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OpenAI's compute infrastructure team operates the GPU fleet and large-scale compute clusters powering ChatGPT, the API, and next-generation model training. As a Network Operations Engineer focused on Network Activation, you will own the hands-on and automation work that brings WAN, fiber, carrier, and cloud-interconnect circuits into production service across OpenAI's data centers and points of presence.
You will partner closely with network engineers, fiber providers, cloud service providers, colocation teams, and data-center technicians to move each connection from order through patching to verification, stability, and handoff. Your responsibilities span Layer 1 troubleshooting and circuit bring-up, including reconciling complete A-side/Z-side as-builts (circuit IDs, LOAs/CFAs, carrier demarcations, patch-panel positions, fiber pairs, optics, and device ports).
You will investigate and resolve no-light, low-light, wrong-port, link-flap, and error-rate issues across providers and cloud service providers, isolating root causes such as continuity problems, dirty connectors, polarity errors, incorrect patching, incompatible optics, wavelength/power-budget mismatches, and speed/FEC mismatches. You'll guide remote hands, carrier technicians, and colocation teams through targeted inspection, cleaning, optical power measurement, OTDR/OLTS testing, and approved loopback procedures.
Key responsibilities include verifying service acceptance on both sides (correct circuit/port, admin/operational state, compatible optics, light levels, speed/FEC, clean counters, stable link, and Layer 2/3 readiness); owning tickets and troubleshooting bridges through resolution; executing smart-hands and change work safely with proper approvals and rollback plans; and delivering complete production handoffs with verified mappings, test results, and clear ownership.
You will also automate the full circuit-bring-up lifecycle: structuring circuit and patch-panel data, ingesting telemetry and provider tickets, generating LLM-assisted diagnostics and technician-ready instructions, tracking ownership and evidence, and preserving explicit human approval for intrusive work.
Required qualifications include 3+ years of hands-on network operations, carrier activation, data-center network deployment, field engineering, or optical transport experience. You must be able to trace end-to-end circuits across cross-connects, fiber pairs, patch panels, and device ports; troubleshoot optical faults using inspection tools, optical power meters, VFL, OLTS/OTDR, DOM/DDM, 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; and have worked with carriers, colocation providers, AWS Direct Connect, Azure ExpressRoute, or Google Cloud Interconnect. You should be able to build practical automation with scripts, APIs, and structured data, and safely translate LLM-generated analysis into validated actions for technicians.
