Optical FW/SW Engineer – Tech Lead at Astera Labs

<div class="content-intro"><p><span data-teams="true">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 <a id="menurhut" class="fui-Link ___1q1shib f2hkw1w f3rmtva f1ewtqcl fyind8e f1k6fduh f1w7gpdv fk6fouc fjoy568 figsok6 f1s184ao f1mk8lai fnbmjn9 f1o700av f13mvf36 f1cmlufx f9n3di6 f1ids18y f1tx3yz7 f1deo86v f1eh06m1 f1iescvh fhgqx19 f1olyrje f1p93eir f1nev41a f1h8hb77 f1lqvz6u f10aw75t fsle3fq f17ae5zn" href="http://www.asteralabs.com/" target="_blank">www.asteralabs.com</a>.</span></p></div><p></p> <p><strong data-ogsc="" data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">Role Overview</strong></p> <p>We are looking for an Optical FW/SW Engineer, Tech Lead for design, development, and validation of embedded firmware and supporting software for Astera Labs’ next-generation optical products. You will build software for optical engines, optical modules, and emerging near-packaged optics (NPO) and co-packaged optics (CPO) solutions, spanning real-time control, calibration, telemetry, diagnostics, and high-speed link optimization.</p> <p>This role sits at the intersection of embedded systems, optics, and hardware. You will own critical technical problems from architecture through silicon and hardware bring-up to production readiness, partnering with optical, electrical, DSP, systems, and manufacturing teams. Your work will help enable reliable, scalable connectivity for rack-scale AI infrastructure as Astera Labs advances the transition to higher-bandwidth optical interconnects.</p> <p><strong data-ogsc="">Key Responsibilities</strong></p> <ul style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe UI Web (West European)', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; word-spacing: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"> <li style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;" data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Optical Firmware Architecture and Development</li> <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"> <li style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;" data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Architect, develop, optimize, and maintain production-quality embedded firmware for optical engines, PIC/EIC platforms, and optical modules.</li> <li style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;" data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Implement software in C on embedded processors using bare-metal or RTOS-based designs.</li> <li style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;" data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Develop Python scripts and tools for unit-testing, configuration, automation, characterization, manufacturing test, and data analysis.</li> </ul> <li style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;" data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Optical Control and Performance Optimization</li> <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"> <li style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;" data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Develop control algorithms for modulator operation, automatic power control, temperature compensation, calibration, and link adaptation.</li> <li style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;" data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Implement telemetry, diagnostics, monitoring, and fault-handling features that improve optical-link health, reliability, and serviceability.</li> <li style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;" data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Optimize firmware for latency, power efficiency, control stability, and performance across evolving optical architectures.</li> </ul> <li style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;" data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Hardware Bring-Up, Product Validation, and Quality</li> <ul style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"> <li style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;" data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Lead firmware and hardware bring-up, including board initialization, peripheral integration, lab debugging, and root-cause analysis.</li> <li style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;" data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Integrate firmware with photodetectors, TIAs, ADCs, DACs, sensors, drivers, DSPs, and hardware control interfaces such as I2C and SPI.</li> <li style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;" data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Partner with optical, electrical, DSP, systems, and validation teams to characterize, tune, and qualify optical products.</li> <li style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;" data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Establish unit-testing strategies and maintain automated tests that improve firmware quality, coverage, and release confidence.</li> <li style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;" data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Apply disciplined version-control, code-review, documentation, and release practices throughout the development lifecycle.</li> </ul> </ul> <p><strong data-ogsc="">Basic Qualifications</strong></p> <ul style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe UI Web (West European)', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; word-spacing: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"> <li style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;" data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or a related technical field.</li> <li style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;" data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">5–8 years of experience developing embedded firmware or software for optical, photonics, communications, semiconductor, or other high-reliability products.</li> <li style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;" data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Strong programming skills in C and Python, with experience developing software for microcontroller platforms.</li> <li style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;" data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Experience with RTOS-based embedded development, embedded programming methods, hardware interfaces, and low-level device control.</li> <li style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;" data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Proven experience with unit testing, version control, debugging, and hardware bring-up.</li> <li style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;" data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Ability to analyze and resolve complex problems across firmware, hardware, optical control algorithms, and system-level behavior.</li> </ul> <p><strong data-ogsc="">Preferred Qualifications</strong></p> <ul style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe UI Web (West European)', -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; word-spacing: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"> <li style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;" data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Experience with optical module management, CMIS, telemetry, diagnostics, or control requirements.</li> <li style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;" data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Experience with optical engines, pluggable optics, silicon photonics, PIC/EIC integration, NPO, or CPO.</li> <li style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;" data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Knowledge of lasers, modulators, photodetectors, TIAs, thermal tuning, wavelength control, calibration, and high-speed optical link behavior.</li> <li style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;" data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Familiarity with JTAG, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, optical test equipment, and protocol analyzers.</li> <li style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_EmbeddedFont, Aptos_MSFontService, Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0) !important; line-height: 18.4px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;" data-ogsc="rgb(0, 0, 0)">Demonstrated technical leadership, strong cross-functional collaboration, and the ability to drive an ambiguous problem from concept to production.</li> </ul> <p></p> <p class="p8i6j01 paragraph">Salary range is $160,000 to $200,000 depending on experience, level, and business need. This role may be eligible for discretionary bonus, incentives and benefits.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p><div class="content-conclusion"><p>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.</p></div>