Firmware Engineer Tech Lead

San Jose, California, United States

Astera Labs (NASDAQ: ALAB) provides rack-scale AI infrastructure through purpose-built connectivity solutions. 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, NVLink, 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. The company’s custom connectivity solutions business complements its standards-based portfolio, enabling customers to deploy tailored architectures to meet their unique infrastructure requirements. Discover more at www.asteralabs.com.

Role Overview

The mission of this role is to architect and develop firmware and microcontroller subsystems for Astera Labs’ SoC and systems products. As a Firmware Engineer Tech Lead you are responsible for implementing the major differentiating features of Astera Labs’ products. As such, firmware is considered equally important to the hardware, and the firmware team is often customer-facing accordingly to ensure the needs of the customer are fully comprehended. 

Basic Qualifications 

  • Strong academic and technical background in electrical engineering. At a minimum, a Bachelor’s in EE or Computer Science is required, and a Master’s is preferred. 
  • Minimum 5 years’ experience supporting or developing complex SoC/silicon products for Server, Storage, and/or Networking applications. 
  • Experience developing firmware to execute in on-chip microcontrollers as well as C-language software development kits (SDKs) to execute on system management controllers (e.g. BMC). 
  • Experience working with logic designers to architect and verify HW-SW interfaces on complex SoCs. 
  • Professional attitude with the ability to prioritize a dynamic list of multiple tasks, to plan and prepare for customer meetings in advance, and to work with minimal guidance and supervision. 
  • Entrepreneurial, open-minded behavior and can-do attitude. Think and act fast with the customer in mind! 
  • Authorized to work in the US and start immediately. 

Required Experience 

  • Experience working on PCIe-Express (Gen-3 and above) protocol, including working with analyzers and exercisers to debug protocol issues. 
  • High level of proficiency in C (preferred) or C++, including development of C-based SDKs. 
  • High level of proficiency in Python for automating pre-processors/post-processors and FW QC. 
  • Working knowledge of software/firmware build environments, gcc/Make, Doxygen, and GitHub.  
  • Familiarity with SoC interfaces to common IP blocks such as PCIe Controllers, DDR Controllers, NVME Controllers, AMBA/AHB interfaces, on-chip memory interfaces, and other similar interfaces. 

Preferred Experience 

  • Experience with PAM4 SerDes with working knowledge of Tx/Rx equalization, adaptation, CDR and SerDes link budgets. 
  • Hands-on experience with PCIe devices in Server, Storage, and/or Networking equipment.  
  • Experience developing embedded firmware for PCIe or Ethernet Switch products. 

Base salary range is $160,000 to $200,000 depending on experience, level, and business need. This role is eligible for discretionary bonus, incentives and benefits.

 

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.

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Education

Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Astera Labs’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...