Optical Interconnect Firmware Engineer - Hands-On Bring-Up

Avicena Tech; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Avicena Tech is seeking a Firmware Engineer to develop firmware for an optical engine ASIC and module controllers, bring up new boards and silicon, and debug at the register level. You will own deliverables in a small team, write Python tools to drive hardware, and participate in CI with automated tests and test benches.

The role suits an engineer early in their career who can read datasheets, work close to hardware, and contribute end-to-end from bring-up to production.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.
• Proficient in C for embedded targets, with working knowledge of ARM Cortex-M.
• Comfortable reading a datasheet or register map and turning it into a driver that works.
• Experience with SPI, I2C, and UART.
• Comfortable with standard bench equipment: oscilloscope, logic analyzer, multimeter, bench supply.
• Able to wire up a board from a schematic or a pinout without supervision.
• Proficient in Python for automation, tooling, and test.
• Git, including branches, pull requests, and resolving a merge honestly.
• Strong written communication and attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Embedded firmware development.
• Write C/C++ for ARM Cortex-M targets (bare metal and RTOS).
• Implement and debug peripheral drivers: SPI, I2C, UART, QSPI, GPIO, timers, interrupts.
• Work from register maps and datasheets to produce working drivers.
• Keep firmware within tight memory and timing budgets and document findings.
• Hardware bring-up and debug.
• Power on new boards and new silicon for the first time, following and improving procedures.
• Debug with SWD and JTAG probes, logic analyzers, and oscilloscopes.
• Tooling and test: build host-side Python tools and automation.
• Write unit tests for firmware logic that run on a host.
• Maintain CI so builds, tests, and size limits are checked on every change.
• Documentation and communication: record bring-up procedures and results clearly.

Skills

Embedded software

C for embedded

ARM Cortex-M

Python for automation

Git and PRs

Hardware debugging

Reading datasheets

Oscilloscope/logic analyzers

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Computer Science

Tools

SPI

I2C

UART

JTAG/SWD

Oscilloscope

Logic analyzer

Job description

Avicena Tech is seeking a Firmware Engineer to develop firmware for an optical engine ASIC and module controllers, bring up new boards and silicon, and debug at the register level. You will own deliverables in a small team, write Python tools to drive hardware, and participate in CI with automated tests and test benches.

The role suits an engineer early in their career who can read datasheets, work close to hardware, and contribute end-to-end from bring-up to production.