Senior Principal Firmware Engineer

<p>What You Can Expect<br>We are looking for a Senior Principal Firmware Engineer to join Client's Optical Connectivity firmware team in Santa Clara. This is a highly technical individual contributor role with broad program ownership across one or more coherent optical module programs. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in embedded firmware for optical transceivers, a track record of leading complex multi-generation programs, and the ability to work effectively across firmware, hardware, DSP, and customer-facing teams.<br><br>What You'll Do Own firmware development for coherent optical module programs (e.g., 400ZR/ZR+, 800ZR), from architecture through production release<br><br>Lead program-level firmware efforts, including bring-up, calibration, validation, and customer delivery milestones<br><br>Design and implement advanced firmware features such as hitless firmware upgrade, CMIS compliance, bootloader architecture, calibration and control engines, and hardware adaptation layers<br><br>Drive cross-functional collaboration with DSP, hardware, ATE, and test engineering teams to resolve complex system-level issues<br><br>Support customer engagements — respond to technical inquiries, debug field issues, and deliver firmware solutions that meet hyperscaler and carrier requirements<br><br>Contribute to firmware architecture decisions across the broader optics firmware platform, including shared infrastructure, tooling, and release processes<br><br>Mentor and guide other engineers on the team; serve as a technical resource and subject matter expert<br><br>What We're Looking For<br>Senior Principal Engineer, Software/Firmware - coherent optical module firmware/SoC-based embedded platforms/CPORequired15+ years of experience in embedded software/firmware architecture, design, and implementation<br>Deep expertise in coherent optical module firmware (400ZR, 800ZR, or equivalent) and associated standards (OIF-400ZR, C-CMIS, CMIS 4.x/5.x)<br>Strong background in bootloader design, firmware upgrade mechanisms (including hitless/in-service upgrade), and flash management<br>Experience with SoC-based embedded platforms (MCU/DSP-based architectures)<br>Proficiency in C/C++ firmware development and Python-based test/automation scripting<br>Demonstrated ability to own and deliver programs end-to-end — from alpha bring-up through GA release and production support<br>Strong debugging skills across hardware/firmware boundaries; experience with lab bench bring-up, ATE integration, and field issue resolution<br>Experience with Jira, GitLab, and CI/CD-based firmware release flows<br>Excellent communication skills; able to work effectively with customers, hardware engineers, and DSP teams<br>PreferredPrior experience at an optical module company or optical semiconductor company<br>Familiarity with Marvell optical or coherent DSP platforms or equivalent<br>Background in calibration and control algorithms for optical components (EDFA, MZ, TOSA, etc.)</p><div class="content-pay-transparency"><div class="pay-input"><div class="title">California Pay Range</div><div class="pay-range"><span>$200,000</span><span class="divider">&mdash;</span><span>$250,000 USD</span></div></div></div>