Firmware/Software Tech Lead

asteralabs; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 160,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discretionary bonus

Job summary

Astera Labs is hiring a Tech Lead Design Engineer to architect and deliver connectivity silicon powering the world’s largest AI clusters.

You’ll own RTL design for blocks from microarchitecture through tapeout, mentor juniors, and collaborate with architecture, verification, DFT and physical design teams. Strong Verilog/SystemVerilog, timing closure, and experience with PCIe, CXL, UALink or Ethernet MAC/PCS are required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical or Computer Engineering or related field.
• 5+ years of digital design experience, including at least one full chip from spec to tapeout.
• Strong proficiency in Verilog/SystemVerilog, RTL coding, and synthesis flows.
• Hands-on experience with timing closure, CDC, lint, and low-power design techniques.
• Solid understanding of high-speed serial interfaces (PCIe, Ethernet) and SoC integration.

Responsibilities

• Own RTL design for assigned blocks from microarchitecture through synthesis sign-off.
• Develop high-quality, synthesizable Verilog/SystemVerilog with strong attention to PPA.
• Drive design reviews, lint, CDC, and timing closure activities to silicon-ready quality.
• Partner with architecture to translate specifications into implementation-ready microarchitecture.
• Collaborate with verification on testplans, coverage closure, and bug triage.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to design methodology, scripts, and best practices.
• Debug complex pre-silicon and post-silicon issues across RTL, gate-level, and emulation environments.

Skills

Verilog/SystemVerilog

RTL design

Timing closure

Synthesis flows

High-speed interfaces

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering

MS/PhD in Electrical/Computer Engineering

Tools

PCIe Gen5/Gen6

CXL

UALink

UCIe

Ethernet MAC/PCS

Job description

Astera Labs (NASDAQ: ALAB) provides rack-scale AI infrastructure through purpose-built connectivity solutions. By collaborating with hyperscalers and ecosystem partners, Astera Labs enables organizations to unlock the full potential of modern AI. Astera Labs' Intelligent Connectivity Platform integrates CXL®, Ethernet, NVLink, PCIe®, and UALink™ semiconductor-based technologies with the company's COSMOS software suite to unify diverse components into cohesive, flexible systems that deliver end-to-end scale-up, and scale-out connectivity. The company's custom connectivity solutions business complements its standards-based portfolio, enabling customers to deploy tailored architectures to meet their unique infrastructure requirements. Discover more at www.asteralabs.com .

Astera Labs is hiring a Tech Lead Design Engineer to help architect and deliver the connectivity silicon powering the world's largest AI clusters.

You’ll own design execution on complex blocks across our purpose-built products, working at the cutting edge of PCIe, CXL, Ethernet, and emerging rack-scale interconnect technologies.

This is a high-impact technical role at a hyper-growth company. You’ll partner closely with architecture, verification, DFT, and physical design teams to take features from spec to silicon, while contributing to the design methodology that scales with our roadmap. If you want to ship silicon that defines AI infrastructure, this is the team.

Key Responsibilities

RTL Design & Implementation

• Own RTL design for assigned blocks from microarchitecture through synthesis sign-off
• Develop high-quality, synthesizable Verilog/SystemVerilog with strong attention to PPA
• Drive design reviews, lint, CDC, and timing closure activities to silicon-ready quality

Cross-Functional Execution

• Partner with architecture to translate specifications into implementation-ready microarchitecture
• Collaborate with verification on testplans, coverage closure, and bug triage
• Work with DFT and physical design teams on scan, BIST, floorplanning, and timing closure

Technical Leadership & Quality

• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to design methodology, scripts, and best practices
• Debug complex pre-silicon and post-silicon issues across RTL, gate-level, and emulation environments
• Drive structured, data-driven design decisions in support of aggressive tapeout schedules

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field
• 5+ years of digital design experience, including at least one full chip from spec to tapeout
• Strong proficiency in Verilog/SystemVerilog, RTL coding, and synthesis flows
• Hands-on experience with timing closure, CDC, lint, and low-power design techniques
• Solid understanding of high-speed serial interfaces (PCIe, Ethernet, or similar) and SoC integration

Preferred Qualifications

• MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering
• Experience with PCIe Gen5/Gen6, CXL, UALink, UCIe, or Ethernet MAC/PCS designs
• Familiarity with formal verification, emulation, or assertion-based methodologies
• Background in advanced process nodes (7nm, 5nm, or below)
• Strong debug skills across pre-silicon and post-silicon environments

Salary range is $160,000 to $200,000 depending on experience, level, and business need. This role may be eligible for discretionary bonus, incentives and benefits.

We know that creativity and innovation happen more often when teams include diverse ideas, backgrounds, and experiences, and we actively encourage everyone with relevant experience to apply, including people of color, LGBTQ+ and non-binary people, veterans, parents, and individuals with disabilities.