Senior Product Applications Engineer

Astera Labs Inc., a semiconductor company headquartered in the heart of California’s Silicon Valley, is a leader in purpose-built connectivity solutions for data-centric systems throughout the data center. Partnering with leading processor vendors, cloud service providers, seasoned investors, and world-class manufacturing companies, Astera Labs is helping customers remove performance bottlenecks in data-intensive systems that are limiting the true potential of applications such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. The company’s product portfolio includes system-aware semiconductor integrated circuits, boards, and services to enable robust CXL, PCIe, and Ethernet connectivity. Job Description: As an Astera Labs Product Application Engineer, you will be part of a team that designs-in and supports Astera Labs’ Taurus Ethernet Smart Cable Modules in the world’s leading cloud service providers, server and network OEMs. In this role, you will need to provide technical guidance to customers to overcome design challenges, generate collateral for existing and new products, and drive innovation by providing insightful feedback to other internal teams to continuously improve products and processes. There are opportunities to support key customers directly, and also to dive deep in the lab to address the challenges associated with leading edge semiconductor products. Basic Qualifications Strong academic and technical background in electrical engineering or computer engineering. At minimum, a Bachelor’s in EE/CE is required, Master’s is preferred. Minimum of 3 years’ experience working with Cloud service providers, server, or network OEM customers to design in complex SoC/silicon products for Server, Storage, and/or Networking applications. Entrepreneurial, open-mind behavior and can-do attitude. Think and act with the customer in mind! Required Experience Development/support for Ethernet Switch, Retimer, or PHY products. Silicon/System bring-up and debug experience in customer systems. Intermediate level of proficiency in Python for automating system validation and link optimization. Able to step through embedded firmware at the SerDes (SoC) or MCU level for debugging. Firsthand experience with lab equipment including traffic generators, analyzers, and high-speed oscilloscopes. Technical writing skills to generate clear, precise documentation including datasheets, application notes, system validation data summaries, and similar guides for internal and customer-facing audiences. Preferred experience Hands-on knowledge of NRZ/PAM4 SerDes-based protocols like 100/400/800G Ethernet (25G and above), InfiniBand, Fibre Channel, etc.   Working with silicon characterization/validation teams to ensure device performance is readily achievable in customer systems. Familiarity with pluggable module hardware specifications (QSFP-DD, OSFP) and/or CMIS Working knowledge of software/firmware build environments, gcc/Make, Doxygen, and GitHub. Intermediate level of proficiency in C (preferred) or C++. 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.