---
title: 'Senior Principal Engineer - FW/SW Development at Astera Labs'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-principal-engineer-fw-sw-development-astera-labs-san-jose-0h418pq7dd15'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-11-06'
---

# Senior Principal Engineer - FW/SW Development at Astera Labs

- **Company:** Astera Labs
- **Location:** San Jose, CA
- **Posted:** 2026-11-05
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-06
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/asteralabs/jobs/4704532005

## 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 seeking a Senior Principal / Distinguished Engineer - FW/SW Development to join our engineering team in San Jose, CA. This is a high-impact individual contributor role at the heart of our Intelligent Connectivity Platform, where you'll architect and develop firmware and software that powers the next generation of AI infrastructure connectivity solutions.

As a Senior Principal / Distinguished Engineer, you'll operate across the full stack — from low-level embedded firmware running on custom silicon to higher-level software tools and frameworks that enable our customers to deploy and manage Astera Labs products at scale. You'll work at the intersection of hardware and software, collaborating closely with ASIC design, verification, applications, and systems engineering teams to deliver world-class solutions spanning PCIe, CXL, and Ethernet connectivity.

This role offers extraordinary breadth and technical ownership. You'll influence architectural decisions across multiple product lines, mentor engineers across the organization, and drive best practices in firmware/software development as Astera Labs continues its hyper-growth trajectory powering the AI revolution.

## Key Responsibilities

- Firmware & Software Architecture

- Architect and develop production-quality embedded firmware for Astera Labs connectivity ASICs, including boot code, initialization sequences, and runtime firmware
- Design and implement host-side software, drivers, and SDK components that enable seamless integration of Astera Labs products into customer platforms
- Define firmware/software architecture strategies that scale across multiple product lines and generations

- Cross-Functional Technical Leadership

- Partner with ASIC design and verification teams to define hardware-firmware interfaces and co-design features for optimal system performance
- Drive technical decisions spanning firmware, diagnostic tools, manufacturing software, and customer-facing utilities
- Collaborate with applications and field engineering teams to resolve complex system-level issues at customer sites

- Quality & Best Practices

- Establish and evolve firmware/software development processes, coding standards, and CI/CD practices across the engineering organization
- Lead design and code reviews, driving a culture of engineering excellence and continuous improvement
- Mentor and guide engineers across multiple teams, raising the overall technical bar of the organization

- Innovation & Strategy

- Evaluate emerging technologies and industry trends to inform next-generation firmware/software strategies
- Contribute to product roadmap discussions, providing firmware/software feasibility analysis and effort estimation
- Drive innovation in areas such as firmware update mechanisms, telemetry, RAS features, and manageability frameworks

## Basic Qualifications

- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field
- 12+ years of experience in firmware and/or software development for semiconductor or systems companies
- Strong proficiency in C and C++ for embedded and systems-level programming
- Experience developing firmware for ARM-based SoCs or custom ASIC platforms
- Deep understanding of hardware-software interfaces, register programming, and low-level debug techniques
- Experience with high-speed interconnect protocols such as PCIe, CXL, or Ethernet at the firmware/driver level

## Preferred Qualifications

- Master's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field
- Experience with RTOS-based and bare-metal firmware development environments
- Proficiency in Python for automation, tooling, and test development
- Familiarity with Linux kernel development, device drivers, or platform firmware (UEFI/BIOS)
- Track record of leading firmware/software efforts from architecture through production across multiple product generations
- Experience in the data center, AI/ML infrastructure, or high-performance computing domains

The salary range for this position is $180,000 to $250,000 depending on experience, level, and business need. This role may be eligible for discretionary bonus, incentives and benefits.

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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