Embedded Software Engineer (Tech Lead)

Astera Labs; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible time off

Parental leave

401K

Retirement and pension plans

Medical, dental and vision plans

Job summary

Astera Labs is seeking a firmware engineer in Ottawa to join a small, fast‑moving team. You will write embedded C/C++ for analog and Ethernet devices, handle register configuration, calibration sequences, and control loops, and work with senior engineers on bring‑up, testing, and defect analysis.

You will also develop Python scripts to automate tests, contribute to CI infrastructure, and help define test plans with validation teams.

Qualifications

• Some experience with Python scripting for test automation, data analysis, or utilities.
• Familiarity with Linux development tools: gcc/clang, make, bash, gdb, and git.
• 2 to 5 years of embedded C/C++ firmware on real hardware.
• Strong communication and collaborative skills within a small team.
• BS in the indicated fields or related discipline.
• Comfort at the hardware/software boundary: reading datasheets, poking registers, interpreting hardware behaviour.
• Hands‑on Ethernet experience: PHY, SERDES, NICs, or related devices.
• Exposure to analog or mixed‑signal systems and signal conditioning.
• Experience with Jira or similar project-tracking tools.
• Background with RTOS, device drivers, or bare‑metal firmware on microcontrollers.
• Familiarity with lab equipment such as oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, or BERTs.
• Prior internship or co‑op in semiconductor or networking hardware.

Responsibilities

• Write and modify embedded C firmware for analog and Ethernet devices, including registers, state machines, calibration, and control loops.
• Develop Python scripts to automate test flows, collect data, and accelerate development.
• Collaborate on low‑level hardware bring‑up and debugging with senior firmware engineers.
• Contribute to features for analog control (gain, calibration) and Ethernet management, SERDES, diagnostics.
• Help build CI, automated tests, and test plans with validation teams.
• Document and review firmware for maintainability and clarity.
• Track work in Jira and participate in code reviews and architecture discussions.
• Communicate across firmware, silicon design, and applications teams.

Skills

Python scripting

Embedded C/C++

Hardware bring‑up

Communication & teamwork

Reading datasheets

Ethernet PHY/SERDES

Signal integrity basics

Jira/project tracking

RTOS/device drivers

Lab equipment familiarity

internship / co‑op experience

Education

BS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field

Tools

GCC/Clang

Make

Bash

GDB

Git

RTOS

Job description

Responsibilities

• Our analog and Ethernet connectivity products sit in the critical signal path of optical modules, copper interconnects, and high-speed networking infrastructure
• Across both product lines, the firmware controlling these devices drives adaptive behaviour, calibration sequences, link management, and real-time performance, and it ends up deployed in data centers around the world
• This is the kind of work where what you write actually matters
• You’ll be part of a small Ottawa-based team working directly alongside senior engineers on firmware development, hardware bring‑up, test automation, and day‑to‑day project tracking
• You won’t be handed a narrow slice of work and left alone
• You’ll be involved across the board, getting exposure to how analog and Ethernet connectivity products go from silicon to production
• This is a startup, and that means things move quickly and the work doesn’t always fit neatly into a job description
• If that sounds like your kind of environment, keep reading
• Level is negotiable based on experience and qualifications
• Write and modify embedded C firmware for analog and Ethernet connectivity devices, including register configuration, state machines, calibration sequences, and control loops
• Work on low-level hardware bring‑up and debug alongside senior firmware engineers
• Contribute to features spanning analog control such as gain settings and equalization parameters, as well as Ethernet link management, SERDES configuration, and diagnostics
• Help maintain and improve the firmware codebase with clean, reviewable code
• Write Python scripts to automate test flows, collect and analyze data, and help make the team faster
• Work with validation teams remotely to develop and execute test plans across a range of operating conditions and corner cases
• Help build out CI infrastructure and automated test tooling as the team grows
• Contribute to characterizing firmware behaviour across analog and Ethernet configurations, link states, and failure modes
• Keep Jira tickets up to date, track your own work, and flag blockers early
• Participate in code reviews and architecture discussions
• Communicate clearly with teammates across firmware, silicon design, and applications

Qualifications

• Some experience with Python scripting, whether for test automation, data analysis, or general utility scripts
• Familiarity with Linux development tools: gcc/clang, make, bash, gdb, and git
• A genuine interest in digging into hard problems and the persistence to see them through
• 2 to 5 years of experience writing embedded C/C++ firmware on real hardware
• Strong communication skills and a collaborative attitude; you’ll be working closely with a small team and need to keep everyone in the loop
• BS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field
• Comfort working at the hardware/software boundary: reading datasheets, poking registers, interpreting hardware behaviour from software
• Hands‑on experience with Ethernet at the system or device level: Layer 1 PHY, SERDES, retimers, gearboxes, NICs, or related devices
• Exposure to analog or mixed‑signal systems: ADC/DAC interfaces, calibration techniques, signal conditioning
• Understanding of signal integrity concepts: equalization, jitter, eye diagrams, or link margin
• Experience with Jira or similar tools for issue tracking and project management
• Background with RTOS, device drivers, or bare‑metal firmware on microcontrollers
• Familiarity with lab equipment such as oscilloscopes, BERTs, logic analyzers or similar
• Prior internship or co‑op experience in a semiconductor or networking hardware company

Benefits

• Flexible time off in the US
• Parental leave
• 401K
• Retirement and pension plans
• Competitive medical, dental and vision plans