Hardware Strategic Sourcing Manager, Optics

About the Team

OpenAI’s Hardware organization develops silicon and system-level solutions designed for the unique demands of advanced AI workloads. The team builds next-generation AI-native silicon and systems while working closely with software, research, and manufacturing partners to co-design hardware tightly integrated with AI models. In addition to delivering systems for OpenAI’s supercomputing infrastructure, the team develops the tools, methodologies, and strategic partnerships needed to accelerate hardware innovation.

About the Role

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.

You will work closely with electrical engineering, optical engineering, systems engineering, mechanical and packaging engineering, quality, rack integration, data-center deployment,manufacturing, supply chain, finance, legal, and program management teams to translate demanding bandwidth, signal integrity, reliability, and scale requirements into resilient supplier partnerships and scalable commercial strategies.

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.

In this role, you will:

• 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.

• Collaborate with engineering and manufacturing teams to support supplier qualification, design reviews, component selection, validation, pilot builds, system bring-up, production readiness, and ramp to volume.

• Establish sourcing and capacity strategies that address long lead times, constrained manufacturing capacity, sub-tier dependencies, supplier concentration, geographic and geopolitical exposure, technology transitions, and component lifecycle risks.

• Develop multi-source and supply-continuity strategies for critical optical components, identifying where supplier concentration or specialized manufacturing capabilities create risk to development or production ramps.

• Work with suppliers to secure capacity ahead of demand, including visibility into raw materials, manufacturing equipment, assembly capacity, test capacity, yield, and sub-tier constraints that could limit system production.

• Build and manage strategic supplier relationships through executive engagement, business reviews, performance scorecards, issue escalation, corrective action plans, and alignment on future fiber and optical-interconnect technology roadmaps.

• Partner with finance, legal, security, quality, and operations teams to ensure sourcing decisions meet technical, commercial, compliance, and risk-management requirements.

• Develop repeatable processes and reporting for category strategy, supplier performance, pricing, capacity planning, component availability, and supply risk, including relevant ERP, MRP, and PLM workflows.