SoC Functional Validation Engineer - Memory

Intel Corporation; George Town; Hybrid; MYR 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Intel Corporation in Malaysia (Penang) seeks an experienced Memory Pre-silicon Validation Engineer to validate and debug memory subsystems across CPUs, chipsets, and boards. You will perform hands-on validation, contribute to memory bring-up, and optimize training, timing, and stability through BIOS and firmware interaction analyses.

The role emphasizes collaboration with architecture, design, firmware, and silicon teams, using hardware lab tools to accelerate root-cause analysis and improve

Qualifications

• Bachelor's with 2 years in pre-silicon validation or a Master's with no prior professional experience.
• Fundamental knowledge of SoC architectures, PC architecture, and pre-silicon setup.
• Proficiency in debugging-oriented scripting or programming.

Responsibilities

• Perform pre-silicon validation and debug to ensure platform functionality matches specs.
• Develop and improve debug methodologies, flows and AI debug frameworks.
• Debug IP, firmware, and software interaction issues across CPUs, chipsets, boards, and memory subsystems.
• Drive memory enablement and debug for DDR5/LPDDR5 bring-up, MRC/BIOS analysis, training convergence.
• Investigate memory training algorithms and voltage margining for stability.
• Analyze memory reference code, BIOS logs, and training reports for root causes.
• Characterize DDR memory, perform margin validation and RMT analysis.
• Collaborate with architecture, design, firmware, BIOS and silicon teams to resolve issues.
• Utilize traces, VISA, and silicon observability features in pre/post-silicon environments.
• Drive continuous improvement in validation, debug strategies, and memory coverage.
• Use lab equipment like logic analyzers and oscilloscopes to reproduce issues.

Skills

Pre-silicon validation

Debugging

Scripting/Programming for debugging

SoC platform knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree + 2 years experience OR Master's degree with no prior professional experience

Tools

FPGA

Emulation

FSDB or similar EDA tools

Job description

The Role and Impact

As a Memory Pre-silicon Validation Engineer, you will play a key role in ensuring the quality and reliability of Intel’s next-generation platforms, including CPUs, chipsets, and boards. You will focus on pre-silicon validation debug, performing hands-on and characterization activities to identify issues, root-cause failures, and enabling IP functionality across firmware and software interactions. A major focus of this role is Memory technology bring-up, and advanced pre-silicon memory subsystem debug during new-generation CPU/SoC validation, covering Memory initialization, training optimization, frequency scaling, stability assessment, and power-management validation. Your contributions will directly impact Intel's ability to deliver high-quality products across server, desktop, and mobile market segments.

Business Group

The Functional Validation team belongs to Intel Corporation and is chartered to perform pre-silicon validation of cutting-edge Client AI PC SoCs and platforms. This team is dedicated to ensuring the functionality of SoC hardware features in real-world environments while supporting Intel’s broader goals of innovation and product excellence. With a strong focus on quality and reliability, the team is instrumental in driving Intel’s success in delivering reliable solutions to its global customers.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform pre-silicon validation and debug to ensure platform functionality aligns with design and architecture specifications.
• Develop and enhance debug methodologies, debug flow, and AI debug frameworks to improve debug efficiency, quality, and productivity.
• Conduct hands-on debug of IP, firmware, and software interaction issues, identifying and resolving failures across CPUs, chipsets, boards, and memory subsystems.
• Drive Memory feature enablement and debug during new-generation CPU/SoC validation activities, including DDR5 and LPDDR5/LPDDR5X bring-up, MRC/BIOS analysis, memory initialization, training convergence, frequency scaling, and stability assessment.
• Investigate and debug memory training algorithms, including read leveling, write leveling, read/write training, command/address training, power training, timing optimization, voltage margining, and signal integrity-related issues.
• Analyze memory reference code, BIOS logs, training reports, margin data, eye diagrams, and memory matrix results to identify root causes and improve platform robustness.
• Perform DDR memory characterization, margin validation, RMT analysis, failure pattern investigation, and memory subsystem tuning across different configurations and operating conditions.
• Collaborate with architecture, design, firmware, BIOS, and silicon teams to resolve complex memory-related issues and improve validation effectiveness.
• Debug tool capabilities including traces, cross-triggers, VISA, scan, and silicon observability features in pre-silicon and post-silicon environments.
• Drive continuous improvement in validation and debug strategies, debug methodologies, and memory validation coverage.
• Utilize hardware lab equipment such as logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, protocol analyzers, and memory debug tools to reproduce issues, collect data, and accelerate root-cause analysis.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field with 2 years of experience in Pre-silicon validation/design debugging, with demonstrated skills gained through internships, academic projects, coursework, or hands-on training OR a Master’s degree in a relevant field with no prior professional experience.
• Fundamental knowledge of SoC platform architectures, PC architecture, and Pre-silicon setup.
• Proficiency in scripting or programming for debugging purposes.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with validation tools such as FPGA, emulation, EDA tools (such as FSDB).
• Experience in Pre silicon and hardware debug for SoC validation.
• Passion for problem-solving and continuous improvement, with a drive to explore new technical strategies or methodologies.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to present technical findings and influence stakeholders effectively.

Join us and be part of a team that is shaping the future of technology. Your contributions will directly impact the quality and reliability of Intel products, empowering innovation across global markets.

Job Type

Experienced Hire

Shift

Shift 1 (Malaysia)

Primary Location

Malaysia, Penang

Posting Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, religious creed, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, military and veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, gender, gender expression, gender identity, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by local law, regulation, or ordinance.

Work Model for this Role

This role will be eligible for our hybrid work model which allows employees to split their time between working on-site at their assigned Intel site and off-site. * Job posting details (such as work model, location or time type) are subject to change.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Intel is committed to Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) compliance and ethical hiring practices. We do not charge any fees during our hiring process. Candidates should never be required to pay recruitment fees, medical examination fees, or any other charges as a condition of employment. If you are asked to pay any fees during our hiring process, please report this immediately to your recruiter.