Principal Hardware Validation Engineer: PCBA & Test Expert

Astera Labs; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 185,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Astera Labs seeks a Principal Hardware Validation Engineer to bridge Hardware Electrical Design and Post-Silicon Validation. You will validate PCBAs, lead test plans, and debug complex hardware issues in a fast-paced lab environment.

You will bring up boards, de-risk power regulators and interfaces, and collaborate across teams to ensure robust product readiness for customers and partners.

Qualifications

• Bachelor degree in EE with 3+ years of hardware test or design experience.
• Expert understanding of design and test for power regulators, PDNs, Bode plots, and clock generators.
• Ability to create test descriptions from schematics and execute/document results.
• Knowledge of the full hardware product lifecycle from kickoff to RTM.
• Experience with lab equipment (oscilloscopes, e-loads, VNA, TDR, environmental chambers).
• Interest in automating lab equipment to optimize test processes (Python preferred).

Responsibilities

• Support hardware design teams by de-risking circuits and modules from project kickoff to gerber release.
• Develop comprehensive hardware validation plans using proper test methods.
• Bring up PCBAs and execute validation plans to verify all circuits.
• Debug complex multi-point hardware failures (power regulators, PDNs, clocks, I2C, SPI).
• Rework components on PCBAs to unblock debugging activities.
• Collaborate with System Validation to de-risk architectures.
• Support hardware activities in Post-Silicon Validation, Product Apps, System Validation, FAEs.
• Help de-risk new features using knowledge of existing products.
• Learn and apply new industry test standards and equipment.

Skills

Electronic circuit analysis

Hardware test & debug

Python programming

Lab automation

Education

Bachelor's degree in EE

Tools

Oscilloscopes

e-loads

VNA

TDR

Environmental chambers

Python scripting

Job description

Astera Labs seeks a Principal Hardware Validation Engineer to bridge Hardware Electrical Design and Post-Silicon Validation. You will validate PCBAs, lead test plans, and debug complex hardware issues in a fast-paced lab environment.

You will bring up boards, de-risk power regulators and interfaces, and collaborate across teams to ensure robust product readiness for customers and partners.