Director, Silicon Verification

Graphcore; Bristol; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading tech innovation firm in Bristol is seeking a Director of Silicon Verification. This role involves defining verification strategies for advanced AI accelerator projects and leading a high-performing team. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in CPU, GPU, or SoC environments with strong skills in SystemVerilog, Python, and C++. The firm offers a competitive salary, flexible working, and a range of perks including private medical insurance and generous leave policies.

Benefits

Private medical insurance

Flexible working

Generous annual leave policy

Dental plan

Pension (matched up to 5%)

Employee assistance programme

Qualifications

• Extensive verification leadership experience within CPU, GPU, ASIC, or SoC environments.
• Demonstrated ability to lead high-performing verification teams.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills across global sites.

Responsibilities

• Define verification strategies across multiple silicon programs.
• Build and develop a globally distributed verification organization.
• Deliver verification sign-off on schedule across multiple parallel projects.

Skills

Strong leadership

SystemVerilog

Python

C++

Linux-based workflows

Deep understanding of verification methodologies

Tools

Git

UVM

LLVM

GCC

Job description

Graphcore is one of the world’s leading innovators in Artificial Intelligence compute. We design hardware, software and systems infrastructure that will unlock the next generation of AI breakthroughs and enable the widespread adoption of AI 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, we share a bold vision: to enable Artificial Super Intelligence and ensure its benefits are accessible to everyone. Our teams bring together diverse expertise from AI research, silicon design, software engineering, and systems architecture. We embrace continuous learning, innovation, and a collaborative culture that pushes the boundaries of what is possible.

The Team

The Verification team sits within the Silicon Design organisation. We ensure that the RTL delivered by Logical Design and used by Physical Design team implements Graphcore’s architectural needs and meets the company's quality standards. As a Director of Silicon Verification, you will help lead this multi-site organisation, define verification strategies across multiple silicon programs, and drive best in class execution to ensure high-quality, high-performance silicon delivery.

Role Summary

We are seeking a proven leader to help direct Graphcore’s verification strategy and methodologies. This role sets direction for the verification lifecycle including planning, infrastructure, execution, coverage closure, debug strategy and sign‑off for Graphcore’s complex, high performance AI accelerators.

Reporting to the Senior Director of Verification the Director will partner closely with other teams such as Architecture, Logical Design, Physical Design, DFT, Systems as well as Program Management teams to ensure accurate implementation, accelerated debug cycles, high coverage confidence and predictable silicon delivery.

Responsibilities

• Define the long‑term vision, roadmap and strategy for silicon functional verification across all Graphcore silicon programs.
• Build, lead, and develop a high performing, globally distributed verification organisation.
• Establish scalable methodologies, leading edge verification techniques, and best practice processes.
• Drive automation, tooling and infrastructure evolution to improve productivity and verification quality.
• Evaluate emerging tools and technologies and drive adoption to deliver competitive advantage.

Technical Ownership

• Own verification planning, execution and sign‑off for all RTL blocks and top‑level SoCs.
• Oversee definition of test plans including functional coverage targets. Drive close through prioritisation of test content and coverage sign‑off. Iterate plans to close verification gaps.
• Direct debugging strategies, triage processes and root‑cause analysis workflows to enhance team productivity.
• Steer integration of verification technologies including formal methods, simulation acceleration/emulation and system level validation.

Cross Functional Collaboration

• Ensure high quality feedback to other functions within the Silicon Team.
• Partner with Architecture to influence and refine specifications for verifiability and risk reduction.
• Collaborate with Logical Design to align on design intent, architectural corner cases and test scenarios.
• Work closely with Physical Design and DFT teams to ensure coherent verification of interfaces, timing assumptions and test structures.
• Lead post‑silicon debug alignment where needed, ensuring learning cycles feed back into RTL and verification methodology.

Execution & Delivery

• Deliver verification sign‑off on schedule across multiple parallel projects.
• Guide program risk management, resource planning, milestone creation, and verification budgeting.
• Drive consistent metrics‑based verification management (structural and functional coverage, bug funnels, simulation performance, CI health, etc.).
• Provide scheduled reports into program management on progress with associated metrics‑based collateral.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, scale and inspire high performing verification teams.
• Extensive verification leadership experience within CPU, GPU, ASIC or SoC environments.
• Deep understanding of modern verification methodologies, flows, and infrastructure.
• Strong capability in SystemVerilog, Python, C++ and Linux‑based workflows.
• Expertise in diagnosing complex logic issues across RTL, testbench and system level domains.
• Strong communication, collaboration and stakeholder management skills across global sites.
• UVM and advanced SystemVerilog Assertions (SVA).
• Experience with assembly languages and compiler toolchains (LLVM, GCC).
• Knowledge of DVCS tools (e.g., Git).
• Familiarity with distributed compute systems (SGE or other DRMS).
• Experience with XML, XPath/XSLT.
• Exposure to emulation, FPGA prototyping, or formal verification tools.

Benefits and Perks

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.