Staff Software Engineer - QA

United States Digital Space LLC; Cambridge; Hybrid; GBP 97,300 - 131,700; Full time

Job summary

United States Digital Space LLC in Cambridge, UK is seeking a Staff Engineer with strong system software expertise to lead validation across Neoverse-based platforms. You will drive end-to-end QA for embedded firmware and software stacks, from pre-silicon verification to production readiness, and provide technical leadership to a focused team.

You will shape validation strategies, expand coverage, mentor engineers, and collaborate across firmware, hardware, and platform teams.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in Quality Assurance, Firmware Validation, or System Software Engineering.
• Strong test architecture, validation methodologies, and quality engineering practices for firmware, embedded software, and system-level platforms.
• Excellent programming and debugging skills in C/C++, with scripting in Python, Shell, or Perl for automation.
• Solid understanding of embedded Linux software stacks, including system services, device drivers, kernel interactions, and platform integration.
• Demonstrated expertise in both pre-silicon and post-silicon validation, including simulation, emulation, FPGA prototyping, silicon bring-up, platform integration, and system-level debug.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end Quality Assurance activities for embedded system software, firmware, and platform validation across the product lifecycle, ensuring high product reliability and release quality.
• Provide deep technical expertise in one or more platform domains, including High-Speed I/O (HSIO), Low-Speed I/O (LSIO), BIOS/UEFI, Reliability, Availability and Serviceability (RAS), Telemetry, and BMC technologies.
• Develop and complete functional, regression, stress, stability, and performance test cases for embedded Linux-based software stacks and firmware components.
• Define and drive comprehensive validation architectures, test strategies, and coverage models spanning component, subsystem, system integration, and full system-level validation for firmware and/or software stacks.
• Drive validation coverage expansion by identifying quality gaps and implementing targeted test solutions across firmware, software, hardware, and platform interactions.
• Support silicon bring-up activities, board validation, firmware integration, and system-level debugging during pre-silicon emulation and post-silicon validation phases.
• Mentor and provide technical leadership to validation engineers by promoting standard methodologies in test design, automation development, debugging techniques, root-cause analysis, and engineering excellence.

Job description

Job ID: 2026-17354

Date posted: Jul. 16, 2026

Location: Cambridge, United Kingdom

Category: Software Engineering

the company has built the world’s most pervasive compute architecture, powering computing wherever it happens – from embedded and automotive systems to cloud and data center infrastructure. As the company continues to grow its presence in server and infrastructure markets, system software plays a meaningful role in enabling high-quality, production-ready platforms for customers and partners.

This role is part of the company’s System Solutions software organization. It involves working on software for the company Neoverse–based platforms. Tasks ranges from developing test suites for Firmware/Software stack, initial verification on pre-silicon platforms to production-quality firmware and software on real silicon. The Staff Engineer provides both technical and people leadership to a focus group. The group handles system readiness, software quality, release confidence, and customer-facing adaptability for the complex platform work.

We are looking for a staff engineer with strong system software expertise, extensive system-wide knowledge, and a deep passion for quality, validation, and testing. Validation covers early pre-silicon environments, silicon bring-up, platform integration, release readiness, and customer-facing use cases. They will also help grow a validation culture that detects issues early, produces clear evidence, and supports confident delivery.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end Quality Assurance activities for embedded system software, firmware, and platform validation across the product lifecycle, ensuring high product reliability and release quality.
• Provide deep technical expertise in one or more platform domains, including High-Speed I/O (HSIO), Low-Speed I/O (LSIO), BIOS/UEFI, Reliability, Availability and Serviceability (RAS), Telemetry, and BMC technologies.
• Develop and complete functional, regression, stress, stability, and performance test cases for embedded Linux-based software stacks and firmware components.
• Define and drive comprehensive validation architectures, test strategies, and coverage models spanning component, subsystem, system integration, and full system-level validation for firmware and/or software stacks.
• Drive validation coverage expansion by identifying quality gaps and implementing targeted test solutions across firmware, software, hardware, and platform interactions.
• Support silicon bring-up activities, board validation, firmware integration, and system-level debugging during pre-silicon emulation and post-silicon validation phases.
• Mentor and provide technical leadership to validation engineers by promoting standard methodologies in test design, automation development, debugging techniques, root-cause analysis, and engineering excellence.

Required Skills and Experience

• Proven experience in Quality Assurance, Firmware Validation, or System Software Engineering, with a consistent track record of delivering high-quality platform, firmware, and embedded software products
• Strong expertise in test architecture, validation methodologies, and quality engineering practices for firmware, embedded software, and system-level platforms.
• Excellent programming and debugging skills in C/C++, with good understanding of scripting languages such as Python, Shell, or Perl for automation and tool development.
• Solid understanding of embedded Linux software stacks, including system services, device drivers, kernel interactions, and platform integration.
• Demonstrated expertise in both pre-silicon and post-silicon validation, including simulation, emulation, FPGA prototyping, silicon bring-up, platform integration, and system-level debug.

Nice to have Skills and Experience

• Git-based development workflows, including Git, GitLab/GitHub, CI/CD pipelines, version control automation, and repository management tools.
• Knowledge of firmware standards and technologies such as UEFI, ACPI, SMBIOS, Redfish, PLDM, MCTP, SPDM, and secure boot implementations.
• Experience with the company-based SoCs, server platforms, or infrastructure systems.
• Mentoring and/or line management experience

In Return

You’ll join a collaborative, highly skilled engineering environment where you can influence the quality, readiness, and success of the company Neoverse-based solutions from pre-silicon validation through to production deployment.

Please note that no relocation package is available for this role.

If skilled worker sponsorship is required, the company will meet costs associated with sponsorship for the employer only. All fees associated with the individual’s application e.g. visa application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge, will be the responsibility of the successful candidate.

Accommodations at the company

At the company, we want to build extraordinary teams. If you need an adjustment or an accommodation during the recruitment process, please email [e-mail]. To note, by sending us the requested information, you consent to its use by the company to arrange for appropriate accommodations. All accommodation or adjustment requests will be treated with confidentiality, and information concerning these requests will only be disclosed as necessary to provide the accommodation. Although this is not an exhaustive list, examples of support include breaks between interviews, having documents read aloud, or office accessibility. Please email us about anything we can do to accommodate you during the recruitment process.

Hybrid Working at the company

the company’s approach to hybrid working is designed to create a working environment that supports both high performance and personal wellbeing. We believe in bringing people together face to face to enable us to work at pace, whilst recognizing the value of flexibility. Within that framework, we empower groups/teams to determine their own hybrid working patterns, depending on the work and the team’s needs. Details of what this means for each role will be shared upon application. In some cases, the flexibility we can offer is limited by local legal, regulatory, tax, or other considerations, and where this is the case, we will collaborate with you to find the best solution. Please talk to us to find out more about what this could look like for you.

Equal Opportunities at the company

the company is an equal opportunity employer, committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal opportunities are available to all applicants and colleagues. We are a diverse organization of dedicated and innovative individuals, and don’t discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

Salary Range

£97,300 – £131,700 per year