Principal Post-Silicon Validation Engineer

SambaNova Systems • San Jose, CA

1d

About The Position

The era of pervasive AI has arrived. In this era, organizations will use generative AI to unlock hidden value in their data, accelerate processes, reduce costs, drive efficiency and innovation to fundamentally transform their businesses and operations at scale. About the team We're the team behind post-silicon bring-up, debug, and validation for the high-speed IO and memory subsystems in SambaNova's DataScale platform. We own the path from first silicon power-on through field deployment: characterization, stress testing, performance validation, and root-causing issues across silicon, board, and software. We work directly with design, firmware, verification, and system engineering to keep bring-up on schedule, and partner with customer engineering on deployment and RMA debug. We build our own debug tooling and automation, and apply what we learn to pre-silicon verification to improve coverage on future programs. About the role SambaNova is seeking a Principal Engineer to own post-silicon bring-up, debug, and validation of high-speed IO and memory subsystems within the DataScale® platform. This role is central to delivering reliable, high-performance AI systems at scale. You'll lead system-level debug across silicon, board, and software layers, driving issues to root cause from first silicon through field deployment. This is a hands-on role for an engineer with deep expertise in high-speed interfaces and hardware debug, who can operate in ambiguity and execute with high ownership.

Requirements

• M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field
• 7+ years of experience in post-silicon validation or system bring-up
• Experience with two or more high-speed IO or memory protocols such as PCIe, Ethernet, HBM, CXL, or UCIe
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional debug efforts to root cause and closure
• Strong analytical skills for test development and data analysis
• Proficiency in scripting such as Python and bash
• Clear and effective communicator with a proactive, collaborative approach to problem-solving

Nice To Haves

• Deep understanding of high-speed SerDes training and adaptation
• Experience with mixed-signal IO design and validation
• Hands-on lab experience with oscilloscopes, protocol analyzers, and BERTs
• Experience with optical interconnect
• Ability to read and debug C/C++

Responsibilities

• Own post-silicon bring-up and validation of high-speed IO and memory subsystems, spanning characterization, functional validation, stress testing, and performance analysis
• Establish power-on readiness ahead of first silicon, including debug infrastructure, tooling, and contingency planning
• Lead system-level debug to root cause complex issues spanning silicon, board, and software layers
• Drive resolution with design, firmware, verification, and system teams to close issues and keep bring-up on schedule
• Partner with system and customer engineering teams on product validation, deployment, and RMA debug
• Own validation sign-off for product release against stability, performance, and field reliability targets
• Review SoC and board design and SI/PI analysis through a post-silicon debug and deployment lens
• Contribute to pre-silicon verification and emulation to improve bring-up efficiency and coverage
• Build scripts and tooling that automate validation, debug, and data analysis, and scale test coverage across systems
• Advance post-silicon validation methodology and debug infrastructure across programs

Benefits

• Equity
• 95% premium coverage for employee medical insurance
• 77% premium coverage for dependents
• Health Savings Account (HSA) with employer contribution
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Short/Long term Disability insurance
• Basic Life insurance
• Voluntary Life insurance
• AD&D insurance
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) options (Health Care, Limited Purpose, and Dependent Care)
• Headspace subscription
• Gympass+ membership
• One Medical membership
• Counseling services with an Employee Assistance Program

What This Job Offers

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