Distinguished Engineer - Rack Scale Architecture

NVIDIA; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 320,000 - 488,750; Full time

Job summary

NVIDIA is seeking a highly motivated technical leader to drive the engineering roadmap for our rack system software architecture in Durham, North Carolina. The ideal candidate will have over 15 years of experience in system architecture design, strong knowledge in networking protocols, and a background in complex system software for accelerators. Responsibilities include maintaining software quality, mentoring teams, and collaborating with customers. Base salary range is $320,000 – $488,750, plus equity and benefits.

Qualifications

• 15+ years in system architecture and design.
• Deep experience in designing architecture for scalable server systems.
• Strong understanding of networking technology & protocols.

Responsibilities

• Drive the software end-to-end architecture for rack-scale products.
• Ensure high quality & reliable software.
• Work directly with major customers to understand their requirements.

Skills

System architecture design

Networking technology & protocols

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Education

BS or MS degree in Computer Engineering or Computer Science

Tools

Redfish

IPMI

Job description

NVIDIA has been transforming computer graphics, PC gaming, and accelerated computing for more than 25 years. It’s a unique legacy of innovation that’s fueled by great technology—and amazing people. Today, we’re tapping into the unlimited potential of AI to define the next era of computing. An era in which our GPU acts as the brains of computers, robots, and self-driving cars that can understand the world. Doing what’s never been done before takes vision, innovation, and the world’s best talent. As an NVIDIA employee, you’ll be immersed in a diverse, supportive environment where everyone is inspired to do their best work.

NVIDIA has a rapidly expanding ecosystem of data center platform & node designs—from single node HGX/DGX systems all the way up to large multi-node NVLink domain rack architectures. These designs have become core to NVIDIA's rapidly growing enterprise and cloud provider businesses, bringing together the full power of NVIDIA GPUs, NVIDIA NVLink, NVIDIA InfiniBand networking, NVIDIA Grace CPUs, and a fully optimized NVIDIA AI and HPC software stack. We’re searching for a highly motivated, technical leader to drive the engineering roadmap and innovation for our rack system software architecture, covering firmware, kernel drivers, operating systems, networking, fabrics and associated user‑mode drivers plus manageability software. You will work with component leads internally and engage with industry‑leading hyperscalar and cloud service providers on taking these products to market.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Drive the software end-to-end architecture for NVIDIA's rack-scale products
• Maintain deep understanding of the product portfolio and roadmap; translate forward-looking plans into clear, formal software requirements that anchor execution across the organization
• Ensure high quality & reliable software; serve as a trusted architectural partner to teams requiring guidance or oversight
• Work directly with major customers to understand their requirements and align their roadmap with NVIDIA’s road‑map
• Work with business partners and vendors to shape their products to meet NVIDIA’s needs
• Develop a roadmap of new technologies and protocols; drive their design and adoption
• Mentor architects and engineering teams to grow them into future leaders
• Make key technical decisions even when faced with ambiguity

What We Need To See

• BS or MS degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related degree or equivalent experience
• 15+ years in the area of system architecture and design
• Deep experience in designing architecture for scalable and performant server systems, particularly at the software/hardware interface
• Strong understanding of networking technology & protocols (e.g., Ethernet, Infiniband)
• Previous experience working with complex system software for accelerators such as GPUs, DPUs, or FPGAs
• Expertise in out‑of‑band and in‑band management architectures
• Knowledge of system management protocols such as Redfish and IPMI
• Experience working with platform security experts to define tradeoffs between security and ease of use
• Demonstrable experience in implementing a left‑shift strategy to de‑risk program execution
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Ways To Stand Out From The Crowd

• Knowledge of large‑scale cloud and cluster‑level deployment and management systems; experience designing robust, resilient, and performant scale‑up fabrics
• Demonstrated track record of leading data center products across the entire lifecycle, spanning inception, pre‑silicon development, post‑silicon bring‑up, manufacturing, and deployment
• Familiarity with CXL, UCIE, and other C2C technology architectures; knowledge in storage and networking technologies

We are widely considered to be one of the technology world’s most desirable employers, and as a result we have some of the most forward‑thinking and hardworking people in the world working for us. So if you're clever, creative, and driven, we'd love to have you join the team.

Your base salary will be determined based on your location, experience, and the pay of employees in similar positions. The base salary range is 320,000 USD – 488,750 USD. You will also be eligible for equity and benefits.