgrounds and bring a broad range of skills and perspectives. A melting pot of AI research specialists, silicon designers, software engineers and systems architects, Graphcore enjoys a culture of continuous learning and constant innovation.

Job Summary

The Graduate System Software QA engineer supports the design and delivery of software validation and quality assurance solutions for the System Software group. This involves the creation and execution of tests, identifying errors and providing feedback that a final product meets both the requirements of the product at the expected levels of quality. You are expected to engage with all stakeholders inside the System Software group and support the design and delivery of solutions.

The Team

The System Software Group is charged with enabling the next generation of cutting‑edge AI compute server class systems. We are responsible for all low‑level firmware, Linux Kernel device drivers, and platform support tools. Specifically, the System Software QA team ensure that the deliverables from the System Software group are of the highest standards for our customers.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Support Test Design and development for projects within System Software.
• Maintaining and Enhancing Continuous Integration pipelines against different platforms.
• Working closely with all System Software development teams supporting a culture of Test‑Driven Development.

Candidate Profile

• Bachelor or Master’s in Computer Science, Maths, Machine Learning, Data Science, or related field
• Experience working with linux internals.
• Strong Proficiency in: C, C++ and Python.
• Possess excellent written and oral communication skills, good work ethics, high sense of teamwork, love to produce quality work and commitment to finish tasks every single day. A self‑starter who loves to find creative solutions to challenging problems.
• Prior low‑level software test experience
• Knowledge of virtualisation and hypervisor concepts.

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 with us if you require any reasonable adjustments.