Principal Engineer, Firmware

Please Note:

To provide the best candidate experience amidst our high application volumes, each candidate is limited to 10 applications across all open jobs within a 6-month period. 

Advancing the World’s Technology Together
Our technology solutions power the tools you use every day--including smartphones, electric vehicles, hyperscale data centers, IoT devices, and so much more. Here, you’ll have an opportunity to be part of a global leader whose innovative designs are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and powering the future. 

We believe innovation and growth are driven by an inclusive culture and a diverse workforce. We’re dedicated to empowering people to be their true selves. Together, we’re building a better tomorrow for our employees, customers, partners, and communities.

The Technology Enabling Development Lab (TED) Our core development focus is the host interface firmware layer that sits in the intersection of system software and flash management firmware. This key host interface firmware technology drives Samsung’s breakthrough V-NAND technology and enables our customers to power performance-oriented, demanding, enterprise-class applications ranging from hyper-scale data centers, to big data processing, to software defined virtualized storage arrays and infrastructures.

We are looking for a Principal Firmware Engineer to develop and support our cutting edge NVMe SSD products

Location:  Daily onsite presence at our San Jose, CA office / U.S. headquarters in alignment with our Flexible Work policy.

What You’ll Do

• NVMe SSD firmware development and debug for OEMs during productization and launch phase.
• Serve as a technical lead, setting directions, reviewing designs\implementations, and can mentor and guide firmware engineers at all levels, providing technical oversight, best practices.
• Analyze, debug, and resolve firmware issues observed at domestic and international customer sites as well as at local and overseas development centers.
• Triage and root cause system, driver, and device interoperability issues at customer sites.
• Lead and/or support customer SSD specification review, gap analysis, firmware customization\development for OEM’s unique feature/functions, issues debug, collaborate with other engineering teams to analyze debug information, and implement/deploy firmware patches.
• Travel and stay at domestic and international customer sites as well as overseas development centers for extended periods of time is expected.

What You Bring

• BS in Computer/Electrical/Electronic Engineering or Computer Science, and 20 years of relevant experience in software or firmware, or a MS in Computer/Electrical/Electronic Engineering or Computer Science with 18 years of relevant experience, or PhD in these fields with 15 years of relevant experiences, is required.
• Strong familiarity with SSD firmware feature design, implementation, and debugging challenges.
• Strong experience in C/C++ for embedded systems is required.
• Strong experience with UART/JTAG/ICE debuggers, firmware debugging and protocol analyzers
• Good verbal and written skills for communication and documentation of technical information
• Proven track of record demonstrating technical leadership role in SSD FW development.
• Open to frequent and possible extended domestic and/or international travel.
• NVMe SSD firmware development and debug for OEMs during productization and launch phase.
• Serve as a technical lead, setting directions, reviewing designs\implementations, and can mentor and guide firmware engineers at all levels, providing technical oversight, best practices.
• Analyze, debug, and resolve firmware issues observed at domestic and international customer sites as well as at local and overseas development centers.
• Triage and root cause system, driver, and device interoperability issues at customer sites.
• Lead and/or support customer SSD specification review, gap analysis, firmware customization\development for OEM’s unique feature/functions, issues debug, collaborate with other engineering teams to analyze debug information, and implement/deploy firmware patches.
• Travel and stay at domestic and international customer sites as well as overseas development centers for extended periods of time is expected.
• Familiar with PCIe/NVMe protocol and Knowledge in NAND is a plus.
• Strong knowledge in NVMe / OCP specification.
• Strong understanding of SSD customer requirements and standards
• Direct working experience with major OEMs in customer facing Firmware support role.
• Ability to work well with internal and external