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← Astera Labs

Optical FW/SW Engineer – Tech Lead

Astera Labs
Location
San Jose, California, United States
Posted
1 month ago
Department
Signal Connectivity Group
Salary
$160,000 to $200,000
What they actually want (must-haves)
  • Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or a related technical field
  • 5–8 years of experience developing embedded firmware or software for optical, photonics, communications, semiconductor, or other high-reliability products
  • Strong programming skills in C and Python, with experience developing software for microcontroller platforms
  • Experience with RTOS-based embedded development, embedded programming methods, hardware interfaces, and low-level device control
  • Proven experience with unit testing, version control, debugging, and hardware bring-up
  • Ability to analyze and resolve complex problems across firmware, hardware, optical control algorithms, and system-level behavior
Nice to have
  • Experience with optical module management, CMIS, telemetry, diagnostics, or control requirements
  • Experience with optical engines, pluggable optics, silicon photonics, PIC/EIC integration, NPO, or CPO
  • Knowledge of lasers, modulators, photodetectors, TIAs, thermal tuning, wavelength control, calibration, and high-speed optical link behavior
  • Familiarity with JTAG, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, optical test equipment, and protocol analyzers
  • Demonstrated technical leadership, strong cross-functional collaboration, and the ability to drive an ambiguous problem from concept to production
What the job really is

The Optical FW/SW Engineer, Tech Lead at Astera Labs will focus on the design, development, and validation of embedded firmware and software for next-generation optical products. This role involves building software for optical engines and modules, optimizing performance, and collaborating with various teams to ensure reliable connectivity for AI infrastructure. Responsibilities include firmware architecture, control algorithm development, hardware bring-up, and maintaining quality through testing and version control.

Benefits
  • 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
Things to weigh
  • No specific mention of remote work or flexible hours
  • The role requires deep technical expertise in optics and embedded systems, which may limit candidates without this background
  • The salary range is relatively broad, which may indicate variability based on negotiation or experience level
Job score3.8/5
Benefits1/5
Freshness4/5
Career value4/5
Role clarity5/5
Pay transparency5/5

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