Sr. Staff Engineer, Embedded Firmware

Ayar Labs

Ayar Labs

San Jose, CA, USA

Posted on Apr 8, 2026
Position: Sr. Staff Engineer, Embedded Firmware
Location: San Jose, CA
Job Id: 568
# of Openings: 0
Sr. Staff Engineer, Embedded Firmware

Location: San Jose, CA (on site)

Ayar Labs is shattering AI data bottlenecks by moving data at the speed of light. As pioneers of co-packaged optics (CPO), we are using light instead of electricity to move data faster, further, and with a fraction of the energy needed to fuel the explosive growth of AI models.

Backed by industry giants like NVIDIA, AMD, Mediatek and Intel and manufactured in partnership with the world’s leading semiconductor ecosystem, Ayar Labs’ co-packaged optics solution is key to unleashing next-generation AI scale-up architectures.
We are seeking an exceptional Firmware Engineer to own the firmware development lifecycle for our groundbreaking products.

In this critical role, you will drive firmware design from inception to customer deployment, ensuring seamless hardware validation and integration. This is a unique opportunity to leverage your expertise in embedded systems, multi-chip package environments, and high-speed SerDes to shape the future of optical interconnect.
Essential Functions:
  • Collaborate closely with analog/mixed-signal, digital, and photonic block designers to develop sophisticated control algorithms for our photonic circuits and establish the micro-architecture and embedded requirements for our multi-chip package systems.
  • Drive embedded firmware development: Design, develop, and optimize firmware for controlling complex electronic-photonic chips featuring multiple high-speed SerDes.
  • Provide Technical Leadership: Mentor and guide junior engineers, contributing to their professional growth and development.
  • Partner effectively with diverse teams, including hardware, software, validation and systems engineers, to achieve project goals.

Required Qualifications:
  • Bachelor's in Electrical/Computer Engineering or a related field with 6+ years of relevant industry experience.
  • Proven expertise in bare-metal embedded firmware development, with strong programming skills in C.
  • Hands-on, proactive approach with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic startup environment.
  • Experience with various microcontrollers and firmware debugging tools.
  • Experience estimating memory and CPU clock rate requirements.
  • Proficiency with modern version control workflows (e.g., Git).
  • Familiarity with project management tools (JIRA), and CI/CD tools.
  • Ability to own architecture and development of firmware modules from scratch.
  • Silicon bring-up experience
  • Experience in scripting with high level language like Python.
  • Experience with Make-based build flows.

Preferred Qualifications:
  • Experience in embedded firmware development for high-speed electronics and photonics applications.
  • Silicon bring-up experience for high-speed SerDes and photonics applications.

Salary range: $170,000 - $223,000

NOTE TO RECRUITERS:

Principals only. We are not accepting resumes from recruiters for this position. Remuneration for recruiting activities is only applicable subject to a signed and executed agreement between the parties. Please don’t send candidates to Ayar Labs, and do not contact our managers.


Ayar Labs is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is strongly committed to all policies which will afford equal opportunity employment to all qualified persons without regard to age, sex, national origin, race, color, ethnicity, creed, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. It is the policy of Ayar Labs to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship. Veterans are more than welcome and encouraged to apply.
Apply for this Position
See more open positions at Ayar Labs