Lead ASIC Modem Design Engineer, Amazon Leo

Amazon; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 159,200 - 215,300; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

RSUs

Sign‑on bonus

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) matching

Paid time off

Parental leave

Job summary

Amazon Kuiper Manufacturing Enterprises LLC is seeking a Lead Modem Engineer to define and implement digital chip SOCs for satellite communications. You will work with wireless system teams to design modems, high‑speed interfaces, embedded processors, and DSPs in modern CMOS tech.

You will drive architecture from system spec to RTL, optimize timing and power, and collaborate on verification using UVM, SystemC, and DPI‑C testbenches, while learning space‑grade requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical/Communications Engineering or equivalent.
• 7+ years of experience in digital logic design, preferably DSP or communications systems.
• Experience designing and implementing DSP algorithms and systems in RTL.
• Ability to convert DSP algorithms into RTL code and optimize for performance, power, and area.

Responsibilities

• Implement wireless system architecture in silicon from system specification to RTL, optimizing timing, power, and chip‑level validation.
• Develop solutions to maximize throughput, latency, and availability within power and cost constraints.
• Drive high‑quality designs for first‑time‑right silicon solutions matching power objectives.
• Create standalone verification test benches to verify block correctness.
• Collaborate with verification and system teams for end‑to‑end verification using UVM, SystemC, and DPI‑C testbenches.
• Ensure blocks meet DFT, timing, and power targets with implementation teams.
• Learn space‑system requirements and translate them into modem designs.
• Lead trade‑off analyses to optimize customer experience and resource usage.

Skills

Digital logic design

DSP concepts

RTL coding

System-level thinking

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical/Communications Engineering

Master’s or Ph.D. in Electrical/Communications Engineering

Tools

UVM

MATLAB

Job description

Lead Modem Engineer – Amazon Kuiper Manufacturing Enterprises LLC

Amazon Leo is an initiative to launch a constellation of Low Earth Orbit satellites that will provide low‑latency, high‑speed broadband connectivity to unserved and underserved communities around the world.

The Role

Be part of Leo’s sub‑team responsible for defining and implementing the digital chip SOCs for communications via Low Earth Orbit satellites and Amazon gateways. This unique opportunity allows you to craft groundbreaking wireless solutions with minimal legacy constraints, working closely with customer requirements and wireless system teams to define modems, high‑speed interfaces, embedded processors, and DSP solutions in the latest CMOS technologies.

In this role you will

• Implement wireless system architecture in silicon from system specification to chip specification to RTL, optimizing timing, power, and chip‑level validation.
• Develop solutions that optimize customer experience (throughput, latency, availability) while meeting power and cost constraints.
• Drive high‑quality designs for first‑time‑right silicon solutions, meeting power objectives.
• Create standalone verification test benches to verify block correctness.
• Collaborate with the verification team and participate in system‑level verification using UVM, SystemC, and DPI‑C testbenches.
• Ensure the block meets DFT, timing, and power targets by working closely with the implementation team.
• Learn about requirements and solutions for systems operating in space.
• Drive trade‑off analysis to benefit customer experience and optimize resources (cost, power, spectrum).

Key job responsibilities

• Engage with architects and system engineers to drive hardware micro‑architecture.
• Interpret reference models in MATLAB.
• Involve in control plane logic design and interfaces to bus fabrics.
• Explore and propose innovative ideas and work toward modem optimization.

Export Control Requirements

Due to applicable export control laws and regulations, candidates must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical/Communications Engineering, or equivalent experience in electrical engineering.
• 7+ years of experience in digital logic design, preferably in DSP or communication systems.
• Experience designing and implementing Digital Signal Processing (DSP) algorithms and systems in RTL.
• Ability to convert DSP algorithms into RTL code and optimize for performance, power, and area.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s or Ph.D. degree in Electrical/Communications Engineering.
• 7+ years of experience in digital design, preferably in communication systems.
• Familiarity with UVM and MATLAB.
• Experience writing assertions and exposure to formal verification.

Benefits & Compensation

• Base salary range: USA, CA, San Diego – $159,200.00 – $215,300.00 USD annually; USA, CA, Sunnyvale – $183,000.00 – $247,600.00 USD annually.
• Amazon package includes sign‑on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs).
• Comprehensive benefits: medical, dental, vision, prescription, basic life & AD&D insurance, optional supplemental life plans, employee assistance program (EAP), mental health support, medical advice line, flexible spending accounts, adoption and surrogacy reimbursement coverage, 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave.

Amazon is an equal‑opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.

Los Angeles County applicants: Job duties for this position include working safely and cooperatively with other employees, supervisors, and staff; adhering to standards of excellence despite stressful conditions; communicating effectively and respectfully with employees, supervisors, and staff to ensure exceptional customer service; and following all federal, state, and local laws and company policies. Criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship with some of the material job duties of this position.