Platform Solutions Engineer NCG (CE)

Platform Solutions Engineer, NCG (Computer Engineering)

Location: Research Triangle Park (Cary), North Carolina

The Role and Its Impact

As a Platform Solutions Engineer, you will help bring Astera Labs connectivity solutions into real systems and customer environments. You will work at the intersection of computer engineering, platform architecture, system validation, firmware, and customer enablement-turning complex platform requirements into reliable integrations and clear technical outcomes.

This is an early-career role for an engineer who enjoys working close to hardware and software, learning quickly, and solving problems that cross traditional team boundaries. You will partner with design, validation, firmware, applications, and ecosystem teams to bring up platforms, investigate issues, automate repeatable workflows, and communicate findings that improve product quality and customer success.

What You'll Do

• Support platform bring-up, integration, and validation of high-speed connectivity solutions in laboratory and system environments.
• Analyze electrical behavior and system performance using schematics, datasheets, specifications, logs, measurements, and structured debug methods.
• Help diagnose issues across the hardware/software boundary, including connectivity, link-training, configuration, interoperability, and system-level failure modes.
• Develop scripts and test utilities-such as Python-based automation-to improve data collection, repeatability, and engineering efficiency.
• Create and execute validation plans, document test results, identify trends, and communicate clear conclusions and follow-up actions.
• Collaborate with silicon, hardware, firmware, system validation, applications, and ecosystem teams to resolve issues and deliver integrated solutions.
• Translate customer and partner requirements into technical questions, test cases, debug plans, and actionable product feedback.
• Participate in design reviews, technical discussions, code or script reviews, and issue-tracking workflows.
• Maintain clear documentation of test setups, procedures, results, known issues, and recommendations.
• Take ownership of a defined workflow or project area, manage blockers with support, and progressively contribute reusable team output.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's or master's degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• Coursework, project, research, or laboratory experience in computer architecture, embedded systems, digital systems, operating systems, firmware, signal integrity, or high-speed interfaces.
• Working knowledge of systematic debugging, measurement, data analysis, and technical documentation.
• Ability to read and interpret system block diagrams, schematics, datasheets, specifications, software or firmware logs, and test results.
• Experience with Python, MATLAB, or another scripting language for automation, analysis, or engineering workflows.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain technical findings clearly.
• Collaborative mindset, learning agility, ownership potential, and the ability to execute with increasing independence.

Preferred Qualifications

• Exposure to PCIe®, CXL®, Ethernet, SERDES, retimers, switches, NICs, or related connectivity technologies.
• Familiarity with signal-integrity concepts such as channel loss, jitter, equalization, eye diagrams, or link margin.
• Hands-on experience with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, BERTs, power supplies, or similar laboratory equipment.
• Experience with C or C++, Linux, embedded systems, register-level configuration, I2C or other control interfaces, firmware logs, device drivers, or hardware/software integration.
• Experience with Linux development tools, debugging software on real hardware, building automated test flows, analyzing large data sets, or improving lab and validation processes.
• Prior internship, co-op, capstone, research, or project experience involving semiconductor, networking, computing, or AI-infrastructure systems.

Compensation

The base salary range for North Carolina NCG roles is $130,000-$150,000. Compensation details will be provided as part of the offer process and determined in accordance with applicable company guidelines.