Distinguished Diagnostics Quality Engineer

Astera Labs (NASDAQ: ALAB) provides rack-scale AI infrastructure through purpose-built connectivity solutions grounded in open standards. By collaborating with hyperscalers and ecosystem partners, Astera Labs enables organizations to unlock the full potential of modern AI. Astera Labs’ Intelligent Connectivity Platform integrates CXL®, Ethernet, PCIe®, and UALink™ semiconductor-based technologies with the company’s COSMOS software suite to unify diverse components into cohesive, flexible systems that deliver end-to-end scale-up, and scale-out connectivity. Discover more at www.asteralabs.com.

Role Overview

As a Distinguished Diagnostics Quality Engineer, you will be responsible for ensuring the quality and reliability of Astera Labs’ advanced semiconductor products across their lifecycle — from design through high-volume manufacturing. You will lead the development and implementation of diagnostic test strategies, define diagnostic coverage metrics, and enable robust debug methodologies across leading-edge process technologies (16nm to <3nm) and packaging (monolithic, MCM, 3DIC, and optical). This role requires strong cross-functional leadership, deep technical expertise in high-speed interconnects, and the ability to influence design and operations teams to deliver industry-leading product quality.

Key Responsibilities

• Diagnostic Test Development: Define and drive the deployment of diagnostic test plans, fixtures, tools, and methodologies needed for fault isolation of customer returns in PCIe, CXL, UCIe, Ethernet and other high-speed switching products.  Fan out the most successful tools for broader application in high volume manufacturing and troubleshooting of NPI (New Products) qualification failures or field application issues.
• Embedded Silicon Agent Champion: Drive the external selection or internal development of embedded silicon agents to monitor temperature, voltage, noise, process, timing, etc., at the block level on chip.  Work with design teams on implementation.  Collaborate with validation and design teams to debug these features in the lab during the post-silicon phase.  Partner with firmware teams to leverage these features for real-time adaptive behavior.  Partner with software teams to process the data and create accessible and actionable diagnostic conclusions.
• Design DFT Review: Work with design, operations engineering, and system validation teams to drive early Design-for-Testability (DFT) and diagnostic capabilities with design and product engineering teams.  Coordinate block-by-block level reviews to ensure no gaps in coverage and all prior lessons learned are applied.
• Advanced Packaging Diagnostics: Develop diagnostic methodologies for MCM, 3DIC, and optical interconnect packages, including die-to-die and heterogeneous integration interfaces needed to diagnose, isolate, and ensure high quality products.
• Issue Debugging: Lead the debugging of complex hardware, firmware, and software issues as part of quality team activities during NPI and high-volume production, leveraging diagnostic hooks and advanced debug tools.
• Advanced Quality Data Analytics: Work with the operations engineering teams to build data systems and infrastructure to eliminate outliers, predict quality trends, and identify product quality opportunities which will improve customer outcomes.  Develop signature analysis techniques to identify systemic root causes by leveraging advanced AI and/or ML techniques where appropriate.
• Diagnostic Pattern Improvement: Partner with operations engineering to improve diagnostic efficiency, reduce overkill/retest, and improve product yield and quality.
• Automation & Scalability: Develop and maintain automated diagnostic tools to scale and drive reuse across multiple product families.
• Lifecycle Quality: Integrate diagnostics into silicon lifecycle management, firmware release, and reliability tracking to proactively detect degradation or field reliability risks.
• Interoperability & System Level Support: Work with field, firmware, and internal  engineering teams to ensure interoperability, diagnostic transparency, and robust field debug capability.

Skills and Experience

• Deep experience with digital and Serdes high-speed protocols (PCIe Gen5/Gen6, CXL, UCIe, Ethernet/SerDes) and system-level validation methodologies.
• Direct and deep experience working with embedded silicon diagnostic agents.
• Experience working with engineering teams creating product characterization & test plans, test programs and working with the greater engineering community to obtain and analyze data across process, voltage and temperature to evaluate semiconductor products
• Hands-on experience with lab debug tools (protocol analyzers, oscilloscopes, BERTs, error injection frameworks).
• Proficiency in scripting and software development (Python, C/C++, Java, or similar) for diagnostic automation and data analysis.
• Proven ability to analyze complex test data, identify root causes, and implement systemic solutions.
• Familiarity with semiconductor test flows (ATE, system-level test, characterization, production validation).
• Experience with advanced packaging technologies (MCM, 3DIC, optical) and their diagnostic/test challenges.
• Strong communication skills for collaborating across design, product, test, and customer teams.
• Demonstrated ability to influence cross-functional decisions and drive quality improvements at the organizational level.

Preferred Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of experience leading a high caliber product engineering team
• Minimum of 10 years within a product or diagnostics engineering team with successful deployment of semiconductor devices into production
• Strong academic/technical background in electrical engineering; Bachelor’s is required; Master’s preferred.Experience with diagnostic firmware & test development methodologies
• Knowledge of advanced techniques for anomaly detection in diagnostic/test data.
• Track record of leadership in new product introduction (NPI) for complex, high-speed semiconductor products.

We know that creativity and innovation happen more often when teams include diverse ideas, backgrounds, and experiences, and we actively encourage everyone with relevant experience to apply, including people of color, LGBTQ+ and non-binary people, veterans, parents, and individuals with disabilities.