Staff Engineer, SoC Design Verification

About the role

Pre-silicon verification defines how PCIe logic behaves across AI SoCs, ensuring connectivity, compliance, and bring-up meet silicon requirements. This role focuses on architecture-level validation that supports advanced AI workloads through rigorous protocol testing.

Software engineers turn product ideas into working code. Engineers work in small teams, review each other's work, and ship in small batches. Most teams follow agile practices such as sprints and daily standups. Engineers also write tests, fix bugs, and improve performance. The field values clear communication as much as technical skill. Engineers spend part of every week on planning, code review, and debugging, not just writing new code. The ability to explain a technical decision in plain words separates strong engineers from the rest.

Key facts

What you'll do

Establish verification environments that cover PCIe connectivity, compliance, interoperability, and bring-up for AI chiplets and SoCs.

Analyze coverage metrics, debug verification failures, and coordinate with architecture, RTL, and system teams to close issues.

Automate PCIe protocol test flows and integrate AI productivity tools into verification pipelines.

Bridge pre-silicon PCIe validation with silicon bring-up and platform strategies to align hardware and software milestones.

Requirements

Demonstrate deep curiosity about PCIe architecture, link behavior, and subsystem verification methodologies.

Show expertise in UVM and verification of PCIe controllers, PHY-facing logic, LTSSM, and protocol flows.

Comfort working with PCIe Gen4/Gen5 features, compliance concepts, and advanced verification automation.

Act proactively in cross-functional technical discussions, paying attention to detail under complex conditions.

Be familiar with verification tools similar to CocoTB and scripting approaches used in DV automation.

Hold a degree as a required credential for the role.

Be eligible to access U.S. export-controlled technology, subject to U.S. export laws and compliance checks.

Practical notes

The offer is contingent on eligibility for U.S. export-controlled technology and may be rescinded if export laws prevent employment.

Typical interview steps

Hiring for engineering roles usually starts with a recruiter screen, followed by one or two technical rounds. Candidates often solve a coding problem, discuss past projects, and answer system design questions. Some loops include a take-home task. Final rounds typically cover team fit and give candidates a chance to ask questions. Interviewers look for how you break down an unfamiliar problem, not just whether you reach the answer. Practicing a few problems aloud and reviewing your own past projects are the best preparation.

Good to know

Verification work centers on rigorous protocol checks and automation to validate complex connectivity.

The role uses advanced scripting and tooling to manage testflows and analyze coverage.

AI-driven automation is reshaping how modern verification workflows evolve and integrate platform strategies.

Pre-silicon validation influences silicon bring-up and real-world system behavior.

System-level connectivity verification spans multiple generations and compliance scenarios.

Collaboration across architecture, RTL, and system teams drives closure and quality results.

Questions to ask

Good questions to ask the employer in the interview: what does success look like in the first six months, how is the team structured, what is the current biggest challenge, and how are decisions made. Asking about growth paths and the review process is also well received. Employers expect questions, and good ones show preparation.

Career growth

Engineering careers usually progress from individual contributor to senior, staff, and principal levels. Some engineers move into management and lead teams of five to twenty people. Others stay on the technical track. Growth follows demonstrated impact, not tenure alone. A typical engineering ladder has clear levels with defined expectations for scope, quality, and mentorship. Moving up usually requires owning outcomes end to end rather than completing assigned tickets.