Senior Firmware Validation Engineer

AheadComputing Inc.; Portland (TX); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive Compensation & Benefits Package

Technical Leadership Opportunity

Flexible and inclusive work culture

Job summary

AheadComputing Inc. is seeking an engineer to deploy validation tests and debug failures at our Portland location. The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's or Master's degree in a related field and strong experience in firmware development and embedded systems engineering.

Responsibilities include developing automated test frameworks in Python, validating firmware components, and collaborating with diverse design teams. We offer competitive compensation, benefits, and opportunities for professional growth in an innovative culture.

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience in firmware development, embedded systems engineering, or firmware/silicon validation.
• Strong proficiency in bare metal / embedded C/C++, with a solid grasp of OS concepts.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with diverse design teams.

Responsibilities

• Deploy validation tests on silicon and debug failures across the hardware/software boundary.
• Develop automated test frameworks in Python.
• Validate and stress-test firmware components and communication interfaces.

Skills

Firmware development

Embedded systems engineering

Bare metal / embedded C/C++

Python

Problem-solving

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Education

Bachelor's (BS) or Master's (MS) degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field

Job description

Responsibilities

• Deploy validation tests on silicon, lead bring‑up activities, and debug failures across the hardware/software boundary.
• Develop automated test frameworks and regression suites in Python to maximize validation coverage and efficiency.
• Validate and stress‑test firmware components and communication interfaces, identifying, isolating, and root‑causing deep and complex defects.
• Analyze test results, characterize failures, and provide actionable feedback to architects and RTL design engineers.
• Build reusable, scalable test and validation infrastructure, accommodating continuous improvement of test methodologies and best practices.

Qualifications & Skills

Education

• Bachelor's (BS) or Master's (MS) degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.

Experience & Skills

• Hands‑on experience in firmware development, embedded systems engineering, or firmware/silicon validation.
• Strong proficiency in bare metal /embedded C/C++, with a solid grasp of OS concepts, interrupt handling, and memory management.
• Strong proficiency in Python for building scalable, automated test frameworks from scratch.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with diverse design teams.
• Strong problem‑solving, analytical, and diagnostic skills, with excellent written and verbal communication abilities.
• Exceptional organizational skills, high self‑motivation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience modeling devices and peripherals in software‑based platforms such as QEMU.
• Experience validating RISC‑V or other high‑performance CPU cores.
• Experience with system bring‑up, board design, characterization, and failure analysis.
• Experience with system IP integration, and CPU debug tools (e.g., JTAG).
• Experience building or maintaining CI/CD pipelines for automated regression.

What We Offer

• Competitive Compensation & Benefits Package
• Technical Leadership Opportunity
• Collaboration with talented engineers passionate about cutting‑edge CPU technologies
• Work on advanced chiplet‑based architectures using the most advanced semiconductor process nodes and packaging technologies available
• Opportunities for professional growth in an innovative startup environment
• A flexible and inclusive work culture based in Portland, OR, Austin, TX or Guadalajara, MX