Network Operations Engineer, Network Activation

About the Team

The compute infrastructure team runs the GPU fleet and large-scale compute clusters that serve the models backing ChatGPT and the API while also supporting training workloads for our next generation models. We operate a large modern GPU fleet and provide a unified platform for other OpenAI teams to seamlessly run production Applied AI and Research training workloads.

We seek to learn from deployment and distribute the benefits of AI while ensuring that this powerful tool is used responsibly and safely. Safety is more important to us than unfettered growth.

About the Role

Youll own the hands-on and automation work that brings WAN fiber carrier and cloud-interconnect circuits into service. Partner with network engineers fiber providers cloud service providers colocation teams and data-center technicians to move each connection from ordered and patched to verified stable and ready for handoff.

Youll own Layer 1 troubleshooting and circuit bring-up while building workflows that translate reliable system or model output into precise approved technician actions capture field feedback and drive each connection to a green-port handoff.

The right person combines strong physical-networking judgment with practical automation skills: patch-panel and port mappings optics and light levels provider coordination structured operational data API or scripting workflows and human-in-the-loop LLM tooling.

Responsibilities

• Own Layer 1 activation and restoration for carrier circuits dark fiber wavelengths Ethernet handoffs and dedicated cloud interconnects across data centers and points of presence.

• Reconcile complete A-side/Z-side as-builts: circuit IDs LOAs/CFAs carrier demarcations MMR/ODF/MDF and patch-panel positions fiber pairs cross-connects optics and device ports.

• Investigate no-light low-light wrong-port link-flap and error-rate issues across providers and CSPs; isolate continuity dirty connectors polarity incorrect patching incompatible optics or media wavelength/power-budget problems breakout speed and FEC/PCS mismatches.

• Guide remote hands carrier technicians CSP operations and colocation teams through targeted inspection/cleaning VFL optical power OTDR/OLTS approved loopback and per-lane DOM/DDM tests.

• Verify service acceptance on both sides: correct circuit and port admin/operational state compatible optics light levels speed/FEC clean counters stable link and Layer 2/3 handoff readiness.

• Own tickets and troubleshooting bridges through resolution; identify the blocker and A-side/Z-side owner drive follow-ups escalate with evidence and prevent premature closure.

• Execute smart-hands and change work safely: name the exact circuit port and fiber pair; protect adjacent live services; get approval before intrusive tests repatches shutdowns or loopbacks; and maintain rollback.

• Deliver complete production handoffs with verified mappings provider/CSP references test results interface evidence incident history risks and clear ownership; improve runbooks and prevent repeat faults.

• Automate the full circuit-bring-up lifecycle: structure circuit port and patch-panel data; ingest telemetry and provider tickets; generate LLM-assisted diagnostics and technician-ready instructions; track ownership and evidence; and preserve explicit human approval for intrusive work.

Qualifications

• Have 3 years of hands-on network operations carrier activation data-center network deployment field engineering optical transport or related infrastructure experience; equivalent practical experience is valued.

• Can trace an end-to-end circuit across cross-connects fiber pairs patch panels carrier demarcations optics and both A-side and Z-side device ports.

• Troubleshoot optical faults using inspection/cleaning tools optical power meters VFL OLTS/OTDR evidence DOM/DDM interface status and provider test results.

• Understand single-mode/multimode fiber LC and MPO/MTP connectors duplex polarity TX/RX paths wavelength and power budgets and 100G/400G/800G optics.

• Have worked with carriers colocation providers remote hands AWS Direct Connect Azure ExpressRoute or Google Cloud Interconnect and persist through multi-party ownership gaps.

• Can build practical automation with scripts APIs and structured data and safely translate LLM-generated analysis into validated actions for data-center technicians.

About OpenAI

OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. We push the boundaries of the capabilities of AI systems and seek to safely deploy them to the world through our products. AI is an extremely powerful tool that must be created with safety and human needs at its core and to achieve our mission we must encompass and value the many different perspectives voices and experiences that form the full spectrum of humanity.

We are an equal opportunity employer and we do not discriminate on the basis of race religion color national origin sex sexual orientation age veteran status disability genetic information or other applicable legally protected characteristic.

For additional information please see OpenAIs Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement.

Background checks for applicants will be administered in accordance with applicable law and qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment consistent with those laws including the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act for US-based candidates. For unincorporated Los Angeles County workers: we reasonably believe that criminal history may have a direct adverse and negative relationship with the following job duties potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment: protect computer hardware entrusted to you from theft loss or damage; return all computer hardware in your possession (including the data contained therein) upon termination of employment or end of assignment; and maintain the confidentiality of proprietary confidential and non-public addition job duties require access to secure and protected information technology systems and related data security obligations.

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Required Experience:

IC