PCIe Characterization Engineer | On-site Opportunity | Palo Alto, CA | Fastwater Staffing

📍 Location: Palo Alto, CA
📄 Employment Type: Contract
🏢 Work Arrangement: On-site
🚀 Start Date: TBD
💰 Compensation: TBD — based on skills and experience

Important Screening Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in post-silicon characterization, high-speed I/O (HSIO) validation, or memory electrical validation.
• Hands-on experience characterizing high-speed SerDes PHYs, particularly PCIe.
• Experience measuring eye diagrams, jitter, bit error rate (BER), and S-parameters.
• Proficiency with high-speed oscilloscopes, bit error rate testers (BERT), and VNA/TDR equipment.
• Ability to read and interpret schematics and PCB layouts.
• Experience debugging electrical issues directly at the probe point.
• Python scripting experience for laboratory test automation.
• Background in semiconductor, silicon, or systems companies, including SoC, GPU, networking, storage, or automotive compute.
• Must be willing to work on-site in Palo Alto, CA.

About the Role

We are seeking a hands-on PCIe Characterization Engineer to perform post-silicon electrical characterization and validation of high-speed SerDes physical-layer interfaces in a laboratory environment.

The role focuses on conducting high-speed electrical measurements, analyzing signal integrity, and validating silicon performance. You will independently operate laboratory equipment, troubleshoot signal-level issues, interpret hardware schematics and PCB layouts, and automate characterization workflows using Python.

The successful candidate will have direct experience with high-speed interface characterization and the practical skills needed to investigate electrical performance issues at the measurement and probe points.

What We’re Looking For

We’re looking for an experienced post-silicon characterization or HSIO validation engineer with strong hands-on laboratory skills and practical knowledge of high-speed electrical measurements.

The ideal candidate can independently perform eye, jitter, BER, and S-parameter measurements; operate high-speed test equipment; interpret schematics and layouts; and troubleshoot signal integrity issues directly in the lab.

Strong candidates will combine experience with PCIe and SerDes interfaces, high-speed measurement instrumentation, electrical debugging, and Python-based lab automation.

Key Responsibilities

Post-Silicon Characterization & Validation

• Perform post-silicon electrical characterization of high-speed SerDes PHYs, including:
  • PCIe
  • Ethernet
  • UFS
  • LPDDR5
• Support high-speed interface validation and investigate electrical performance issues.
• Analyze characterization results to assess high-speed interface performance.
• Identify and troubleshoot signal-level issues during testing.

High-Speed Electrical Measurements

• Conduct eye diagram, jitter, bit error rate (BER), and S-parameter measurements.
• Independently operate laboratory measurement equipment, including:
  • High-speed oscilloscopes
  • Bit error rate testers (BERT)
  • Vector network analyzers (VNA)
  • Time-domain reflectometry (TDR) equipment
• Analyze measurement data to evaluate electrical performance and signal integrity.
• Document test configurations, measurement results, and characterization findings.

Schematic Analysis & Electrical Debugging

• Read and interpret electrical schematics and PCB layouts to support characterization activities.
• Troubleshoot signal integrity and electrical issues directly at probe points.
• Investigate measurement anomalies and high-speed interface performance problems.
• Apply practical electrical measurement and debugging techniques to identify potential issues.

Python Lab Automation

• Develop and maintain Python scripts to automate laboratory measurements and characterization workflows.
• Support repeatable and efficient execution of electrical tests.
• Improve laboratory testing efficiency through reusable automation scripts.
• Assist with measurement data collection, analysis, and documentation.

Cross-Functional Validation Support

• Support high-speed interface validation activities across relevant silicon and systems platforms.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to investigate electrical performance issues.
• Communicate measurement findings, debugging results, and characterization progress.
• Maintain clear technical documentation of test procedures, configurations, and results.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in post-silicon characterization, HSIO validation, or memory electrical validation.
• Experience working at a semiconductor, silicon, or systems company in areas such as SoC, GPU, networking, storage, or automotive compute.
• Hands-on experience with high-speed SerDes PHY characterization.
• Practical experience measuring eye diagrams, jitter, BER, and S-parameters.
• Proficiency using high-speed oscilloscopes, BERT, and VNA/TDR equipment.
• Experience reading and interpreting schematics and PCB layouts.
• Strong laboratory debugging and electrical measurement skills.
• Python scripting experience for test and measurement automation.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving abilities.
• Willingness to work on-site in Palo Alto, CA.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with PCIe electrical characterization and validation.
• Exposure to Ethernet, UFS, or LPDDR5 interfaces.
• Experience with high-speed signal integrity measurements and analysis.
• Background in silicon validation for SoC, GPU, networking, storage, or automotive-compute products.
• Experience developing reusable automation scripts and improving laboratory test efficiency.