Senior Platform & Hardware Applications Engineer (f/m/d)

Black Semiconductor GmbH; Nordrhein-Westfalen; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Black Semiconductor is seeking a Senior Platform & Hardware Applications Engineer to enable customer adoption of our Optical Compute Interconnect technology. You will work with Product, Photonics, Packaging, Test Engineering and Commercial teams to deploy solutions and gather field feedback.

You will lead platform integration, high-speed system validation, reference design development and technical support across the product lifecycle, including pre-sales evaluations and post-sales debugging.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's in Electrical/Computer Engineering or related field.
• Strong FPGA and ASIC SerDes bring-up, RTL development, and IP integration.
• Excellent customer-facing communication and technical writing.
• Knowledge of optical interconnects, transceivers, NRZ/PAM4, Ethernet, PCIe, CXL, JESD204.
• Programming/scripting to control demos and analyze data.
• Experience with high-speed test equipment and lab debugging.

Responsibilities

• Assist customers in integrating OCI technology into ecosystem solutions.
• Lead high-speed system validation and reference design development.
• Provide pre- and post-sales technical support and demonstrations.
• Collaborate with Product, Photonics, Packaging, Test Engineering for field feedback.
• Create application notes and integration guides.

Skills

FPGA bring-up

ASIC SerDes

RTL development

Signal integrity

Customer facing

Documentation

Python scripting

Test equipment

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Electrical/Computer Engineering or related field

Tools

PCB CAD

Oscilloscopes

Job description

About us

We see the semiconductor industry as a realm of possibility. We see opportunity. We see the profound impact that our graphene solutions will have in transforming the industry. We invite you to join us in driving change with our fundamentally human-centered approach, uniting bright minds around a shared vision. The vision is: Prove to everybody that you can make a fundamental change. Prove with your knowledge and skills how things can be done differently. Together, we can change the paradigm of how the world connects

About our technology The Role

The semiconductor industry’s growing demand for more powerful chips with higher bandwidth and lower power finds its solution in our technology. We connect chips to high-throughput, low-delay computing networks. The key lies in harnessing the physical properties of graphene to combine electronic computing with photonic communication, allowing countless chips to interact almost as if they were one. Our graphene photonic innovation increases computing power and efficiency to a new order of magnitudeIn short, we connect chips to create powerful and energy‑efficient networks, overcoming connectivity limitations in the semiconductor industry. We deliver the graphene solution

The Role

We are seeking a skilled Senior Platform & Hardware Applications Engineer at Black Semiconductor to enable successful customer adoption of our next‑generation Optical Compute Interconnect (OCI) technology.

Working closely with Product, Photonics, Packaging, Test Engineering, and Commercial teams, you will help customers successfully deploy our technology while providing valuable feedback from the field to drive future product improvements. Your work will span platform integration, high‑speed system validation, reference design development, and technical support across the product lifecycle.

This role combines high‑speed hardware platforms, FPGA and ASIC bring‑up, optical interconnect technologies, system validation, and customer‑facing technical engineering.

To join our team, your should be excited to

• Guide customers in integrating Black Semiconductor products into ecosystem solutions such as switches, NICs, accelerators, ASICs, and FPGA‑based platforms.

• Support customer bring‑up and debug activities, including link training, BER validation, interoperability testing, firmware configuration, and system‑level issue resolution.

• Develop example schematics, reference boards, application notes, and integration guides covering power delivery, clocking, fiber and cable routing, management interfaces, pinouts, register maps, and thermal and mechanical guidelines. Contribute to SDKs and PDKs where appropriate.

• Work closely with Product, Photonics, Packaging, and Test Engineering teams to communicate field issues, customer feedback, and feature requests that help shape future product development.

• Support pre‑sales activities including evaluations, demonstrations, and benchmarking, as well as post‑sales debugging, technical escalations, customer training, and on‑site laboratory support for key accounts.

Your Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, or a related technical field, or equivalent industry experience.

• Strong experience with FPGA and ASIC SerDes bring‑up, including demonstration and evaluation board PCB design, RTL development, IP integration, embedded software, tool flows, high‑speed measurements, and interposer validation.

• Strong customer‑facing communication skills with the ability to explain complex signal integrity and optical system concepts, write technical application documentation, and coordinate multi‑stakeholder debugging activities.

• Good understanding of optical interconnect technologies, including optical transceivers, Co‑Packaged Optics (CPO), optical chiplets, link budgets, NRZ/PAM4 modulation, equalization, and high‑speed standards such as Ethernet, PCIe, CXL, and JESD204.

• Programming and scripting experience for PC‑based platforms to control demonstrations, automate experiments, interface with test equipment, and analyze data.

• Hands‑on experience using laboratory equipment including oscilloscopes, voltmeters, logic analyzers, pattern generators, and related high‑speed debug tools.

• Experience with FPGA programming and development tool flows.

• Familiarity with PCB CAD tools for schematic capture and layout, Microsoft Office, and engineering documentation and drawing tools.

Our work culture

People Over Processes. At Black Semiconductor, flexibility is key—we ensure work adapts to life, not the other way around. We champion work‑life harmony, where careers are meaningful and enriching. Our processes are human‑centric, allowing you to focus on what matters

Let’s grow together. Your potential is our priority. We provide the autonomy to make a lasting impact and nurture your growth through a culture of continuous learning. We invest in your journey for professional and personal development

Your Health and Future Matter. Your well‑being is paramount. We offer a comprehensive benefits package with outstanding insurance, pension and virtual stock options for your mental, physical, and financial health. Your peace of mind is our priority - in the present and future

We Live Openness. Collaboration and inclusivity are the cornerstones of our culture. We practice openness, fostering trust and respect. Individuality is our collective strength, fueling innovation and driving us forward

We connect chips – and people. We encourage qualified individuals from any background to apply. We foster an inclusive and supportive work environment that values collaboration, innovation, and growth. Join our team and be part of an organization dedicated to making a difference in the industry

If your application results in an employment relationship, your Applicant Data will be transferred to our personnel records and processed in accordance with applicable legal requirements; otherwise, your Applicant Data will be retained for up to six (6) months after completion of the recruitment process. Read more about our privacy policy here.

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