Principal Hardware Engineer - IO & Memory Systems

About The Role

SambaNova’s DataScale® platform pushes the limits of AI compute—and the integrity of every high-speed interface and memory subsystem is critical to its performance in the field. As a Principal Engineer, Post-Silicon Validation, you will own the bring-up, debug, and validation of high-speed IO and memory subsystems from first silicon through customer deployment. This is a deeply technical, high-ownership role for an engineer who thrives on hard debug problems. You will operate across silicon, board, and software layers—leading cross-functional teams to root cause, driving issues to resolution, and building the infrastructure that makes future bring-up cycles faster and more reliable. If you have a bias for action, a sharp analytical mind, and the kind of depth that comes from years in post-silicon validation, this role was built for you.

What You’ll Do

• Own post-silicon bring-up and validation of high-speed IO and memory subsystems, including characterization, functional validation, stress testing, and performance analysis.
• Drive system power-on readiness—including debug infrastructure, tooling setup, and contingency planning—to enable first-pass bring-up success.
• Lead system-level debug across silicon, board, and software layers, driving complex issues to verified root cause and resolution.
• Partner with design, firmware, verification, and systems teams to ensure timely bring-up and issue closure—without losing momentum.
• Support product validation, deployment, and RMA debug in partnership with systems and customer engineering teams.
• Ensure product release readiness with a clear focus on stability, performance, and long-term field reliability.
• Review SoC architecture, board design, and SI/PI analysis through the lens of post-silicon debug and real-world deployment.
• Contribute to pre-silicon verification and emulation to improve bring-up efficiency and test coverage before first silicon arrives.
• Develop scripts and tooling to automate validation, debug, and data analysis workflows—reducing manual effort and accelerating iteration.
• Drive continuous improvement in post-silicon validation methodologies, debug infrastructure, and test scalability across product generations.

Required Qualifications

• M.S. in Electrical Engineering or Computer Science.
• 7+ years of experience in post-silicon validation, system bring-up, or a closely related hardware engineering discipline.
• Hands-on experience with high-speed IO or memory protocols: PCIe, Ethernet, HBM, CXL, UCIe, or similar.
• Strong analytical skills applied to test development and data-driven debug.
• Scripting proficiency in Python, Bash, or equivalent.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional debugging efforts across hardware, firmware, and software teams.
• High ownership, self-starter mindset—you drive issues to closure without waiting to be asked.
• Clear and effective communicator with a proactive, collaborative approach to problem-solving.

Preferred Qualifications

• Deep expertise in high-speed SerDes training, adaptation, and equalization.
• Experience with mixed-signal IO design and validation.
• Hands-on proficiency with lab equipment including high-bandwidth oscilloscopes, BERTs, and VNAs.
• Programming experience in C or C++ for tooling, automation, or low-level debug.

Why SambaNova Systems

At SambaNova, you’ll work on some of the most complex silicon and systems being built today—at the frontier of AI compute. Our post-silicon validation team plays a defining role in every product we ship: the depth of your work here has a direct impact on what our customers can do with AI. You’ll collaborate with world-class engineers across silicon design, systems, and software, with the resources and urgency that come with being at the leading edge of the industry.

Pay

Base Salary Range: $180,000—$255,000 USD

Benefits

• 95% premium coverage for employee medical insurance, and 77% premium coverage for dependents
• Health Savings Account (HSA) with employer contribution
• Dental, Vision, Short/Long term Disability, Basic Life, Voluntary Life, and AD&D insurance plans
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) options: Health Care, Limited Purpose, and Dependent Care
• Full subscription to Headspace
• Gympass+ membership with access to physical gyms
• One Medical membership
• Counseling services with an Employee Assistance Program