Staff SerDes Characterization Engineer, Platforms

Google; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 188,000 - 274,000; Full time

Job summary

Google is seeking a senior engineer to design and validate SerDes interfaces across cutting-edge compute and networking platforms. You will own TX/RX characterization, compliance testing, and advanced lab setups, spanning from circuit levels to system-level integration.

The role requires deep expertise in high-speed validation, RF measurements, and automated test development, with collaboration across ASIC, silicon, and signal integrity teams to improve link performance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 6 years of experience in high-speed SerDes validation, physical layer testing, or RF/high-speed measurement.
• 3 years of experience with transmitter and receiver characterization, JTOL testing, and high-speed BERT/AWG instrumentation.

Responsibilities

• Own transmitter and receiver characterization and compliance testing for SerDes interfaces across next‑gen compute and networking platforms.
• Lead the development of advanced RX test methodologies, including jitter tolerance, stressed receiver sensitivity, bit error rate, and ISI testing.
• Master and deploy high‑bandwidth lab instrumentation, including high‑speed AWGs, BERTs, real‑time oscilloscopes, and VNAs.
• Collaborate with ASIC/ silicon design and signal integrity teams to root‑cause link performance issues and optimize TX/RX DSP.
• Drive test automation development to maximize coverage, repeatability, and efficiency.

Skills

SerDes validation

Physical layer testing

RF/high-speed measurement

Transmitter and receivercharacterizati

JTOL testing

BERT/AWG instrumentation

PhD in Electrical Engineering

SerDes receiver architectures

Clock/data recovery (CDR)

Adaptive equalization algorithms

Custom calibration routines

Python for test automation

Cross-functional communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, a related field, or equivalent practical experience

Job description

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 6 years of experience in high-speed SerDes validation, physical layer testing, or RF/high-speed measurement.
• 3 years of experience with transmitter and receiver characterization, JTOL testing, and high-speed BERT/AWG instrumentation.

Minimum qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 6 years of experience in high-speed SerDes validation, physical layer testing, or RF/high-speed measurement.
• 3 years of experience with transmitter and receiver characterization, JTOL testing, and high-speed BERT/AWG instrumentation.

Preferred qualifications

• PhD degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Understanding of SerDes receiver architectures, clock/data recovery (CDR), and adaptive equalization algorithms.
• Demonstrated expertise in developing custom calibration routines for stressed eye test setups and high frequency fixture de-embedding.
• Strong programming skills in Python for automated test execution, statistical data processing, and yield analysis.
• Excellent technical problem solving and cross‑functional communication abilities.

About the job

Our platforms team designs and builds the hardware, software, and networking technologies that power all of Google's services. In this role, you will design and build the systems that are the heart of the computing infrastructure. You will develop from the lowest levels of circuit design to system design and see those systems all the way through to manufacturing. Your work has the potential to shape the machinery that goes into our data centers affecting Google users. As a member of the team, you will manage projects in multiple areas. You will also monitor the performance of vendors working on projects and evaluate new technologies.

The AI and Infrastructure team is redefining what’s possible. We empower Google customers with breakthrough capabilities and insights by delivering AI and Infrastructure at unparalleled scale, efficiency, reliability and velocity. Our customers include Googlers, Google Cloud customers, and billions of Google users worldwide.

We're the driving force behind Google's groundbreaking innovations, empowering the development of our cutting‑edge AI models, delivering unparalleled computing power to global services, and providing the essential platforms that enable developers to build the future. From software to hardware our teams are shaping the future of world‑leading hyperscale computing, with key teams working on the development of our TPUs, Vertex AI for Google Cloud, Google Global Networking, Data Center operations, systems research, and much more.

Individual pay is determined by factors including job‑related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

US: $188000 - $274000 (USD) + 20% bonus target + equity + benefits

Responsibilities

• Own transmitter and receiver characterization and compliance testing for SerDes interfaces across next‑generation compute and networking platforms.
• Lead the development of advanced RX test methodologies, including jitter tolerance, stressed receiver sensitivity, bit error rate, and complex inter symbol interference channel testing. Interpret and map industry standards (IEEE 802.3, OIF-CEI) into rigorous, automated receiver test plans.
• Master and deploy high‑bandwidth lab instrumentation, including high‑speed arbitrary waveform generators, bit error rate testers, real‑time oscilloscopes, and vector network analyzers.
• Collaborate closely with ASIC PHY design, silicon design and validation, and signal integrity teams to root‑cause link performance anomalies and optimize TX and RX equalizer and DSP parameters.
• Drive test automation development to maximize test coverage, measurement repeatability, and characterization efficiency.

Google is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. See also Google's EEO Policy and EEO is the Law. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know by completing our Accommodations for Applicants form .