Test Technician

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

We are looking for a high-quality Test Technician to complement our existing team. You will be working closely with the hardware and software development teams to test our products and maintain test systems in support of preproduction test solutions.  You will report the the Hardwear Test team lead, the test team is embedded within the hardwear team.  We want people who work collaboratively and proactively within our teams. Our technicians are trusted and encouraged to take ownership of their tasks and help to improve our current test solutions. We value team players and the right characteristics are more important than academic qualification or specific experience. We are ideally looking for someone who can grow into the role and are looking to grow themselves. Someone interested in writing graphical user interfaces and automating testing is encouaged to apply.  

The Team

The Hardwear test team a part of a larger Hardwear team that consistest of SI, mechanical, layout, package and hardwear Technicians. The Hardwear team is responsible for delivering state of the art accelerators for machine learning and collaborates with the Silicon, Firmwear and Production teams during product development.

Responsibilities and Duties

A successful candidate will work within Hardware Engineering Team to manually test our preproduction designs and help automate test systems. The team is currently responsiable for testing, debugging and characterising high speed serial links, power suppies that can deliver high current and adapt to fast transients. We also debug and characteratize slower speed protocols like JTAG , I2C I3C and low level PCBA debug. 

Developing an understanding of Graphcore hardware and software products with the help of hardwear team. Using this knowledge in a test environment is essential for this position.

Contributions are expected to span multiple areas and involve:

• Manual testing of complex high speed SERDES which include PCIe Gen 6 and 112/224Gb PAM4 ethernet. This will require the use of high bandwidth oscilloscopes, BERTs and VNA’s.
• Helping the design of graphical user interfaces for controlling our products in a test environment. 
• Helping in the development of test systems for Graphcore’s Machine Learning Accelerator products at a system and board level.
• Transfer of preproduction test system knowledge to the production test team.
• Test coverage improvement.
• Helping to automate tests in either Python or LabView.

Candidates will be expected to work closely both with other teams within Graphcore and with 3rd party support Technicians/contractors, ensuring good communication between all parties, and to contribute meaningfully to the overall efficiency and success of the Hardwear Team.

Candidate Profile 

Essential:

• Experience in helping to develop test systems for complex electronic systems
• Self-starter 
• Strong written and oral communications, team-working and interpersonal skills
• Being able to solder, rework PCB's and make wiring looms.

Desirable

• Some knowlage of LPDDR, PCIe and Ethernet.
• Switch mode power supplies experance'
• Knowlage of Linux
• Understanding of PCBA production test methods such as ICT and SLT
• Python or LabView

Benefits

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.

Sponsorship

Applicants for this position must hold the right to work in the UK. Unfortunately at this time, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship or support for visa applications.