Embedded Software Engineer, Astera Labs

• BS in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field
• 2 to 5 years of experience writing embedded C/C++ firmware on real hardware
• Comfort working at the hardware/software boundary: reading datasheets, poking registers, interpreting hardware behaviour from software
• Familiarity with Linux development tools: gcc/clang, make, bash, gdb, and git
• Some experience with Python scripting, whether for test automation, data analysis, or general utility scripts
• Strong communication skills and a collaborative attitude; you'll be working closely with a small team and need to keep everyone in the loop
• A genuine interest in digging into hard problems and the persistence to see them through

Desirable

• Our analog and Ethernet connectivity products sit in the critical signal path of optical modules, copper interconnects, and high-speed networking infrastructure
• Across both product lines, the firmware controlling these devices drives adaptive behaviour, calibration sequences, link management, and real-time performance, and it ends up deployed in data centers around the world
• This is the kind of work where what you write actually matters
• You'll be part of a small Ottawa-based team working directly alongside senior engineers on firmware development, hardware bring-up, test automation, and day-to-day project tracking
• You won't be handed a narrow slice of work and left alone
• You'll be involved across the board, getting exposure to how analog and Ethernet connectivity products go from silicon to production
• This is a startup, and that means things move quickly and the work doesn't always fit neatly into a job description
• If that sounds like your kind of environment, keep reading
• Level is negotiable based on experience and qualifications
• Write and modify embedded C firmware for analog and Ethernet connectivity devices, including register configuration, state machines, calibration sequences, and control loops
• Work on low-level hardware bring-up and debug alongside senior firmware engineers
• Contribute to features spanning analog control such as gain settings and equalization parameters, as well as Ethernet link management, SERDES configuration, and diagnostics
• Help maintain and improve the firmware codebase with clean, reviewable code
• Write Python scripts to automate test flows, collect and analyze data, and help make the team faster
• Work with validation teams remotely to develop and execute test plans across a range of operating conditions and corner cases
• Help build out CI infrastructure and automated test tooling as the team grows
• Contribute to characterizing firmware behaviour across analog and Ethernet configurations, link states, and failure modes
• Keep Jira tickets up to date, track your own work, and flag blockers early
• Participate in code reviews and architecture discussions
• Communicate clearly with teammates across firmware, silicon design, and applications