Sr. Engineer, Embedded Firmware

Ayar Labs • San Jose, CA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

Ayar Labs is developing co-packaged optics to move data faster, farther, and with less energy for next-generation AI scale-up architectures. The Sr. Engineer, Embedded Firmware will drive firmware design from inception through customer deployment, ensuring hardware validation and integration. The role focuses on embedded systems, multi-chip package environments, and high-speed SerDes for optical interconnect.

The engineer will design, develop, and optimize firmware that controls high-speed SerDes interfaces and electronic and photonic subsystems. They will collaborate with analog/mixed-signal, digital, and photonic designers on control algorithms and establish micro-architecture and embedded requirements for multi-chip package systems. The role also includes firmware testing, silicon bring-up and debugging, cross-functional product development, and maintaining technical documentation.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• At least 3 years of relevant industry experience.
• Proven expertise in bare-metal embedded firmware development and strong C programming skills.
• Experience with various microcontrollers and firmware debugging tools.
• Proficiency with modern version control workflows such as Git, modern firmware development tools, and CI/CD tools.
• Hands-on, proactive approach and ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic startup environment.
• Silicon bring-up experience.
• Experience scripting with a high-level language such as Python.
• Experience with Make-based build flows.

Nice To Haves

• Ability to own firmware module architecture and development from scratch.
• Experience in embedded firmware development for high-speed electronics and photonics applications.
• Silicon bring-up experience for high-speed SerDes and photonics applications.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and optimize embedded firmware for controlling high-speed SerDes interfaces and electronic and photonic subsystems.
• Collaborate with analog/mixed-signal, digital, and photonic block designers to develop and implement control algorithms for photonic circuits.
• Establish micro-architecture and embedded requirements for multi-chip package systems.
• Write unit and integration tests for firmware modules, participate in firmware code reviews, and maintain firmware quality through CI/CD practices.
• Develop and execute firmware test code for initial silicon power-on and bring-up; debug hardware-firmware interactions at first silicon.
• Partner with hardware, validation, systems, and software teams throughout the product development lifecycle.
• Maintain technical documentation, including APIs, firmware architecture documents, module specifications, and build and release notes.

What This Job Offers

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