Product Applications Engineer (NCG 2026)

The role

You will assist with firmware bring-up, validation, and customer issue resolution for Leo CXL Smart Memory Controllers. You will provide technical guidance to customers and develop firmware using C and Python.

What you will do

• Assist with customer engagements for Leo CXL Smart Memory Controllers
• Develop, validate, and debug firmware using C and Python
• Assist with end-to-end firmware validation of DDR4/DDR5 DRAM interfaces
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver firmware releases and customer collateral
• Develop and maintain Python-based test scripts, automation frameworks, and diagnostic tools
• Contribute to technical documentation including application notes and design guides

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field
• Authorized to work in the US
• Available to start immediately
• Proficiency in C for embedded firmware development in RTOS environments
• Proficiency in Python for scripting, test automation, and diagnostic tooling
• Knowledge with firmware bring-up, debug, and validation of memory or I/O subsystems on server platforms
• Strong debugging skills to triage and root-cause issues in complex embedded systems
• Familiarity with SoC interfaces including DDR controllers, PCIe controllers, and on-chip memory subsystems
• Knowledge of developer workflows: SCM, code reviews, CI/CD pipelines
• Technical writing skills to generate clear, precise documentation

Nice to have

• Master's degree
• Working knowledge of CXL (Compute Express Link) — CXL 1.1/2.0/3.0
• Experience with PCIe endpoint firmware at the PHY, Link, and Transaction layers
• Knowledge of high-speed memory interfaces — DDR4 and/or DDR5 DRAM
• Hands-on experience with PCIe/CXL protocol analyzers, BERT, and other lab debug equipment
• Familiarity with BIOS/BMC/OS interactions with PCIe/CXL devices and MMIO/RAS concepts
• Experience with server memory performance tuning
• Prior customer-facing or field applications experience in a semiconductor or systems company

About the company

Astera Labs provides rack-scale AI infrastructure through purpose-built connectivity solutions. The company's Intelligent Connectivity Platform integrates semiconductor-based technologies with the COSMOS software suite.