Senior Principal Firmware Engineer

What You Can Expect
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.
What You'll Do Own firmware development for coherent optical module programs (e.g., 400ZR/ZR+, 800ZR), from architecture through production release
Lead program-level firmware efforts, including bring-up, calibration, validation, and customer delivery milestones
Design and implement advanced firmware features such as hitless firmware upgrade, CMIS compliance, bootloader architecture, calibration and control engines, and hardware adaptation layers
Drive cross-functional collaboration with DSP, hardware, ATE, and test engineering teams to resolve complex system-level issues
Support customer engagements — respond to technical inquiries, debug field issues, and deliver firmware solutions that meet hyperscaler and carrier requirements
Contribute to firmware architecture decisions across the broader optics firmware platform, including shared infrastructure, tooling, and release processes
Mentor and guide other engineers on the team; serve as a technical resource and subject matter expert
What We're Looking For
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
Deep expertise in coherent optical module firmware (400ZR, 800ZR, or equivalent) and associated standards (OIF-400ZR, C-CMIS, CMIS 4.x/5.x)
Strong background in bootloader design, firmware upgrade mechanisms (including hitless/in-service upgrade), and flash management
Experience with SoC-based embedded platforms (MCU/DSP-based architectures)
Proficiency in C/C++ firmware development and Python-based test/automation scripting
Demonstrated ability to own and deliver programs end-to-end — from alpha bring-up through GA release and production support
Strong debugging skills across hardware/firmware boundaries; experience with lab bench bring-up, ATE integration, and field issue resolution
Experience with Jira, GitLab, and CI/CD-based firmware release flows
Excellent communication skills; able to work effectively with customers, hardware engineers, and DSP teams
PreferredPrior experience at an optical module company or optical semiconductor company
Familiarity with Marvell optical or coherent DSP platforms or equivalent
Background in calibration and control algorithms for optical components (EDFA, MZ, TOSA, etc.)