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Dpu Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Content Writer Location: Richmond, VA Duration: 12+ Months The Customer Service Division of DPU is seeking a skilledProcess Writer to develop creative and engaging content for various ...

RIC - Content Writer The Customer Service Division of DPU is seeking a skilled Process Writer to develop creative and engaging content for various operational areas. This includes job/desk aids ...

Chemist

Richmond, VA

$53K - $68K/yr

Virginia Retirement System (VRS) Language Incentive Referral Bonus Tuition Assistance Program Description This position is a part of the DPU Broadband Program salary range from $62,583 - $72,001. The ...

Engineer II/ III

Virginia Beach, VA · On-site

$72 - $129/hr

Work from Home is available after 6-months, in accordance with City and DPU Engineering Work from Home policies.The City offers a generous benefits package such as health, dental and life insurance ...

Dpu information

See Virginia salary details

$15

$31

$47

How much do dpu jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 26, 2026, the average hourly pay for dpu in Virginia is $31.02, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $24.81 and $36.68 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a DPU?

DPUs, or Data Processing Units, are specialized processors designed to handle data-centric tasks such as networking, storage, and security offloads from the main CPU in a data center environment. They combine programmable computing cores, high-speed networking interfaces, and acceleration engines to improve efficiency and performance in cloud and enterprise systems. By offloading intensive operations from CPUs, DPUs help optimize data flow, reduce latency, and enhance overall system security.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Data Processing Unit (DPU) engineer?

To thrive as a DPU Engineer, you need a strong background in computer engineering, networking, and systems architecture, often supported by a degree in computer science or electrical engineering. Experience with hardware description languages (like VHDL or Verilog), network protocols, and familiarity with DPU platforms such as NVIDIA BlueField is typically required. Analytical thinking, problem-solving, and effective teamwork are crucial soft skills for excelling in this role. These competencies ensure the efficient design, implementation, and optimization of DPUs, which are essential for accelerating data center and network performance.

What are some common challenges faced by DPU (Data Processing Unit) engineers, and how can they prepare for them?

DPU engineers often encounter challenges such as optimizing high-throughput data pipelines, ensuring low-latency processing, and integrating DPUs with existing infrastructure. They may need to troubleshoot complex hardware-software interactions and keep up with rapidly evolving technologies in networking and data centers. To prepare, candidates should focus on developing strong skills in parallel programming, network protocols, and system architecture, as well as stay updated with the latest advancements in DPU platforms.

What is the difference between Dpu vs Data Processing Unit?

AspectDpuData Processing Unit
CredentialsTypically requires hardware or software engineering certificationsRequires similar technical certifications, often in hardware or data management
Work EnvironmentData centers, hardware labs, cloud infrastructureData centers, cloud platforms, hardware development labs
Industry UsageNetworking, data storage, cloud computingNetworking, AI, data analytics, cloud services
Common Search/ComparisonOften compared with GPU or CPU in hardware contextCompared with Dpu in hardware acceleration or data processing roles

In summary, Dpu (Data Processing Unit) and Data Processing Unit are often used interchangeably, but Dpu typically emphasizes hardware acceleration for data tasks, while Data Processing Unit may refer more broadly to hardware or software roles involved in data management. Both require technical certifications and are used in similar environments like data centers and cloud platforms.

What are popular job titles related to Dpu jobs in Virginia?

For Dpu jobs in Virginia, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What cities in Virginia are hiring for Dpu jobs?

Cities in Virginia with the most Dpu job openings:

Infographic showing various Dpu job openings in Virginia as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 87% Full Time, 10% Part Time, 1% Contract, and 2% Nights. Highlights an 88% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $64,514 per year, or $31 per hour.

Senior Hardware Engineer

Akamai Technologies, Inc.

Richmond, VA • On-site

$126.10 - $261.90/hr

Other

This job post has expired 1 day ago. Applications are no longer accepted.


Akamai Technologies rating

8.0

Company rating: 8.0 out of 10

Based on 12 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

125th of 246 rated software companies


Job description

You will focus on the SmartNIC/DPU software and hardware that underpins our compute and GPU servers. These DPUs offload CPU resources, improve isolation, and accelerate services across Akamai Cloud. You will help define and integrate host + DPU architectures, validate RoCE and virtualization capabilities, and drive platform offload and acceleration from early concepts through mass production and global deployment.

Responsibilities
  • Driving DPU hardware and software integration into Akamai compute and GPU server platforms, including PCIe, networking, storage, and manageability interfaces.
  • Planning and executing validation for DPU platforms, including functional, performance, interoperability, stress, and reliability testing for data-center scale use cases.
  • Implementing and validating networking and offload features such as RDMA/RoCE, L2/L3/L4 Ethernet/IP forwarding, SR-IOV/virtio-net/vDPA, overlay networks, and congestion control behaviors.
  • Developing automation, scripts, and test tooling to exercise DPUs, collect telemetry at scale, and turn results into requirements.
  • Collaborating closely with cross-functional teams to translate workload and SLO requirements into configurations and test plans.
  • Working with vendors to evaluate new DPU generations, firmware and feature updates, and trade‑offs between performance, efficiency, supply continuity, and TCO.
Qualifications
  • Have 8 years of relevant experience and a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering or a related field.
  • Have experience with data center SmartNICs, or DPUs, including integration into x86/ARM servers and familiarity with PCIe, SR-IOV, and virtualization concepts.
  • Have familiarity with DPU frameworks and languages such as NVIDIA DOCA/DPL, P4, DPDK, etc.
  • Have an understanding of networking fundamentals, and familiarity with technologies such as congestion control and load balancing in data centers.
  • Have experience with platform validation, PCIe/NVMe and networking qualification, and system‑level stress testing.
  • Have Linux skills and proficiency with scripting languages such as Python and Bash for automation and data analysis.
  • Be comfortable working across HW/FW/SW boundaries, collaborating with teams to debug issues in the data path, control plane, and management stack.
  • Have excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to clearly communicate to both technical and non‑technical audiences.
Benefits
  • Your health
  • Your finances
  • Your family
  • Your time at work
  • Your time pursuing other endeavors
Compensation

Akamai is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. For U.S. based candidates only – the base salary for this position ranges from $126,100 to $261,900 per year; salary is determined by various factors including, but not limited to, relevant work experience, skills, certifications and location. Compensation for candidates outside the U.S. will vary. The compensation package may also include incentive compensation opportunities in the form of annual bonus or incentives, equity awards and an Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP). Eligibility requirements apply.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Akamai Technologies is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer that values the strength that diversity brings to the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, protected veteran status, disability, or other protected group status.

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