Responsibilities

We’re seeking an experienced Hardware Strategic Sourcing Manager to own sourcing strategy and supplier partnerships for fiber and optical interconnect components across OpenAI’s next-generation AI infrastructure.
Reporting to the Head of Partnerships & Strategic Sourcing, you will lead sourcing across fiber cable assemblies, internal optical harnesses, fiber shuffles, optical backplane assemblies, connectorized and standalone passive optical assemblies, fiber-array units (FAUs), fiber-to-chip and coupling interfaces, detachable connectors, optical routing, and assigned optical packaging, assembly, and test services.
Your work will directly support the performance, reliability, manufacturability, and scale of the high-speed optical connectivity required for OpenAI’s next-generation AI systems.
Develop and execute a comprehensive sourcing strategy for fiber and optical interconnect components supporting high-bandwidth AI systems and infrastructure.
Own sourcing across optical fiber cable assemblies, internal optical harnesses, fiber shuffles, optical backplane assemblies, standalone passive optical assemblies, FAUs, fiber-to-chip interfaces, detachable connectors, and optical routingDevelop a deep understanding of the optical supply chain, including critical raw materials, fiber and cable manufacturing, connector ecosystems, component manufacturing, assembly and test capacity, and key sub-tier dependencies.
Identify, evaluate, qualify, and manage suppliers across the fiber and optical interconnect ecosystem, including fiber manufacturers, cable and assembly suppliers, connector manufacturers, optical component suppliers, fiber suppliers, connector/ferrule suppliers, FAU suppliers,manufacturing partners.
Lead RFIs, RFPs, and RFQs; establish evaluation criteria; coordinate technical and commercial assessments; and recommend sourcing decisions aligned with performance, cost, supply security, quality, capacity, and scalability requirements.
Partner with engineering teams to evaluate supplier capabilities across optical performance, insertion loss, return loss, signal integrity, bandwidth, power consumption, reliability, thermal performance, mechanical robustness, manufacturability, and production readiness.
Partner with engineering to understand technology roadmaps and translate next-generation system requirements into sourcing strategies, supplier development plans, and long-term capacity requirements.
Negotiate supplier agreements covering pricing, engineering support, nonrecurring engineering, tooling, manufacturing and test capacity, lead times, quality requirements, intellectual property, warranties, service levels, and long-term supply commitments.
Develop and maintain detailed cost models and pricing frameworks covering fiber, connectors, cable and assembly content, optical and electronic components, manufacturing, testing, yield, logistics, supplier margins, and total cost of ownership.
Drive competitive cost structures through should-cost analysis, open-book pricing, benchmarking, volume agreements, value engineering, supplier competition, and multiyear cost-reduction roadmaps.

Hardware Strategic Sourcing Manager, Optics at OpenAI · LumiJobs

Hardware Strategic Sourcing Manager, Optics

Responsibilities

Company

OpenAI

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