GPU System Reliability Engineer Lead

About the company

Cowboy Space is a startup building orbital data-center satellites and an in-house rocket program to launch them.

About this role

Cowboy Space Corp. is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. Our satellites operate in Low Earth Orbit to collect sunlight and enable a new class of capabilities—from powering on-orbit compute, to transmitting energy via infrared lasers (space-to-earth and space-to-space), powering on-orbit compute to delivering secure, high-bandwidth optical data. By rethinking how energy and data are generated and distributed in space, we’re unlocking entirely new ways to operate both in orbit and on Earth. Founded in 2024 by Baiju Bhatt (co-founder of Robinhood), Cowboy Space Corp. is backed by leading investors and built by a team from top aerospace and defense organizations. We’re moving quickly to solve complex technical challenges and build a new category of space infrastructure. THE ROLE Deploying high-performance GPU compute in Low Earth Orbit introduces a fundamentally different fault landscape than ground-based datacenter operation. This role sits at the frontier of that problem. When a fault occurs 500km above Earth, the system must detect it, classify it, contain it, and recover from it autonomously. You will own the end-to-end RAS validation strategy for GPU server systems, working directly with GPU and HBM silicon partners to analyze failures, characterize fault propagation paths, and ensure detection and recovery mechanisms function correctly. The right candidate combines deep knowledge of processor and memory architecture with hands-on system-level validation experience and the ability to drive partner engagements to resolution. This role is located in San Carlos or Seattle. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: - Lead RAS validation strategy and execution for GPU server platforms, including fault injection, detection coverage, and recovery verification. - Partner directly with GPU system designers to analyze hardware failures, review silicon errata, and align on fault handling requirements for DDR, HBM, CPU, and GPU subsystems. - Characterize fault propagation paths from hardware detection through firmware and OS layers, and validate that error signals are correctly classified, logged, and acted upon. - Validate BMC and out-of-band management visibility into hardware health events via IPMI, Redfish, and MCTP/PLDM protocols. - Debug complex failure modes spanning GPU and CPU architecture, memory subsystems, PCIe/NVLink fabric, and system management firmware. - Drive root-cause analysis for RAS failures discovered during validation and work with partners to provide input on platform design decisions that affect fault detection and serviceability. - Define RAS coverage metrics and maintain traceability from hardware fault models to test coverage. - Collaborate with firmware, software, and platform teams to validate OS-level error handling, ACPI error interfaces (EINJ, BERT,HEST), and runtime error recovery flows.   BASIC QUALIFICATIONS: - 5+ years of experience in hardware validation, platform reliability engineering, or silicon validation on server-class compute systems. - Deep understanding of CPU and GPU architecture, including memory subsystems (DDR, HBM), cache hierarchies, and interconnect fabrics (PCIe, NVLink, XGMI). - Strong knowledge of RAS concepts: error detection and correction (ECC), fault containment, error propagation, machine check architecture (MCA/MCI), and recovery mechanisms. - Hands-on experience with fault injection methodologies at hardware, firmware, and software levels. - Familiarity with system management interfaces including BMC, IPMI, Redfish, and MCTP/PLDM. - Experience working directly with silicon vendors or ODM partners on hardware failure analysis and RAS gap closure. - Strong scripting skills in Python or equivalent for test automation and log analysis.     COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS: The salary range for this position is $150,000 – $225,000 annually. The actual base salary offered will depend on factors such as job-related skills, experience, qualifications, and internal equity. - Equity in Cowboy Space Corp. - Employees and their eligible dependents may enroll in medical, dental, and vision insurance - 401(k) retirement savings plan - Paid time off - 10 paid holidays per calendar year - Paid parental leave - Relocation assistance if applicable - Daily lunch in the office and a fully stocked kitchen with beverages and snacks ITAR REQUIREMENTS - Export Control Requirement: To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), applicants must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about ITAR here https://deccs.pmddtc.state.gov/deccs. DISCLAIMER This job description is a summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of the job and position. It is not intended to be a comprehensive or all-inclusive listing of duties and responsibilities. Contents are subject to change at Cowboy Space Corp.’s discretion. Cowboy Space Corp. is an equal employment opportunity employer. We consider individuals for employment or promotion according to their skills, abilities and experience. Cowboy Space Corp. is committed to complying with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religious creed, age, national origin, ancestry, physical, mental or developmental disability, sex (which includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and medical conditions relating to pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding), veteran status, military status, marital or registered domestic partnership status, medical condition (including cancer or genetic characteristics), genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, as well as any other category protected by federal, state or local laws.