Embedded Software Engineer, Tech Lead

Astera Labs

3d•CA$140,000 - CA$180,000

About The Position

Astera Labs provides rack-scale AI infrastructure through purpose-built connectivity solutions. The firmware controlling these devices drives adaptive behaviour, calibration sequences, link management, and real-time performance, and it ends up deployed in data centers around the world. This role involves working on firmware development, hardware bring-up, test automation, and day-to-day project tracking within a small Ottawa-based team. The position offers exposure to how analog and Ethernet connectivity products go from silicon to production in a fast-paced startup environment. The level is negotiable based on experience and qualifications.

Requirements

BS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field
2 to 5 years of experience writing embedded C/C++ firmware on real hardware
Comfort working at the hardware/software boundary: reading datasheets, poking registers, interpreting hardware behaviour from software
Familiarity with Linux development tools: gcc/clang, make, bash, gdb, and git
Some experience with Python scripting, whether for test automation, data analysis, or general utility scripts
Strong communication skills and a collaborative attitude; you'll be working closely with a small team and need to keep everyone in the loop
A genuine interest in digging into hard problems and the persistence to see them through

Nice To Haves

Hands-on experience with Ethernet at the system or device level: Layer 1 PHY, SERDES, retimers, gearboxes, NICs, or related devices
Exposure to analog or mixed-signal systems: ADC/DAC interfaces, calibration techniques, signal conditioning
Understanding of signal integrity concepts: equalization, jitter, eye diagrams, or link margin
Experience with Jira or similar tools for issue tracking and project management
Background with RTOS, device drivers, or bare-metal firmware on microcontrollers
Familiarity with lab equipment such as oscilloscopes, BERTs, logic analyzers or similar
Prior internship or co-op experience in a semiconductor or networking hardware company

Responsibilities

Write and modify embedded C firmware for analog and Ethernet connectivity devices, including register configuration, state machines, calibration sequences, and control loops.
Work on low-level hardware bring-up and debug alongside senior firmware engineers.
Contribute to features spanning analog control such as gain settings and equalization parameters, as well as Ethernet link management, SERDES configuration, and diagnostics.
Help maintain and improve the firmware codebase with clean, reviewable code.
Write Python scripts to automate test flows, collect and analyze data, and help make the team faster.
Work with validation teams remotely to develop and execute test plans across a range of operating conditions and corner cases.
Help build out CI infrastructure and automated test tooling as the team grows.
Contribute to characterizing firmware behaviour across analog and Ethernet configurations, link states, and failure modes.
Keep Jira tickets up to date, track your own work, and flag blockers early.
Participate in code reviews and architecture discussions.
Communicate clearly with teammates across firmware, silicon design, and applications.