Principal Engineer, SSD Systems Design

Micron•Longmont, CO

1d•$181,000 - $308,000

About The Position

The Principal Engineer leads SSD system design and architecture from concept through high-volume manufacturing. The role drives system definition, characterization strategies, and cross-functional execution to deliver products that meet customer, platform, and roadmap requirements. As a technical authority, the engineer resolves complex system challenges, influences product direction, mentors engineers, and advances engineering excellence through continuous improvement and AI-enabled innovation. The role integrates AI-assisted tools and insights into daily work to improve efficiency, quality, or effectiveness, while exercising good judgment and complying with organizational standards and legal requirements. It also contributes to continuous improvement by identifying, testing, and sharing AI-enabled enhancements within the scope of work.

Requirements

B.Sc. or higher in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent.
Over 6 years of industry experience in SSD system design, architecture, or product development.
Deep expertise in SSD architecture, controller design, flash translation layer (FTL), wear leveling, NAND lifecycle management, and storage subsystems.
Strong knowledge of PCIe and NVMe protocols, SSD performance optimization, and system-level behavior.
Experience with system-level design, debug, characterization, and validation across product development phases.
Hands-on expertise with lab instrumentation and board-level debug.
Technical leadership through influence and ability to drive alignment across diverse stakeholder groups.
Structured problem-solving and strategic decision-making for complex engineering challenges.
Clear executive-level communication and presentation skills.
Mentoring, coaching, and cross-functional collaboration capabilities.

Nice To Haves

Experience with SSD ASIC development, firmware integration, and system-level co-design.
Strong programming capability in Python, C++, Bash, or similar languages for automation and analysis.
Experience with system-level power and thermal optimization.
Experience leading global engineering teams and engaging directly with customers.

Responsibilities

Lead system-level design definition, architecture reviews, and technical decision-making for SSD products to align with product roadmaps and customer requirements.
Resolve complex multi-domain technical issues spanning firmware, hardware, and system interactions using structured root-cause methodologies and data-driven debugging techniques.
Define and implement characterization strategies for SSD performance, power, thermal behavior, and reliability throughout product development phases.
Serve as a primary technical contact and collaborate with executive partners, customers, and global engineering teams to influence technical direction and execution.
Lead cross-functional engineering activities that improve product quality, manufacturability, reliability, and customer readiness.
Lead lessons-learned reviews and continuous-improvement initiatives to strengthen SSD development methodologies and engineering effectiveness.
Mentor engineers and provide technical guidance to develop organizational capability and technical depth.
Drive alignment across architecture, firmware, hardware, validation, and product engineering teams to achieve program objectives.
Provide technical risk assessments, roadmap recommendations, and status updates to leadership stakeholders.
Integrate AI-assisted tools and insights into daily work to improve efficiency, quality, or effectiveness, consistent with organizational standards and legal requirements.
Identify, test, and share AI-enabled enhancements within the scope of work.