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.
Principal / Senior Principal Design Verification Engineer – CXL / PCIe / Ethernet:
Role Overview
We are seeking an experienced Principal / Senior Principal Design Verification Engineer to lead the verification of next-generation connectivity IPs and SoCs powering AI and cloud infrastructure. This is a highly visible technical leadership role where you will define verification strategies, drive methodology improvements, mentor engineering teams, and collaborate across architecture, RTL, firmware, validation, and silicon teams to ensure first-pass silicon success.
The ideal candidate is passionate about building world-class verification environments, has deep expertise in protocol verification, and enjoys solving complex architectural challenges.
Key Responsibilities
Technical Leadership
- Lead the verification strategy for complex IPs and SoC subsystems from architecture through silicon.
- Define verification methodologies, reusable verification frameworks, and best practices across multiple programs.
- Drive verification planning, execution, coverage closure, and sign-off.
- Identify verification risks early and proactively drive mitigation plans.
- Lead technical reviews including architecture, RTL, verification, and tape-out readiness reviews.
Design Verification
- Architect and develop scalable UVM/System Verilog verification environments.
- Develop constrained-random, coverage-driven verification methodologies.
- Design scoreboards, protocol monitors, checkers, assertions (SVA), and functional coverage models.
- Debug complex RTL, protocol, timing, and integration issues.
- Drive regression planning, automation, and continuous integration improvements.
- Develop reusable VIP and verification infrastructure across multiple product lines.
Protocol Verification
Lead verification efforts involving one or more of:
- Compute Express Link (CXL 2.x / 3.x)
- PCI Express (Gen4/Gen5/Gen6)
- Ethernet (10G–800G)
- AXI, APB, AHB
- High-speed SerDes interfaces
- Memory interfaces including DDR/LPDDR/HBM (preferred)
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with Architecture teams to influence design for verification.
- Partner with RTL designers during implementation and debug.
- Collaborate with Firmware, Emulation, FPGA, Post-Silicon Validation, and System Engineering teams.
- Support customer issue analysis and silicon bring-up when required.
Technical Mentorship
- Mentor and coach verification engineers across multiple experience levels.
- Establish verification standards and engineering excellence across the organization.
- Drive innovation in automation, verification productivity, and quality metrics.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
- Minimum10+ years (Principal) or 15+ years (Senior Principal) of experience in Design Verification.
- Strong expertise in System Verilog and UVM.
- Extensive experience in verification planning, execution, and sign-off.
- Deep understanding of constrained-random verification and coverage-driven methodologies.
- Strong experience with assertions (SVA), functional coverage, and protocol compliance.
- Excellent debugging skills involving RTL, simulation, protocol analysis, and waveform debugging.
- Experience with industry-standard simulators such as Synopsys VCS, Cadence Xcelium, or Siemens Questa.
Preferred Technical Expertise
Strong experience in several of the following areas:
- CXL Cache, Memory, and I/O protocols
- PCIe Transaction, Data Link, and Physical Layers
- Ethernet MAC/PCS/PMA architecture
- Coherency protocols
- High-speed interconnects
- AI accelerator connectivity
- Data center SoC architecture
- Multi-chip and chiplet-based systems
- Performance verification
- Low-power verification
- CDC/RDC verification
- Formal Verification
- Portable Stimulus (PSS)
- Python, Perl, Tcl, or similar scripting languages
- Emulation and FPGA prototyping
Leadership Expectations
- Own technical direction for large verification programs.
- Influence architecture and product quality through early engagement.
- Drive cross-functional execution across geographically distributed teams.
- Establish reusable verification IP and methodology.
- Mentor engineers and help grow technical capability within the organization.
- Champion engineering excellence, quality, and continuous improvement.
Preferred Experience
- Experience leading verification for large SoCs or complex connectivity IPs.
- Proven success delivering multiple first-pass silicon programs.
- Experience with AI infrastructure, cloud networking, or hyperscale data center technologies.
- Familiarity with customer-facing debug and post-silicon issue resolution.
- Contributions to verification methodology, reusable frameworks, or industry standards are a strong plus.
Salary range will depend on experience, level, and business need. This role may be eligible for discretionary bonus, incentives and benefits
We know that creativity and innovation happen more often when teams include diverse ideas, backgrounds, and experiences, and we actively encourage everyone with relevant experience to apply, including people of color, LGBTQ+ and non-binary people, veterans, parents, and individuals with disabilities.
Skills Required
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field
- At least 10 years of design verification experience for Principal level or 15 years for Senior Principal level
- Strong expertise in SystemVerilog and UVM
- Extensive experience with verification planning, execution, coverage closure, and sign-off
- Deep understanding of constrained-random and coverage-driven verification methodologies
- Strong experience with SVA assertions, functional coverage, and protocol compliance
- Excellent debugging skills involving RTL, simulation, protocol analysis, and waveform debugging
- Experience with Synopsys VCS, Cadence Xcelium, or Siemens Questa
- Experience leading verification for large SoCs or complex connectivity IPs
- Experience with CXL, PCIe, Ethernet, AXI, APB, AHB, or high-speed SerDes protocols
- Experience with CXL cache, memory, and I/O protocols; PCIe layers; or Ethernet MAC, PCS, and PMA architecture
- Experience with coherency protocols, AI accelerator connectivity, data center SoC architecture, or chiplet-based systems
- Experience with performance verification, low-power verification, CDC/RDC verification, formal verification, or Portable Stimulus
- Proficiency with Python, Perl, Tcl, or similar scripting languages
- Experience with emulation and FPGA prototyping
- Proven success delivering multiple first-pass silicon programs
- Experience with AI infrastructure, cloud networking, or hyperscale data center technologies
- Familiarity with customer-facing debugging and post-silicon issue resolution
Astera Labs Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Astera Labs and has not been reviewed or approved by Astera Labs.
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Healthcare Strength — Health plans are described as competitive and employer-subsidized, covering medical, dental, and vision for employees and dependents. Company materials and listings consistently emphasize strong core healthcare coverage.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Flexible time off is highlighted alongside paid company holidays, with guidance indicating generous PTO when coordinated with teams. Documented policies also point to robust time-off structures across locations.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — Stock-based compensation is a meaningful part of total pay, with RSUs and an employee stock purchase plan noted as part of the package. Public-company status enhances perceived value and accessibility of equity components.
Astera Labs Insights
What We Do
Astera Labs Inc., a fabless semiconductor company headquartered in the heart of California’s Silicon Valley, is a leader in purpose-built connectivity solutions for data-centric systems throughout the data center. Partnering with leading processor vendors, cloud service providers, seasoned investors, and world-class manufacturing companies, Astera Labs is helping customers remove performance bottlenecks in data-intensive systems that are limiting the true potential of applications such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. The company’s product portfolio includes system-aware semiconductor integrated circuits, boards, and services to enable robust CXL, PCIe, and Ethernet connectivity.








