Principal Application Engineer

Job Title

Principal Application Engineer

Role Summary

Work in a lab-focused applications engineering role supporting Rambus memory interface products for DDR4 and DDR5 in server environments. The role analyzes and debugs system- and component-level issues (DRAM, interface chips, DIMMs, servers, BIOS), supports chip qualification, and communicates technical findings to customers and internal teams.

Experience Level

Senior — requires 8+ years of experience in hardware design, validation, and/or applications engineering.

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities involve technical troubleshooting, validation, and customer support for server memory interface products.

• Analyze and debug complex server memory issues and manage customer problems through to resolution.
• Support technical qualification of new chip designs to secure customer design wins.
• Validate and debug memory interface chips for DDR5 server platforms.
• Collect and analyze system-level signal integrity and timing data.
• Perform failure analysis and prepare technical failure reports and 8D reports.
• Gather customer technical feedback and relay findings to Marketing and Engineering.
• Present technical updates to customers and internal management, both written and verbal.
• Prepare technical documentation such as datasheets, user guides, and application notes.

Requirements

Must-have technical skills, tools, and capabilities for successful performance in this role.

• Familiarity with DDR4/DDR5 DIMM operation in Intel, AMD, or OEM servers.
• Strong understanding of signal integrity at clock rates ≥ 3 GHz.
• Experience with power management and I2C/I3C serial interfaces.
• Extensive hands-on experience with probing, high-speed oscilloscopes, and lab equipment.
• Proven use of root-cause analysis methods (fishbone, design of experiments, etc.).
• Ability to use scripting languages (Perl, Tcl, or Python) for log analysis and test automation.
• Ability to travel to customer sites as required, including international travel.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Nice-to-have:

• Experience with ATE tester operation.
• Experience reading/modifying MRC BIOS code and using Intel/AMD server platform debug tools.

Education Requirements

BS degree or higher in Electrical Engineering or a related field.

About the Company

Company: Rambus

Headquarters: Sunnyvale, California, USA

Rambus is a global leader in advanced semiconductor and technology solutions, specializing in enhancing data access and improving performance in computing, networking, and storage applications. The company is known for its innovative IP and solutions in memory, security, and interface technologies. With a strong focus on research and development, Rambus continues to push the boundaries of technology to meet the growing demands of the digital age.