Samtec Inc

Overview Samtec is seeking a Senior Firmware Engineer to work with our optical transceiver product line in Santa Clara, CA. This is a Monday through Friday day shift. Salary is $200K - $270K per year inclusive of applicable bonus(s) and commensurate with experience. Standard benefit offerings available are medical (HSA/PPO), dental, vision, group life, AD&D, short and long term disability, EAP, 401K plus other voluntary options, as well as paid time off. Responsibilities Architect and implement embedded firmware for optical transceiver control systems (e.g., MCU-based designs and active control loops in a mostly bare metal environment) Lead development of low-level drivers for I C/MDIO, ADC/DAC, GPIO, PMIC, SPI, UART, and thermal/laser control systems Implement SFF/CMIS-compliant state machines and memory maps for optical transceiver modules Develop algorithms for module startup sequencing, fault management, chipset interaction, and closed-loop optical power/temperature control Ensure safe and deterministic firmware behavior across all module states (Init, Low-Power, High-Power, Diagnostic, FW Update, etc.) Collaborate with hardware, software, optics, electrical, mechanical and process teams to Design for Manufacture and Test (DFM & DFT) and validate end-to-end module behavior Own debugging of complex system-level issues (e.g., thermal runaway protection, laser bias tuning, signal integrity interactions, PMD/Chipset state issues) Support initial bring-up of integrated modules and throughout product life cycle Lead root-cause analysis for firmware-related field returns or customer issues Assist with new and existing hardware characterization Tool development using C# and Python used for engineering, manufacturing and sales Maintain revision control, documentation, and processes for firmware release flow Participate in design reviews, customer calls, failure analysis reviews, and interoperability testing Required Experience / Qualifications 5+ years of embedded firmware experience, preferably in optical transceivers or high-speed communications products Strong proficiency in C, with skills or knowledge in C# and embedded systems running RTOS Ability to design maintainable state machines, drivers, and HW-FW abstractions Skilled in debugging using logic analyzers, I C/MDIO sniffers, oscilloscopes, JTAG Familiarity with automated testing, scripting (Python), and lab bench workflows Deep understanding of: Optical transceiver architectures and product design schematics CMIS, SFF-8636, MDIO, I C, low-level hardware interfaces Laser control (VCSEL/DFB/EML), TEC/thermal control, power sequencing Signal integrity basics and high-speed link behavior Experience in ASIC, SoC, FPGA, Switch IC, DSP control and integration is a plus Strong problem-solving, root-cause analysis, and system-level thinking Ability to collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams and interface with customers when needed Excellent documentation habits and ownership mindset Ability to work in fast-paced NPI environments with tight schedules Education BS/MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field SAMTEC, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer and committed to creating a diverse environment. All employment decisions at Samtec are based in business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, pregnancy or parental status, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender and/or gender identity/expression, marital status, past or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable laws. Privacy Policy: