Principal Design Verification Engineer- SerDes/PHY IP at Astera Labs in San Jose, CA

Job description

Astera Labs (NASDAQ: ALAB) provides rack-scale AI infrastructure through purpose-built connectivity solutions. By collaborating with hyperscalers and ecosystem partners, Astera Labs enables organizations to unlock the full potential of modern AI. Astera Labs’ Intelligent Connectivity Platform integrates CXL®, Ethernet, NVLink, PCIe®, and UALink™ semiconductor-based technologies with the company’s COSMOS software suite to unify diverse components into cohesive, flexible systems that deliver end-to-end scale-up, and scale-out connectivity. The company’s custom connectivity solutions business complements its standards-based portfolio, enabling customers to deploy tailored architectures to meet their unique infrastructure requirements. Discover more at www.asteralabs.com . Role Overview Astera Labs is hiring a Principal Design Verification Engineer to own functional verification of our high-speed SerDes/PHY IP — the connectivity engine powering rack-scale AI infrastructure. You will architect verification environments, drive coverage closure, and ensure first-pass silicon success on the analog/digital boundary that defines next-generation AI systems. This is a high-impact, hands-on role at the heart of Astera Labs' hyper-growth story. You'll partner directly with PHY analog/mixed-signal designers, digital architects, and SoC integration teams to verify multi-Gbps SerDes blocks that ship into the world's most advanced AI platforms, including UALink, UCIe, PCIe Gen 6/Gen 7, and Ethernet-based connectivity products. Key Responsibilities Verification Architecture & Strategy Architect UVM-based verification environments for SerDes/PHY IP, including PMA, PCS, and PHY-MAC interface layers Define verification plans, coverage models, and sign-off criteria for high-speed serial link blocks Drive methodology decisions across analog/mixed-signal co-simulation, gate-level simulation, and emulation flows Execution & Coverage Closure Develop SystemVerilog/UVM testbenches, sequences, scoreboards, and reference models for multi-Gbps SerDes lanes Execute functional, performance, and corner-case verification across equalization, CDR, training, and link bring-up scenarios Lead coverage analysis and closure, debug failures with designers, and drive regressions to clean tape-out Physical Layer & Protocol Verification Verify PHY behavior against industry specifications including PCIe Gen 6/Gen 7, UALink, UCIe, and Ethernet PHY standards Model and validate channel behavior, link training state machines, and analog handoff scenarios Partner with analog/AMS designers on Real Number Modeling (RNM) and behavioral models for SerDes blocks Cross-Functional Leadership Mentor junior DV engineers and set technical direction across the verification team Collaborate with SoC integration, firmware, post-silicon validation, and customer engineering teams Contribute to verification IP reuse strategy and tooling improvements across product lines Basic Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field 8+ years of design verification experience on high-speed SerDes, PHY, or mixed-signal IP Strong understanding of the physical layer, including equalization (CTLE, DFE, FFE), CDR, training sequences, and link bring-up Expert-level proficiency in SystemVerilog and UVM Hands-on experience with analog/mixed-signal co-simulation and Real Number Modeling (RNM) Working knowledge of one or more high-speed serial protocols: PCIe, UALink, UCIe, Ethernet, or CXL Preferred Qualifications MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering Experience verifying PCIe Gen 6/Gen 7, UALink, or UCIe SerDes/PHY IP Familiarity with emulation platforms (Palladium, Veloce, or ZeBu) and gate-level simulation flows Scripting proficiency in Python or Perl for verification automation and regression management Experience supporting post-silicon bring-up and correlating pre-silicon coverage with silicon results Proven ability to lead technically