Sr. SSD Application Engineer

W3Global; Milpitas (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

W3Global in Milpitas, CA is seeking a Senior SSD Applications Engineer to support SSD controller products through front-end firmware development, PCIe/NVMe debugging, and customer qualification. You will work closely with customers, hardware designers, and internal teams to resolve platform issues and enable smooth product integration.

The role combines hands-on firmware R&D with customer-facing technical support, requiring a strong problem-solving mindset, collaboration, and the ability to

Qualifications

• BS/BE in Electrical or Computer Engineering or related field.
• 3+ years of firmware/software applications experience.
• Experience with SSD controller architecture and firmware development.
• Hands-on firmware development using PCIe and NVMe protocols.
• Understanding host-interface troubleshooting and PCIe trace analysis.
• Strong C/C++ programming and data structures knowledge.
• Hands-on JTAG/ICE debugging and Git version control experience.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and enhance front-end firmware features to meet SSD specs and customer needs.
• Develop and modify firmware for SSD products based on PCIe/NVMe.
• Debug host-interface issues during firmware testing and qualification.
• Perform root-cause analysis and implement corrective firmware changes.
• Collaborate with hardware engineers to resolve firmware/hardware issues.
• Work with customers to manage SSD debugging, integration, and qualification.
• Analyze customer issues and identify barriers to product adoption.
• Coordinate with internal teams to improve SSD controller firmware solutions.
• Communicate customer requirements to engineering and product mgmt.
• Participate in customer meetings, technical presentations, and design discussions.
• Provide troubleshooting guidance and engineering support to customers.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams to address customer needs and deliver solutions.
• Support enterprise storage customers in integrating SSD controller solutions.

Skills

C/C++ programming

PCIe/NVMe firmware

SSD controller knowledge

JTAG/ICE debugging

Git version control

Debugging/troubleshooting

Host-interface troubleshooting

Customer-facing communication

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Computer Engineering or related field

Tools

Git

JTAG/ICE debuggers

PCIe protocol analyzers

NVMe tooling

Job description

Senior SSD Applications Engineer

Location: Milpitas, California

Job Type: Full-Time

Experience: 3+ years of relevant experience

Job Summary

We are seeking a Senior SSD Applications Engineer to support SSD controller products through front-end firmware development, PCIe/NVMe debugging, customer qualification, and technical problem-solving.

This role combines hands‑on firmware engineering with customer‑facing technical responsibilities. The successful candidate will work closely with customers, hardware designers, and internal engineering teams to resolve SSD platform issues, support product integration, and drive the adoption of enterprise storage solutions.

Candidates with relevant technical knowledge, strong problem‑solving skills, and a willingness to learn are encouraged to apply. Junior candidates with the right technical foundation and learning attitude may also be considered, with training provided to help them develop into the role.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and enhance front‑end firmware features to meet SSD product specifications and customer requirements.
• Develop and modify firmware for SSD products based on PCIe and NVMe protocols.
• Debug host‑interface issues encountered during internal firmware testing and customer qualification.
• Perform root‑cause analysis, identify technical problems, and implement corrective firmware changes.
• Collaborate with hardware designers and engineering teams to resolve firmware, hardware, and platform‑related issues.
• Work directly with customers to manage SSD debugging, product integration, and qualification activities.
• Analyze customer issues and identify technical barriers affecting product adoption.
• Collaborate with internal engineering teams and platform partners to resolve product issues and improve SSD controller and firmware solutions.
• Communicate customer requirements and technical feedback to internal engineering and product management teams.
• Participate in customer meetings, technical presentations, and product design discussions.
• Serve as a technical resource for customers, providing troubleshooting guidance and engineering support.
• Coordinate cross‑functional teams to address customer requirements and deliver technical solutions.
• Support enterprise and data‑center storage customers in integrating and adopting SSD controller solutions.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field.
• 3+ years of relevant experience in software/firmware applications engineering.
• Experience with SSD controller architecture and firmware development.
• Hands‑on experience developing and debugging firmware using PCIe and NVMe protocols.
• Understanding of host‑interface troubleshooting, including host resets, power management, namespaces, MSI‑X, SMBus, ARP, and NVMe commands.
• Experience analyzing PCIe protocol traces to identify and resolve front‑end issues.
• Experience in SSD, HDD, storage systems, or related storage technologies.
• Strong programming skills in C/C++ and knowledge of data structures.
• Hands‑on experience with JTAG/ICE debugging tools.
• Experience using version control tools such as Git.
• Strong analytical, problem‑solving, and troubleshooting skills.
• Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaborate effectively with cross‑functional engineering teams.
• Strong learning attitude and ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment.
• Role Expectations: This position combines hands‑on firmware R&D and debugging with customer‑facing technical support, meetings, and collaboration; candidates should be comfortable with both responsibilities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience operating logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, and bus protocol analyzers.
• Knowledge of SSD hardware and firmware architecture.
• Experience with hardware peripherals, development environments, and platform‑level debugging.
• Familiarity with Windows and Linux operating systems in enterprise computing or storage environments.
• Knowledge of storage interfaces and protocols, including SAS, SATA, PCIe, and NVMe.
• Familiarity with data‑center architecture and components such as PCIe switches, RAID controllers, host bus adapters (HBAs), expanders, JBODs, and JBOFs.
• Experience troubleshooting enterprise storage systems and data‑center operating systems.
• Mandarin proficiency, particularly reading and writing, is preferred.

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate combines hands‑on SSD firmware expertise with strong debugging skills and the ability to work directly with customers. Candidates should be comfortable collaborating with hardware engineers, troubleshooting complex host‑interface issues, and communicating technical solutions to both customers and internal teams.

Candidates with approximately 3-10 years of relevant experience are encouraged to apply. Applicants with a strong technical foundation, a willingness to learn, and the potential to grow into the role may also be considered.

Compensation And Benefits

The final base salary will depend on relevant skills, experience, qualifications, work location, and market conditions.

Eligible Employees May Receive Benefits Including

• Annual merit increases and performance‑based bonuses.
• Restricted stock units (RSUs), where eligible.
• 401(k) employer matching.
• Health insurance coverage for eligible employees and dependents.
• Invention and patent awards.
• Length‑of‑service recognition.
• Additional employee rewards and work‑life balance benefits.

Work Environment

This is a full‑time, onsite engineering position based in Milpitas, California. The role requires collaboration with customers, hardware designers, firmware engineers, and cross‑functional teams to support SSD product development and integration.