STEM OPT Firmware Jobs
Firmware roles in embedded systems, real-time OS development, and hardware-software integration qualify for STEM OPT's 24-month extension when your degree aligns with an approved CIP code. Your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify, and you'll work under a structured I-983 training plan tied to your engineering or computer science credentials.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
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.
ABOUT THE ROLE
As an Astera Labs Firmware Product Application Engineer, you will sit at the intersection of firmware engineering and customer-facing technical engagement. You will help enable Leo CXL Smart Memory Controllers at hyperscale customers and OEM partners — assisting with firmware bring-up, validation, and customer issue resolution from early silicon through production ramp. You will help to provide technical guidance to customers to overcome design challenges, generate collateral for existing and new products, and drive innovation by providing insightful feedback to other internal teams to continuously improve products and processes. There are opportunities to support key customers directly, and also to dive deep in the lab to address the challenges associated with leading edge semiconductor products. This position is required onsite in San Jose, CA.
Key Responsibilities
- Assist with customer engagements for Leo CXL Smart Memory Controllers, including bring-up support, feature enablement, and issue triage on customer platforms
- Develop, validate, and debug firmware using C and Python across Leo's PCIe/CXL and DDR memory subsystems
- Assist with end-to-end firmware validation of DDR4/DDR5 DRAM interfaces, including initialization, training, RAS (Reliability, Availability, Serviceability) features, and performance tuning
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams (FW engineering, HW, systems, product management) to help deliver firmware releases and customer collateral on schedule
- Develop and maintain Python-based test scripts, automation frameworks, and diagnostic tools to support validation and customer debug workflows
- Contribute to technical documentation including application notes, release notes, design guides, and customer-facing collateral
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field; Master's degree preferred
- Professional attitude with the ability to prioritize a dynamic list of tasks and work with minimal guidance
- Entrepreneurial, open-minded behavior and can-do attitude — think and act fast with the customer in mind!
- Authorized to work in the US and available to start immediately
REQUIRED EXPERIENCE
- Proficiency in C for embedded firmware development in RTOS environments
- Proficiency in Python for scripting, test automation, and diagnostic tooling
- Knowledge with firmware bring-up, debug, and validation of memory or I/O subsystems on server platforms
- Strong debugging skills with the ability to triage and root-cause issues in complex embedded systems
- Familiarity with SoC interfaces including DDR controllers, PCIe controllers, and on-chip memory subsystems
- Knowledge of developer workflows: SCM (preferably Git), code reviews, CI/CD pipelines
- Technical writing skills to generate clear, precise documentation including application notes and similar guides for internal and customer-facing audiences.
PREFERRED EXPERIENCE
- Working knowledge of CXL (Compute Express Link) — CXL 1.1/2.0/3.0 — including memory expansion, pooling, and sharing concepts
- Experience with PCIe endpoint firmware at the PHY, Link, and Transaction layers; familiarity with PCIe enumeration, MSI/MSI-X, SR-IOV, and error handling
- Knowledge of high-speed memory interfaces — DDR4 and/or DDR5 DRAM — including initialization sequences, training algorithms, timing margins, and ECC/RAS features
- Hands-on experience with PCIe/CXL protocol analyzers, BERT, and other lab debug equipment
- Familiarity with BIOS/BMC/OS interactions with PCIe/CXL devices and MMIO/RAS concepts
- Experience with server memory performance tuning — latency and bandwidth optimization
- Prior customer-facing or field applications experience in a semiconductor or systems company is a strong plus
COMPENSATION
The base pay for this range is between $140,000 - $150,000 dependent on education level.
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.
INTRODUCTION
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.
ABOUT THE ROLE
As an Astera Labs Firmware Product Application Engineer, you will sit at the intersection of firmware engineering and customer-facing technical engagement. You will help enable Leo CXL Smart Memory Controllers at hyperscale customers and OEM partners — assisting with firmware bring-up, validation, and customer issue resolution from early silicon through production ramp. You will help to provide technical guidance to customers to overcome design challenges, generate collateral for existing and new products, and drive innovation by providing insightful feedback to other internal teams to continuously improve products and processes. There are opportunities to support key customers directly, and also to dive deep in the lab to address the challenges associated with leading edge semiconductor products. This position is required onsite in San Jose, CA.
Key Responsibilities
- Assist with customer engagements for Leo CXL Smart Memory Controllers, including bring-up support, feature enablement, and issue triage on customer platforms
- Develop, validate, and debug firmware using C and Python across Leo's PCIe/CXL and DDR memory subsystems
- Assist with end-to-end firmware validation of DDR4/DDR5 DRAM interfaces, including initialization, training, RAS (Reliability, Availability, Serviceability) features, and performance tuning
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams (FW engineering, HW, systems, product management) to help deliver firmware releases and customer collateral on schedule
- Develop and maintain Python-based test scripts, automation frameworks, and diagnostic tools to support validation and customer debug workflows
- Contribute to technical documentation including application notes, release notes, design guides, and customer-facing collateral
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field; Master's degree preferred
- Professional attitude with the ability to prioritize a dynamic list of tasks and work with minimal guidance
- Entrepreneurial, open-minded behavior and can-do attitude — think and act fast with the customer in mind!
- Authorized to work in the US and available to start immediately
REQUIRED EXPERIENCE
- Proficiency in C for embedded firmware development in RTOS environments
- Proficiency in Python for scripting, test automation, and diagnostic tooling
- Knowledge with firmware bring-up, debug, and validation of memory or I/O subsystems on server platforms
- Strong debugging skills with the ability to triage and root-cause issues in complex embedded systems
- Familiarity with SoC interfaces including DDR controllers, PCIe controllers, and on-chip memory subsystems
- Knowledge of developer workflows: SCM (preferably Git), code reviews, CI/CD pipelines
- Technical writing skills to generate clear, precise documentation including application notes and similar guides for internal and customer-facing audiences.
PREFERRED EXPERIENCE
- Working knowledge of CXL (Compute Express Link) — CXL 1.1/2.0/3.0 — including memory expansion, pooling, and sharing concepts
- Experience with PCIe endpoint firmware at the PHY, Link, and Transaction layers; familiarity with PCIe enumeration, MSI/MSI-X, SR-IOV, and error handling
- Knowledge of high-speed memory interfaces — DDR4 and/or DDR5 DRAM — including initialization sequences, training algorithms, timing margins, and ECC/RAS features
- Hands-on experience with PCIe/CXL protocol analyzers, BERT, and other lab debug equipment
- Familiarity with BIOS/BMC/OS interactions with PCIe/CXL devices and MMIO/RAS concepts
- Experience with server memory performance tuning — latency and bandwidth optimization
- Prior customer-facing or field applications experience in a semiconductor or systems company is a strong plus
COMPENSATION
The base pay for this range is between $140,000 - $150,000 dependent on education level.
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.
See all 106+ STEM OPT Firmware Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization in Firmware
Verify your CIP code before applying
Pull your degree's Classification of Instructional Programs code from your DSO and cross-reference it against the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List. Electrical engineering, computer engineering, and embedded systems degrees almost always qualify, but closely related fields like mechatronics need explicit confirmation before you commit to a role.
Confirm E-Verify enrollment before accepting offers
Firmware teams at smaller embedded hardware companies and defense contractors often aren't E-Verify enrolled by default. Search the E-Verify employer search tool by company name before your final interview round so you're not negotiating an offer from a company that legally can't employ you on STEM OPT.
Build an I-983 training plan around measurable firmware deliverables
Generic training plans get rejected. Map each I-983 learning objective to a concrete firmware milestone: bootloader development, RTOS porting, or hardware bring-up. Your DSO signs off only when the plan demonstrates direct connection between the work and your STEM degree field.
Search Migrate Mate to filter employers with STEM OPT history
Firmware openings are scattered across defense, automotive, IoT, and semiconductor sectors. Migrate Mate filters roles by employers who have verifiable STEM OPT and E-Verify compliance history, so you spend less time vetting and more time applying to positions that are actually accessible to you.
Target companies filing LCAs for embedded or firmware roles
Use the OFLC Wage Search to identify companies that have filed Labor Condition Applications under SOC codes for electrical engineers or software developers. Firms with active LCA filings are already inside the DOL compliance infrastructure, which makes transitioning you from STEM OPT to H-1B visa sponsorship significantly smoother.
Time your H-1B registration to cover your OPT end date
If your STEM OPT expires before October 1 of the H-1B fiscal year, cap-gap protection under USCIS rules extends your work authorization automatically while the petition is pending. Align your STEM OPT extension start date with your employer's fiscal year calendar so your authorization never lapses between filing and approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my degree qualify me for the STEM OPT extension in a firmware role?
Your degree must appear on the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List under an approved CIP code. Electrical engineering, computer engineering, and computer science degrees consistently qualify. Mechanical engineering degrees with embedded systems coursework may qualify depending on your school's CIP assignment. Confirm your exact CIP code with your DSO before accepting any firmware position, since the extension authorization is tied to the degree field, not the job title.
Does a firmware employer need to be enrolled in E-Verify?
Yes. USCIS requires that all STEM OPT employers be enrolled in E-Verify before your extension is approved. This applies to every employer in the chain, including staffing agencies if you're placed through one. Smaller firmware shops and hardware startups frequently overlook this requirement. Verify enrollment directly through the E-Verify employer search before signing an offer letter.
What should my I-983 training plan include for a firmware engineering position?
Your I-983 must document specific learning objectives tied to your STEM degree, not just a job description. For firmware roles, list concrete technical goals: bare-metal driver development, real-time operating system integration, hardware bring-up procedures, or debugging embedded communication protocols. USCIS requires that each objective connects directly to your degree field, and your employer must sign off confirming the work meets those goals. Vague plans citing general 'engineering experience' are routinely rejected.
How does cap-gap work if my STEM OPT expires before my H-1B starts?
Cap-gap protection under USCIS regulations automatically extends your work authorization if your employer files an H-1B petition before your STEM OPT end date and you're selected in the lottery. The extension runs through September 30 of the H-1B fiscal year. You can continue working in your firmware role during this window without interruption. If the petition is denied or withdrawn, cap-gap protection ends and you must stop working immediately.
Where can I find firmware jobs open to STEM OPT students?
Migrate Mate lists firmware roles filtered by employers with E-Verify enrollment and STEM OPT compatibility, so you're not sifting through postings from companies that can't legally hire you on an OPT extension. Firmware openings span defense, automotive, semiconductor, and consumer electronics sectors. Narrowing by employer compliance history up front saves significant time during a job search where your authorization window is limited.