---
title: 'Principal DFT Engineer at Astera Labs'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/principal-dft-engineer-astera-labs-tel-aviv-yafo-9gdat9ykwmsb'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-11-06'
---

# Principal DFT Engineer at Astera Labs

- **Company:** Astera Labs
- **Location:** Tel Aviv-Yafo, Tel Aviv District, Israel
- **Posted:** 2026-06-08
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-06
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/asteralabs/jobs/4703793005

## Job description

Astera Labs (NASDAQ: ALAB) provides rack-scale AI infrastructure through purpose-built connectivity solutions. By collaborating with hyperscalers and ecosystem partners, Astera Labs enables organizations to unlock the full potential of modern AI. Astera Labs’ Intelligent Connectivity Platform integrates CXL®, Ethernet, NVLink, PCIe®, and UALink™ semiconductor-based technologies with the company’s COSMOS software suite to unify diverse components into cohesive, flexible systems that deliver end-to-end scale-up, and scale-out connectivity. The company’s custom connectivity solutions business complements its standards-based portfolio, enabling customers to deploy tailored architectures to meet their unique infrastructure requirements. Discover more at [www.asteralabs.com](http://www.asteralabs.com/).

## Role Overview

Astera Labs is establishing a strategic R&D center in Israel to drive the development of complex semiconductor chips that solve the critical 'data bottlenecks' enabling the future of AI at scale. As we expand our presence in Israel, we're seeking a visionary Principal DFT Engineer to help build our local engineering powerhouse from the ground up. This is a unique opportunity to take on meaningful product ownership in a new site, ensuring the reliability and testability of chips that power the world's largest AI clusters.

As a Principal DFT Engineer, you will provide technical leadership across the full DFT lifecycle—from architecture and specification through implementation, verification, and silicon bring-up. You will define and drive DFT strategy, establish robust methodologies, and lead execution to ensure high test quality and manufacturability. This role requires deep expertise, cross-functional influence, and the ability to drive DFT excellence across projects and teams.

This is a critical leadership position with high impact on first-pass silicon success and production quality for next-generation AI connectivity solutions.

## Key Responsibilities

DFT Architecture & Technical Leadership

- Define and own DFT architecture for complex SoCs, including Scan, MBIST, LBIST, JTAG/iJTAG, and ATPG strategies

- Lead DFT planning, specification, and quality tracking across the project lifecycle

- Provide technical leadership and drive DFT sign-off readiness to ensure successful tapeout

Execution Across the Full Lifecycle

- Lead DFT implementation, integration, and verification at block, full-chip and chiplet levels

- Own end-to-end DFT activities from specification through silicon bring-up and production support
- Ensure high test coverage, robust pattern generation, and alignment with manufacturing requirements

Methodology & Cross-Functional Impact

- Develop and drive scalable DFT methodologies, flows, and automation frameworks
- Collaborate closely with RTL, Physical Design, STA, and Test Engineering teams to ensure design-for-test readiness
- Optimize DFT integration across front-end and backend flows to improve quality, PPA, and turnaround time

## Basic Qualifications

- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related technical field (Master’s preferred)

- 12+ years of experience in DFT design, implementation, and verification for complex ASIC/SoC designs

- Proven experience in leading DFT activities across full chip development cycles
- Deep expertise in DFT techniques including Scan, MBIST, LBIST, JTAG/iJTAG, and ATPG
- Strong understanding of DFT and Physical Design flows, including timing implications and integration challenges
- Experience with industry-standard DFT tools (Siemens Tessent, Synopsys TestMAX or equivalent)
- Solid experience with DFT verification methodologies and coverage analysis
- Strong scripting skills (Tcl, Python, or Perl) for automation and flow development

## Preferred Qualifications

- Experience with advanced process nodes (7nm and below)
- Background in high-speed connectivity designs (PCIe, Ethernet, CXL, or similar)
- Experience with hierarchical DFT methodologies and large multi-die or chiplet-based systems
- Knowledge of silicon bring-up, production test flows, and yield optimization
- Familiarity with STA, low-power design, and CDC as it relates to DFT integration
- Strong leadership and communication skills, with ability to influence cross-functional teams globally

We know that creativity and innovation happen more often when teams include diverse ideas, backgrounds, and experiences, and we actively encourage everyone with relevant experience to apply, including people of color, LGBTQ+ and non-binary people, veterans, parents, and individuals with disabilities.

## About Astera Labs

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Astera Labs designs and delivers semiconductor-based connectivity solutions purpose-built to unleash the full potential of cloud and AI infrastructure.
- **Entity Type**: Public (Nasdaq: ALAB)
- **Headquarters**: Santa Clara, California, United States
- **Founded**: 2017
- **Founders**: Jitendra Mohan, Sanjay Gajendra, Casey Morrison

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Semiconductor manufacturing / AI infrastructure connectivity
- **Target customers**: B2B, primarily hyperscale cloud providers and system OEMs (e.g., NVIDIA, AMD, Intel)
- **Mission statement**: To innovate, design, and deliver semiconductor-based connectivity solutions that are purpose-built to unleash the full potential of cloud and AI infrastructure.

## Products & Services
- **Aries PCIe®/CXL™ Smart DSP Retimers**: Silicon ICs, boards, and modules that digitally recover degraded high-speed signals to extend reach and enable higher PCIe/CXL data bandwidth between compute, storage, and network controllers.
- **Taurus Ethernet Smart Cable Modules™**: Hardware modules that increase network connectivity bandwidth between servers and switches over copper media, removing rack-level Ethernet bottlenecks.
- **Leo CXL Memory Connectivity Controllers**: ICs and boards that expand, share, and pool DRAM memory to overcome processor memory bandwidth bottlenecks for AI workloads.
- **Scorpio Smart Fabric Switches**: A family of PCIe 6 fabric switches ranging from 32 to 320 lanes, including the new 320-lane Scorpio X-Series Fabric Switch for AI scale-up fabrics.
- **COSMOS Software Suite**: A connectivity system management and optimization software that enables configuration, monitoring, troubleshooting, and predictive analytics for all Astera Labs products.

## Market Standing
- **Market Cap**: ~$11.6 billion (as of mid-2026)
- **Key Metric - Revenue**: $35 million (annual, reported)
- **Key Metric - Operating Income**: $173.4 million (2025)
- **Key Metric - Net Income**: $219.1 million (2025)
- **Total Funding**: ~$810.75 million (pre-IPO), with Series C ($50M, led by Fidelity) and Series D ($150M, led by Fidelity)
- **IPO Date**: March 20, 2024
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Fidelity, NVIDIA, Advanced Micro Devices, Intel, major hyperscalers
- **Growth Signals**: 92% YoY headcount growth (675 employees); 144 active job postings (+260% YoY); expanded Taiwan operations with a new Cloud-Scale Interop Lab in 2026; shipping millions of devices across all major hyperscalers; 300+ design wins.

## Competitive Advantages
- **First-to-market innovation**: Pioneered first-to-market PCIe, Ethernet, and CXL connectivity products.
- **Patented software-defined platform approach**: Differentiates via a platform that combines silicon hardware with embedded COSMOS software, enabling flexibility, observability, and predictive analytics.
- **Deep hyperscaler relationships**: Trusted partner to the world’s largest cloud providers, with proven interoperability validated in their own Cloud-Scale Interop Lab.
- **Broad product portfolio**: Covers PCIe retimers, Ethernet cable modules, CXL memory controllers, and fabric switches—addressing the full spectrum of AI connectivity bottlenecks.
- **Strong IP and engineering talent**: 443 employees in technical roles; talent sourced from Intel (65), Marvell (37), Texas Instruments (40), AMD (22), and NVIDIA.

## Strategic Focus
- **Scaling AI infrastructure**: Expanding product portfolio and global footprint (12 countries) to meet surging demand for rack-scale AI.
- **Open standards leadership**: All products are grounded in open standards (PCIe, CXL, Ethernet), ensuring interoperability and broad adoption.
- **Taiwan expansion**: Growing engineering presence and Interop Lab in Taiwan to strengthen integration with leading AI platform providers and system manufacturers.
- **Continued innovation**: Shipping the new 320-lane Scorpio X-Series Fabric Switch and expanding the COSMOS software suite for fleet-level management and optimization.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Described as collaborative, ownership-driven, and focused on solving complex problems together. The company emphasizes diversity and inclusion as drivers of creativity and innovation.
- **Growth**: Astera Labs supports non-linear career growth—employees can deepen expertise (“scale up”) or broaden into new areas (“scale out”). 92% YoY headcount growth signals rapid expansion and opportunity.
- **Remote/Hybrid**: Not explicitly stated, but global operations across 12 countries (including India, Canada, Israel, Taiwan, Vietnam) suggest a flexible, distributed work model.
- **Benefits**: Competitive medical, dental, and vision plans; flexible time off; family planning and parental leave; 401K and retirement plans.
- **Engineering culture**: Strong focus on cutting-edge semiconductor and AI infrastructure technology. High concentration of senior (24%) and specialist (19%) talent. Active internship and new graduate programs.
- **Employee ratings**: 4.5/5.0 on LinkedIn (124 reviews), with high marks for compensation (4.6), culture (4.4), and career development (4.4).

## Sources
1. [Astera Labs Careers Page](https://www.asteralabs.com/careers/)
2. [Astera Labs Official Website](https://www.asteralabs.com/)
3. [Astera Labs LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/astera-labs)
4. [Astera Labs Products Page](https://www.asteralabs.com/products/)
5. [Astera Labs S-1 Filing (SEC)](https://ir.asteralabs.com/static-files/7103a4cb-aa6b-4f11-a4b0-f179cd4c5bee)

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