---
title: 'Principal System/Rack Mechanical Engineer at Astera Labs'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/principal-system-rack-mechanical-engineer-astera-labs-research-triangle-park-pv39bzct12gc'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-11'
---

# Principal System/Rack Mechanical Engineer at Astera Labs

- **Company:** Astera Labs
- **Location:** Research Triangle Park North Carolina, United States
- **Posted:** 2026-08-26
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-11
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/asteralabs/jobs/4727379005

## 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/).

Senior Principal Mechanical Engineer

Location: Research Triangle Park (RTP), North Carolina Department: Hardware Engineering / System Architecture Employment Type: Full-Time

We are seeking a Senior Principal Mechanical Engineer to lead mechanical architecture and system integration across next-generation AI platforms, optical networking systems, and rack-scale infrastructure solutions.

The Opportunity

This is a highly visible leadership role responsible for developing mechanical architecture across:

- PCIe Scale-Up AI Infrastructure
- UALink Rack-Scale Fabrics
- Ethernet Scale-Out Systems
- ESUN Network Architectures
- GPU Compute Platforms
- Open Rack Systems
- Fiber Connectivity Infrastructure
- NPO (Near Package Optics)
- CPO (Co-Packaged Optics)
- Air-Cooled and Liquid-Cooled AI Platforms

You will work closely with Thermal, Power, Electrical, Silicon, Software, and System Architecture teams, as well as ODM partners including Accton, Hyve, Wistron, Quanta, and Gigabyte.

## What You'll Do

Lead Mechanical Architecture for AI Platforms

- Define mechanical architecture from device-level products through complete rack-scale AI systems.
- Develop scalable mechanical designs supporting future generations of AI infrastructure.
- Establish system-level design requirements balancing:
- Performance
- Reliability
- Manufacturability
- Serviceability
- Cost
- Sustainability

Design Rack-Scale AI Infrastructure

Own mechanical architecture for:

- GPU Compute Platforms
- PCIe Scale-Up Switch Platforms
- UALink Switch Platforms
- Optical Connectivity Systems
- Rack Controllers
- Rack Enclosures
- Cable Management Systems
- Open Rack Platforms

Drive solutions that support high-density AI computing deployments.

Develop Open Rack and Rack-Level Mechanical Solutions

- Define rack layouts and mechanical interfaces.
- Develop scalable rack architecture standards.
- Drive mechanical integration of:
- Compute systems
- Switch platforms
- Power shelves
- Cooling infrastructure
- Optical connectivity
- Management systems
- Support future multi-rack AI factory deployments.

Enable Fiber Connectivity and Optical Systems

Develop mechanical solutions supporting:

- Fiber Infrastructure
- Optical Engines
- Silicon Photonics
- NPO Architectures
- CPO Architectures
- Rack-to-Rack Optical Connectivity

Address challenges associated with:

- Cable routing
- Bend radius management
- Serviceability
- Fiber protection
- Field replaceability

Support Air-Cooled and Liquid-Cooled Systems

Partner with Thermal Engineering teams to:

- Optimize airflow architecture.
- Develop liquid cooling mechanical solutions.
- Support cold plate integration.
- Define coolant distribution infrastructure.
- Improve overall system cooling efficiency.

Drive Mechanical Design for Manufacturability

- Define manufacturing-ready mechanical solutions.
- Support supplier and ODM engagement.
- Drive cost optimization efforts.
- Establish assembly and service procedures.
- Improve production scalability and operational efficiency.

Lead System Integration Activities

Work closely with:

- Electrical Engineering
- Thermal Engineering
- Power Architecture
- Silicon Development
- Product Management
- Manufacturing Teams

to ensure complete system integration and design alignment.

Collaborate with ODM Partners

Work directly with Accton, Hyve, Wistron, Quanta, Gigabyte, and other ODMs to:

- Define mechanical requirements.
- Review platform designs.
- Resolve integration challenges.
- Drive Open Rack implementation.
- Support design validation and manufacturing readiness.

Required Qualifications

- Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline.
- 15+ years of experience in mechanical design and system integration.
- Proven experience leading mechanical architecture for:
- Servers
- Networking Platforms
- Storage Systems
- AI Infrastructure
- Data Center Hardware
- Expertise in:
- Sheet Metal Design
- Structural Analysis
- Tolerance Analysis
- Mechanical Packaging
- Cable Management
- System Integration
- Design for Manufacturing (DFM)
- Design for Assembly (DFA)

## Preferred Qualifications

- Experience with Open Rack and OCP architectures.
- Experience supporting rack-scale AI infrastructure.
- Familiarity with PCIe Scale-Up and UALink architectures.
- Experience with Ethernet and optical networking systems.
- Knowledge of fiber connectivity solutions and optical packaging.
- Experience supporting NPO and CPO platforms.
- Experience developing liquid-cooled infrastructure.
- Experience working directly with ODM/JDM manufacturing partners.

Leadership Attributes

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

- Strong systems thinking
- Strategic technical leadership
- Cross-functional influence
- Excellent communication skills
- Ability to drive architecture decisions across multiple organizations
- Passion for solving complex AI infrastructure challenges

Why Join Astera Labs?

You will help define the mechanical architecture for next-generation technologies including:

- PCIe Scale-Up AI Fabrics
- UALink Scale-Up Networks
- Ethernet Scale-Out Infrastructure
- ESUN Network Architectures
- NPO and CPO Optical Platforms
- Advanced Fiber Connectivity Solutions
- Open Rack AI Systems
- Future AI Factory Deployments

This is an opportunity to drive the mechanical design of industry-leading products that power the world's largest AI clusters.

Apply Today

If you are passionate about mechanical innovation, rack-scale infrastructure, optical connectivity, and next-generation AI systems, we'd love to hear from you.

The salary range is $170,000 to $210,000, depending on experience, level, and business needs. This role may be eligible for discretionary bonuses, incentives, and benefits.

Join us in Research Triangle Park and help build the future of AI infrastructure. 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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