Principal Network Security Architect

Cerebras; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 250,000 - 450,000; Full time

Job summary

Cerebras Systems is seeking a Principal Network Security Architect to lead the design and evolution of Cerebras' global networks—data centers, offices, and cloud environments—to deliver the fastest AI inference on earth. You will set architectural direction for high-performance, resilient networking and collaborate across Site Reliability, Security, and Infrastructure teams.

You will mentor engineers across regions and drive zero-trust, scalable designs while staying ahead of AI networking

Qualifications

• 10+ years of enterprise/data center network engineering, including design and operations at scale.
• Deep understanding of cloud networking and service mesh, with emphasis on K8s service mesh and virtual networks.
• Expertise in routing, switching and data center fabrics (BGP, EVPN/VXLAN, high bandwidth/low latency).
• Hands-on experience with networking for high-performance compute/AI workloads (RDMA, RoCE, InfiniBand a plus).
• Strong proficiency with network automation — IaC, version-controlled configs, and CI/CD for network changes.
• Knowledge of cloud networking (AWS) including VPCs, transit gateways, Direct Connect, and hybrid connectivity.
• Experience operating multi-site/global networks with capacity planning and incident response.
• Excellent written and verbal communication for cross-functional architecture discussions.

Responsibilities

• Define and own the architectural roadmap for Cerebras's enterprise, data center, and cloud network estate.
• Co-author secure design and lifecycle management of high-performance data center networking (spine/leaf, RDMA, fabrics).
• Build and maintain an AI-agent based analysis framework for network changes and learning from patterns.
• Partner with Network Security to deliver segmented, zero-trust network designs across data centers and corporate environments.
• Set resiliency, observability, and capacity planning standards across the global network.
• Mentor engineers across regions and represent the senior technical voice on cross-functional initiatives.
• Stay ahead of AI infrastructure networking patterns and translate them into actionable architecture decisions.

Skills

Network architecture

Data center networking

BGP EVPN VXLAN

RDMA/InfiniBand

K8s service mesh

Network automation

Ansible

Terraform

CI/CD

Cloud networking AWS

Tools

Ansible

Terraform

Job description

Cerebras Systems builds the world's largest AI chip, 56 times larger than GPUs. This architecture allows Cerebras to deliver industry‑leading training and inference speeds; over 10 times faster than GPU‑based hyperscale cloud inference services.

This order of magnitude increase in speed is transforming the user experience of AI applications, unlocking real‑time iteration and increasing intelligence via additional agentic computation.

Cerebras works with the leading model labs, global enterprises, and cutting‑edge AI‑native startups. OpenAI recently announced a multi‑year partnership with Cerebras, to deploy 750 megawatts of scale, transforming key workloads with ultra high‑speed inference.

About The Role

We are seeking a Principal Network Security Architect to lead the design and evolution of the networks that connect Cerebras's data centers, offices, and cloud environments — the foundation that delivers the fastest AI inference on earth to customers like OpenAI and AWS. You will set the architectural direction for high‑performance, resilient enterprise and data center networking, and partner closely with Site Reliability, Security, and Infrastructure to operate at the scale and speed our compute demands. The right candidate brings senior network design depth, a track record of building at hyperscale, and the judgment to balance performance, reliability, and security in a rapidly growing environment.

Responsibilities

• Define and own the architectural roadmap for Cerebras's enterprise, data center, and cloud network estate.
• Co‑author secure design and lifecycle management of high‑performance data center networking — including spine/leaf, RDMA, and high‑bandwidth fabrics supporting wafer‑scale compute.
• Build and maintain an AI‑agent based analysis and review framework for network changes as well as self‑improvement driven by observed network patterns and use cases.
• Partner with Network Security to deliver segmented, zero‑trust‑aligned network designs across data center and corporate environments.
• Set standards for resiliency, observability, and capacity planning across the global network
• Mentor engineers across regions (US, Canada, Bangalore, and beyond), and serve as the senior technical voice on cross‑functional network initiatives.
• Stay ahead of emerging networking patterns relevant to AI infrastructure and translate them into actionable architecture decisions.

Skills And Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in enterprise and/or data center network engineering, including hands‑on design and operations at scale.
• Deep understanding in cloud networking and service mesh, with emphasis on K8s service mesh and virtual networks.
• Deep expertise in routing, switching, and data center fabrics — including BGP, EVPN/VXLAN, and high‑bandwidth/low‑latency designs.
• Hands‑on experience with networking for high‑performance compute or AI/ML workloads (RDMA, RoCE, InfiniBand exposure a plus).
• Strong proficiency with network automation — infrastructure as code (Ansible, Terraform), version‑controlled configuration, and CI/CD for network change.
• Working knowledge of cloud networking (AWS preferred), including VPCs, transit gateways, Direct Connect, and hybrid connectivity patterns.
• Experience operating networks at multi‑site, global scale — including capacity planning, incident response, and vendor management.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to lead architecture conversations across technical and non‑technical audiences.

Why Join Cerebras

About

People who are serious about software make their own hardware. At Cerebras, we have built a breakthrough architecture that is unlocking new opportunities for the AI industry. With dozens of model releases and rapid growth, we’ve reached an inflection point in our business. Members of our team tell us there are five main reasons they joined Cerebras:

• Build a breakthrough AI platform beyond the constraints of the GPU.
• Publish and open source their cutting‑edge AI research.
• Work on one of the fastest AI supercomputers in the world.
• Enjoy job stability with startup vitality.
• Our simple, non‑corporate work culture that respects individual beliefs.

Find out more about what it's like to work at Cerebras here!

Cerebras Systems is committed to creating an equal and diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate different backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We believe inclusive teams build better products and companies. We try every day to build a work environment that empowers people to do their best work through continuous learning, growth and support of those around them.

This website or its third‑party tools process personal data. For more details, click here to review our CCPA disclosure notice.