Technical Lead Manager (SSD Firmware)

Silicon Motion; Milpitas (CA); On-site; USD 239,200 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Silicon Motion is seeking a Technical Lead Manager in SSD Firmware in Milpitas, CA. This role involves leading the firmware and application development for SSD technologies, defining architectural standards and ensuring consistency across projects. The ideal candidate will have a Master's degree in Computer Science and 2+ years of experience in managing firmware applications. Knowledge of NAND flash, DRAM, and programming in Python and C are essential. Salary range is $239,200 - $240,000 annually.

Qualifications

• Master's degree or equivalent in a related field and 2 years of experience in firmware application management.
• Knowledge of NAND flash, SSD firmware, DRAM, FTL, and real-time operating systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead SSD Firmware development including architecture and performance optimization.
• Manage engineering priorities and ensure project execution aligns with corporate standards.
• Coordinate cross-functional architecture reviews and deliver integrated firmware features.

Skills

NAND flash memory knowledge

SSD firmware development

Real-time operating systems

Python programming

C programming

Education

Master's degree in Computer Science or equivalent

Job description

Silicon Motion, Inc.

690 N. McCarthy Blvd., Suite 200, Milpitas, CA 95035, is seeking to hire a Technical Lead Manager in SSD Firmware.

Job Duties

1. Lead SSD Firmware and Application Development

   • Manage cross‑functional firmware and application engineering teams and coordinate roadmap alignment and collaborative development to meet Artificial Intelligent (AI) computing, Data Center, and hyperscaler requirements and business goals.
   • Deliver structured technical onboarding, training programs, and maintain up‑to‑date documentation to align U.S. SSD application engineers with internal architectures and toolchains.
   • Mentor team engineers by setting performance goals, conducting regular check‑ins, and defining long‑term engineering strategies tailored for the U.S. market.

2. Define SSD Architecture and Technical Ownership

   • Architect next‑generation PCIe Gen5 and Gen6 SSDs with a focus on controller logic, NAND interface optimization, DRAM architecture, and telemetry enablement.
   • Lead the design of secure boot flows, system‑level ECC, and NVMe host interface logic customized for AI computing, Data Center, and hyperscaler‑specific extensions.
   • Drive cross‑functional architecture reviews and collaborate with ASIC and software teams to define and deliver integrated firmware/hardware features.

3. Lead Engineering Team & Technical Execution for Next Generation SSD (PCIe Gen5 and Gen6)

   • Define engineering priorities, oversee project planning, and review technical designs to ensure consistency with corporate standards and quality benchmarks.
   • Facilitate code reviews, remove technical blockers, and manage delivery timelines through Agile best practices and milestone tracking.

4. Conduct NAND Flash Memory and FTL Customization

   • Optimize flash translation layer (FTL) functions, including garbage collection, wear‑leveling, and over‑provisioning strategies.
   • Customize firmware to accommodate evolving NAND geometries and client‑specific endurance and retention targets.
   • Use proprietary tools to validate NAND performance through profiling, ECC error analysis, and stress‑testing.

5. Conduct Architecture of PCIe Gen5 and Gen6 & NVMe Host Interface

   • Lead implementation of PCIe Gen5 and Gen6 initialization and link optimization features for performance and power efficiency.
   • Customize and extend NVMe protocol stacks to support cloud‑specific storage functionality, telemetry, and quality‑of‑service features.

6. Conduct Security Feature Development & SSD Reliability

   • Design and integrate secure firmware update mechanisms, encryption key management, and SED (Self‑Encrypting Drive) capabilities in line with AI computing, Data Center, and hyperscaler compliance requirements.
   • Develop custom diagnostic tools and logs to support post‑deployment failure analysis and improve reliability insights.

7. Work on Customer Enablement & Cross‑functional Collaboration

   • Act as primary customer contact for U.S.‑based AI computing, Data Center, hyperscaler and OEM partners during validation, bring‑up, and production deployment.
   • Translate AI computing, Data Center, and hyperscaler workload profiles and telemetry into actionable firmware customizations and performance tuning.
   • Collaborate with business development teams to support customer engagements through technical presentations, roadmap briefings, and feature demonstrations.

Job Requirements

• Master degree or equivalent in Computer Science, Computer Information Systems, Information Technology or related, and 2‑year experience in engineering manager occupation in firmware application for NAND.
• Knowledge of NAND flash memory, SSD firmware, DRAM, FTL, and real‑time operating systems, and Python and C programming.

Salary range: $239,200.00 - $240,000.00 per year.