SerDes PHY FW / SW Engineer - Staff / Senior Staff / Principal Levels

Alphawave Semi; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading technology company is seeking a SerDes PHY FW / SW Engineer at various seniority levels to join their embedded software team. The role involves developing high-performance firmware for SerDes operations, leading a team, and collaborating across hardware and software disciplines. Candidates should have extensive experience in firmware development, a solid educational background in engineering, and strong debugging capabilities. The company offers a competitive benefits package in a flexible work environment.

Benefits

Flexible work environment

Health and wellness accounts

Paid time off

Parental leave

Qualifications

• 7+ years in embedded C/C++ firmware development for IP or SoCs.
• Leadership experience in embedded software projects.
• Deep understanding of microcontroller architectures.

Responsibilities

• Lead firmware development for major IP programs.
• Architect and implement firmware in C/C++.
• Coordinate across functions to meet milestones.

Skills

Embedded C/C++ firmware development

Leadership

Debugging skills

Communication

Education

BSc/MSc in Electrical or Computer Engineering

Tools

Git

Python

Bash

Job description

SerDes PHY FW / SW Engineer - Staff / Senior Staff / Principal Levels

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The Opportunity

Alphawave Semi enables tomorrow’s future by accelerating data communication in digital technology sectors such as data centers, AI, 5G, and autonomous vehicles. Our technology supports standards like PCIe, Ethernet, and CXL, integrated into SoCs and ASICs worldwide.

The Embedded Software / Firmware Team develops embedded software for high-performance SerDes PHY IP used in various applications. The firmware controls hardware, including low-level embedded firmware, customer SDKs, demo scripts, and tools, working closely with hardware, validation, and application teams throughout the product lifecycle.

What You Can Expect

• Core responsibilities include developing embedded firmware for RISC-V controllers managing SerDes datapaths.
• Providing C SDKs for SerDes bring-up, calibration, and diagnostics.
• Creating Python-based lab tools and GUIs for debugging and validation.
• Building CI infrastructure to ensure code quality.
• Leading the delivery of robust firmware, defining architecture, and influencing product design.

What You'll Do

• Lead firmware development for major IP programs, managing a team of 2–8 engineers.
• Architect and implement firmware in C/C++ for calibration, algorithms, and link management.
• Debug complex issues with hardware and software teams.
• Coordinate across functions to meet milestones and deliver features.
• Translate protocol and system requirements into firmware architecture.
• Support silicon bring-up and development across teams.

Example Problems You’ll Solve

• Mentor engineers on PHY calibration bugs.
• Develop architectures for multi-lane synchronization and adaptive equalization.
• Port calibration algorithms from MATLAB/Python to firmware.
• Create diagnostics frameworks accessible via SDK and GUI.
• Validate firmware behavior using simulation and FPGA emulation.
• Collaborate with hardware architects for future revisions.

What You'll Need

• BSc/MSc in Electrical or Computer Engineering.
• 7+ years in embedded C/C++ firmware development for IP or SoCs.
• Leadership experience in embedded software projects.
• Deep understanding of microcontroller architectures, memory-mapped registers, ISRs, boot flows.
• Strong lab debugging skills with silicon hardware.
• Familiarity with git and modern development methodologies.
• Excellent communication skills.

Preferred Experience

• Knowledge of SerDes, high-speed IO standards (PCIe, Ethernet, CXL).
• Experience with calibration algorithms and silicon debug.
• Knowledge of RTOS or bare-metal firmware architectures.
• Scripting skills in Python, Bash.
• Familiarity with digital design, simulation, and DV flows.
• Understanding of OSI physical/data link layers, signal processing concepts.

We offer a flexible work environment with competitive benefits including health and wellness accounts, paid time off, and parental leave. Alphawave Semi is an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity and inclusion.