Firmware Engineer Intern
Astera Labs
Firmware Engineer Intern
Astera Labs
Designs chips that connect data center systems
Astera Labs • San Jose, CA (On-site) • Internship
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. Discover more at www.asteralabs.com.
Join the Firmware Engineering team behind Scorpio 1, Astera Labs' first-generation scale-up fabric switch that sits at the heart of AI data center racks. As a Firmware Engineer Intern (SCO1), you'll work alongside the Compute Connectivity Engineering team to build and debug the embedded firmware that brings this silicon to life — from register-level device configuration through customer-facing diagnostics. This is hands-on work: the firmware you touch controls real link training, calibration, and PCIe behavior on hardware that ships to hyperscale customers.
Astera Labs interns don't just observe — they contribute to real projects that ship, working side-by-side with senior firmware engineers and getting exposure to the full path from bring-up to production support.
Write and debug embedded C/C++ firmware for the Scorpio 1 switch ASIC, including register configuration, state machines, and control-loop logic
Support link training, SERDES configuration, and PCIe protocol-level debug alongside senior firmware engineers
Contribute to calibration and diagnostics routines used during silicon bring-up and system validation
Write Python scripts to automate test flows, parse hardware/debug logs, and analyze data from the lab
Work with the system validation team to triage failures, reproduce issues, and help drive fixes into the firmware codebase
Use lab tools (JTAG, trace logs, serial/debug consoles) to isolate and resolve firmware/hardware issues on real boards
Keep work tracked in Jira, participate in code reviews, and communicate findings clearly to the team
Currently pursuing a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field
Proficiency in C (preferred) or C++, including development of firmware
Proficient in Python for scripting
Experience with developer workflows, source control (preferably git), code reviews, and CI
Experience developing firmware that executes on on-chip microcontrollers
Experience debugging firmware/hardware issues using JTAG, trace logs, or other lab tools
Professional attitude with the ability to formulate theories and well-thought-out questions to help debug and develop complex systems
Completed one or more courses in Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS), or hands-on RTOS use during a prior internship/co-op or project
Knowledge of testing tools such as PyTest or GoogleTest
Familiarity with software build environments, CI/CD, and gcc/make
Experience with lab hardware/firmware debug (oscilloscopes, protocol analyzers, logic analyzers)
Experience developing firmware for PCIe, CXL, or Ethernet
Prior internship or co-op experience in a semiconductor or networking hardware company
This is a paid, hourly U.S. internship. The applicable hourly rate is determined as part of the offer process and specified in the offer letter, depending on education level, ranging from $35/hour to $55/hour. U.S. interns currently receive a $500-per-week housing/relocation stipend for the duration of the internship. Interns participate in Early Career programming, including technical and professional-development sessions, community events, and an end-of-program project presentation.
Astera Labs is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We encourage anyone with relevant experience to apply.
Designs chips that connect data center systems
Astera Labs designs chips and hardware modules that move data between processors, memory and accelerators in data centers. Its customers include cloud providers, chip vendors and equipment makers building servers and large computing clusters for AI and other workloads. Retimers restore signal quality, switches connect devices and memory controllers expand the memory available to computing systems, while COSMOS software monitors and manages these links. The company sells its products directly and through distributors, using outside manufacturers to fabricate and assemble its hardware. Astera Labs was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in San Jose, California.
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