Hardware Specialist

Nscale is seeking a Hardware Specialist to manage the full lifecycle of GPU compute platforms, from system selection and configuration with OEMs to deployment, power, cooling, networking, and ongoing maintenance. This role involves being the primary liaison with hardware vendors and an internal expert on NVIDIA GPU servers and their ecosystem. Responsibilities include vendor and platform ownership, managing power and cooling requirements, firmware and BIOS lifecycle, network integration, and ensuring operational reliability and comprehensive documentation.

Must Have

• Own the lifecycle of GPU compute platforms.
• Liaise with hardware vendors to configure servers and BOMs.
• Maintain current view of NVIDIA data center GPU portfolio.
• Produce accurate node and rack power budgets.
• Specify and coordinate PDUs, UPS integration.
• Define and validate cooling strategies for high-density GPU racks.
• Plan for rear-door heat exchangers or direct-to-chip liquid cooling.
• Establish and maintain golden images/profiles for BIOS/UEFI, BMC, NIC, NVMe, GPU firmware.
• Automate configuration and updates using Redfish/IPMI/CLI/Ansible.
• Tune BIOS for performance/power aligned to GPU workloads.
• Design and integrate host networking for AI/HPC clusters (Ethernet, InfiniBand).
• Define hardware acceptance/burn-in procedures.
• Track inventory, spares strategy, failure rates, and vendor SLA.
• Produce runbooks, rack elevations, wiring diagrams, firmware matrices.
• Partner with Security on secure boot/TPM and data-erasure standards.
• 5+ years building and operating enterprise/x86 server hardware in data centers.
• Hands-on experience with GPU-accelerated platforms.
• Proven vendor management with major OEMs (Dell PowerEdge, Lenovo ThinkSystem).
• Expertise in Power, Cooling, Rack layouts, Firmware & BIOS, Network integration.
• Comfortable with Linux on servers (Ubuntu/RHEL or similar) and scripting for automation.
• Excellent documentation habits and cross-functional communication.

Good to Have

• Experience with NVIDIA DGX/HGX-class systems, NVLink/NVSwitch concepts, MIG/vGPU basics.
• Familiarity with liquid cooling components (CDU/RDHx), water chemistry specs, and facility interfaces.

Perks & Benefits

• Collaborative, supportive, and innovative environment.
• Highly competitive package (base + equity) with reviews every 12 months.
• Opportunity to join the fastest-growing tech startup.
• Dynamic progression plan tailored to ambitions.
• Human-First Flexibility and flexible workplace.
• Thriving remote-first team.

About Nscale

Nscale is the GPU cloud engineered for AI. We provide cost-effective, high-performance infrastructure for AI start-ups and large enterprise customers. Nscale enables AI-focused companies to achieve superior results by reducing the complexity of AI development. Our GPU cloud bolsters technical capabilities and directly supports strategic business outcomes, including cost management, rapid innovation, and environmental responsibility.

At Nscale, our Engineering team plays a critical role in driving the deployment and then subsequent management of our infrastructure and software platforms.

We thrive on a culture of relentless innovation, ownership, and accountability, where every team member takes pride in their work and drives it with excellence and urgency. As an Nscaler, you’ll build trust through openness and transparency, where everyone is inspired to do their best work. If you join our team, you’ll be contributing to building the technology that powers the future.

About the Role (Job Purpose)

We’re looking for a Hardware Specialist to own the lifecycle of our GPU compute platforms from selecting and configuring the right systems with OEMs (Dell, Lenovo, etc.) to getting them powered, cooled, racked, networked, and kept current in production. You’ll be our primary liaison to vendors and the internal go‑to for NVIDIA GPU servers and their surrounding ecosystem.

What You'll be Doing (Responsibilities)

Vendor & Platform Ownership

• Liaise with hardware vendors (e.g., Dell, Lenovo; plus channel/SIs) to translate workload needs into server configurations and bills of materials (BOMs).
• Maintain a current view of the NVIDIA data center GPU portfolio and adjacent components (chassis/HGX assemblies, NVLink/NVSwitch options, NICs/DPUs, storage, optics).

Power Requirements

• Produce accurate node and rack power budgets (typical/maximum), accounting for redundancy (A/B feeds), PSU efficiency, and power capping.
• Specify and coordinate PDUs (single/three‑phase, breaker sizing), UPS integration, and downstream distribution with facilities.
• Validate power draw during burn‑in and acceptance; track capacity vs. plan.

Cooling Requirements

• Define and validate cooling strategies for high‑density GPU racks (air‑cooled and liquid‑ready): hot/cold aisle, ΔT targets, airflow direction, blanking, containment.
• Where applicable, plan for rear‑door heat exchangers (RDHx) or direct‑to‑chip (D2C) liquid cooling: CDUs, facility water parameters, quick‑disconnects, leak detection, and maintenance procedures.
• Monitor inlet/outlet temps and set alert thresholds tied to environmental telemetry.

Firmware & BIOS Lifecycle

• Establish and maintain golden images/profiles for BIOS/UEFI, BMC/iDRAC/iLO/XCC, NIC, NVMe, GPU firmware, and switch OS—plus rollback and emergency procedures.
• Automate configuration and updates using Redfish/IPMI/CLI/Ansible (or similar), and track CVEs/compliance baselines.
• Tune BIOS for performance/power (NUMA, C‑states, PCIe bifurcation/Above 4G, SR‑IOV) aligned to GPU workloads.

Network Integration

• Design and integrate host networking for AI/HPC clusters: Ethernet (incl. RoCEv2/DCB/PFC/ECN) and/or InfiniBand (spine‑leaf, fabric bring‑up, and validation).
• Specify NICs, optics/transceivers, and cabling; implement LAG/LACP/MLAG/EVPN‑VXLAN as appropriate.

Operations, Reliability & Documentation

• Define hardware acceptance/burn‑in (power/thermal soak, memory/disk tests, GPU diagnostics).
• Track inventory, spares strategy, failure rates, and vendor SLA performance.
• Produce runbooks, rack elevations, wiring diagrams, firmware matrices, and change records consumable by on‑call and data center staff.
• Partner with Security on secure boot/TPM, firmware signing, and chain‑of‑custody; own data‑erasure standards for decommissioning.

About You (Skills / Qualifications)

• 5+ years building and operating enterprise/x86 server hardware in data centers, including hands‑on experience with GPU‑accelerated platforms.
• Proven vendor management with at least one major OEM (Dell PowerEdge, Lenovo ThinkSystem, etc.).
• Demonstrable expertise in all of the following:
• Power: per‑node/rack budgeting, A/B feeds, PDU selection, and validation.
• Cooling: air and liquid‑ready designs for high‑density racks.
• Rack layouts: elevations, weight/space planning, cable/label standards.
• Firmware & BIOS: baseline creation, automation, and lifecycle management.
• Network integration: Ethernet/InfiniBand fundamentals for AI/HPC (RoCEv2, DCB/PFC, optics).
• Comfortable with Linux on servers (Ubuntu/RHEL or similar) and scripting for automation (e.g., Ansible, Python, shell).
• Excellent documentation habits and cross‑functional communication (Facilities, Networking, SRE/Platform, Security, Finance/Procurement).

Nice to Have

• Experience with NVIDIA DGX/HGX‑class systems, NVLink/NVSwitch concepts, MIG/vGPU basics.
• Familiarity with liquid cooling components (CDU/RDHx), water chemistry specs, and facility interfaces.

What We Can Offer You

At Nscale, you'll find a collaborative, supportive, and innovative environment where your contributions spark real impact. We're building something extraordinary, and we want you at the core.

• Highly competitive package (base + equity) with reviews every 12 months. 🚀
• Join the fastest-growing tech startup, your chance to push boundaries, collaborate with brilliant minds, and make your mark on cutting-edge AI. ✨
• Expect a dynamic progression plan tailored to your ambitions. Grow by trying new things, leading, challenging the status status quo, and owning your impact, always with our full support.
• Human-First Flexibility: We treat you as humans first. 🫶🏽 Our flexible workplace trusts Nscalers to deliver, giving you the autonomy to shape your day around life's moments.

Join our thriving remote-first team. Geography is no barrier to impact or connection. We build seamless virtual collaboration, empowering you, wherever you work.

Equal Opportunities Statement

We strongly encourage applications from people of colour, the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, neurodivergent people, parents, carers, and people from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

If there’s anything we can do to accommodate your specific situation, please let us know.

The responsibilities outlined in this job description are not exhaustive and are intended to provide a general overview of the position. The employee may be required to perform additional duties, tasks, and responsibilities as assigned by management, consistent with the skills and qualifications required for the role