Principle Product Application Engineer

SK hynix memory solutions America Inc.•San Jose, CA

2h•$166,000 - $197,000

About The Position

Our Product Application Engineering team is a fast‑paced, cross‑functional group dedicated to ensuring the reliability and performance of cutting‑edge SSD products. We work closely with hardware design, firmware, QA, and customer support teams to diagnose, reproduce, and resolve PCIe/NVMe protocol issues, and we own the development of in‑house test frameworks that keep our products ahead of the market.

Requirements

Strong, hands‑on knowledge of the PCIe protocol.
Deep understanding of the NVMe specification as it applies to SSD products.
Proven ability to perform low‑level hardware debugging using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and protocol analyzers.
Advanced Python scripting ability (≥ 3 years of experience) for test automation
Data parsing, and rapid‑prototype debugging tools.
8+ years of relevant experience in the SSD, PCIe, or related storage‑interface industry.
Demonstrated track record of diagnosing, reproducing, and resolving complex hardware‑software interoperability issues.
Excellent engineering judgment for root‑cause analysis and systematic troubleshooting.
Ability to translate ambiguous symptoms into reproducible test cases and actionable fixes.
High motivation and ownership for driving issues to closure across multiple teams.
Strong communication skills for clear documentation, status reporting, and cross‑functional collaboration.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with C/C++ development, especially for low‑level firmware or driver code.
Deep understanding of SSD firmware architecture, boot flow, wear‑leveling, error‑correction, and firmware update mechanisms
Good knowledge of NAND‑Flash technology, including cell types (SLC/MLC/TLC/QLC), die‑level characteristics, and typical development challenges.
Excellent verbal and written communication, with the ability to present technical findings clearly to both engineering and non‑technical stakeholders.
Proven capability to manage several concurrent debugging or testing projects while maintaining high quality and meeting deadlines.

Responsibilities

Root‑cause analysis & troubleshooting
Investigate PCIe/NVMe protocol failures reported by customers or internal testing, using logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, and software debug tools.
Issue reproduction
Design and implement reproducible test cases and scripts that reliably trigger observed problems, enabling efficient debugging and fix verification.
Cross‑team support
Act as the primary technical liaison for hardware, firmware, and QA groups, providing detailed issue screening, status updates, and remediation recommendations.
In‑house test execution & debugging
Develop, maintain, and run PCIe/NVMe validation suites, analyze test results, and fine‑tune test methodologies to cover new features and edge‑case scenarios.
Documentation & knowledge sharing
Produce clear defect reports, troubleshooting guides, and best‑practice documents; mentor junior engineers and contribute to internal knowledge bases.
Continuous improvement
Identify gaps in existing test coverage or debugging processes and propose enhancements to tooling, procedures, or automation frameworks.