Principal Embedded Firmware Engineer - Networking PAM4 DSP/ODSP/AEC/MicroLED

Marvell Technology • Santa Clara, CA

3d • $154,680 - $231,700

About The Position

Marvell’s Optical Digital Signal Processing (ODSP) PHY Software Team develops software for DSP products used in pluggable optical modules. The team owns embedded firmware, customer SDKs, Python-based in-field debugging tools, and related test infrastructure, supporting products throughout the lifecycle from pre-silicon simulation through field deployment.

The Principal Engineer provides technical leadership and project coordination to ensure product success. The role leads the architecture, design, development, and testing of embedded C firmware for complex DSP hardware, and serves as technical lead for a product while guiding a team of developers. The engineer also coordinates cross-functional development, engages with tier-1 customers on technical requirements and implementation, supports customer bring-up and field issues, and mentors engineers.

Requirements

• Experience in memory-constrained embedded C/C++ firmware development.
• Experience as a software team lead or technical lead on embedded projects.
• Experience with architecture design and development, code reviews, testing, and delivery through customer volume production.
• Understanding of embedded SoCs and microcontroller architecture; RISC-V experience is a plus.
• Understanding of memory-mapped hardware interfaces, GPIOs, and ISRs.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and ability to collaborate in a large cross-functional organization.
• Strong problem-solving and customer-debugging skills on real hardware in a lab.
• Experience using revision-control and defect-tracking systems.
• BS, MS, or PhD degree in Computer Science, Electrical/Software Engineering, or a related technical field.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with SERDES, IM-DD/coherent DSP, Ethernet/PCIe PHYs, and/or optical-module software.
• Experience designing, developing, and debugging software state machines, transitions, context saving, and error handling.
• Experience with mixed-signal (analog and digital) control and monitoring, including PID/feedback-loop control.
• Experience with bare-metal systems, RTOS, device drivers, Linux kernel, or related technologies.
• Familiarity with advanced compiler options and compiler details; clang/gcc preferred.
• Proficiency in C and Python, with knowledge of git, Linux, makefiles, gdb, IDEs, and bash.
• Familiarity with digital verification test flows, FPGA emulation, and hardware languages such as Verilog.
• Familiarity with lab equipment such as oscilloscopes, supplies, PNAs, and ONTs.
• Understanding of Ethernet networking from the OSI model, especially the PHY through data-link levels.
• Familiarity with forward error correction, PCS framing, PMA/PMD, PRBS, and other PHY traffic schemes.
• Understanding of signal-processing concepts such as histograms, BER, SNR, sampling phase, Shannon limit, impulse and frequency response, and FFT.

Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture, design, development, and testing of embedded C firmware for complex DSP hardware.
• Serve as the technical lead on a product and guide software team members through development.
• Drive firmware development for DSP control blocks, including RX/TX signal processing, FEC, PLL/FLL, reference generation, and thermal monitoring.
• Lead technical reviews of firmware architecture, API design, and system integration approaches.
• Translate standards-body and customer specifications into clear requirements and sequence diagrams.
• Lead difficult debugging investigations, identify root causes with hardware and systems teams, and follow up with test, validation, and customer support teams.
• Plan software milestones, develop in sprints, close tickets, and roll out product features with cross-functional teams.
• Coordinate deliverables and schedules with Marketing, AE, Test, Validation, SW_QA, and Hardware teams.
• Provide status updates on milestones, scope, dependencies, and blockers.
• Manage Agile sprint planning and backlog prioritization with stakeholders.
• Lead technical discussions with tier-1 customers about feature requirements, API specifications, and implementation.
• Support customer bring-up activities and resolve field issues.
• Work with AE teams to understand customer expectations and deliver critical features.
• Handle customer-specific feature development, including FEC burst statistics, VDM telemetry, and CMIS compliance.
• Mentor engineers on embedded firmware development, debugging techniques, and best practices.
• Conduct code reviews and provide technical guidance to promote code quality and maintainability.
• Foster collaboration across geographically distributed teams.

Benefits

• Eligible to participate in bonus and equity plans, including a new-hire equity grant and annual equity refreshers.
• Employee stock purchase plan with a 2-year look back.
• Family support programs.
• Mental health resources.
• Recognition and service awards.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal