Principal Engineer, Firmware & Product Test

Job Title

Principal Engineer, Firmware & Product Test

Role Summary

Technical leader responsible for firmware validation and product test strategy for enterprise SSDs. The role drives verification planning, scalable test automation, failure analysis, and cross-functional collaboration to improve product quality.

Experience Level

Senior — requires extensive experience. Typical guidance: 10+ years with a Bachelor’s, 8+ years with a Master’s, or 6+ years with a PhD (see Education Requirements for details).

Responsibilities

Own verification strategy and drive automation and failure triage across multiple SSD programs.

• Lead verification planning, test coverage closure, and automation for NVMe front-end firmware features across product lines.
• Architect and enhance Python-based test automation frameworks, CI/CD integration, regression infrastructure, and reporting.
• Perform root-cause analysis and failure triage using firmware traces, protocol analyzers, system logs, and structured debug methods.
• Define validation standards, review test code, mentor engineers, and promote consistent automation and quality practices.
• Partner with firmware architects and cross-functional teams to influence testability, communicate risks, and apply AI-enabled workflows to improve efficiency.

Requirements

Must-have skills and experience essential to perform the role.

• Expert-level Python programming and proven experience building production-quality test automation frameworks.
• Strong experience validating NVMe front-end features such as SMART, Admin Commands, Namespace Management, and OCP functionality.
• Proven expertise in failure analysis, root-cause investigation, log analysis, and documenting defects.
• Deep understanding of test architecture, automation strategy, validation methodologies, and CI/CD-driven test infrastructure.
• Experience working across simulation, FPGA, and hardware test environments for storage firmware validation.

Nice-to-have:

• Knowledge of NVMe and PCIe protocols and enterprise SSD firmware architectures.
• Experience with NAND flash architecture, FTL concepts, and storage validation methodologies.
• Proficiency in Rust or C and experience with firmware debug tools and protocol analyzers.
• Familiarity with Linux or Windows system administration, Git, and CI/CD environments.
• Experience applying AI or AI-enabled tools for test optimization, anomaly detection, or failure triage.

Education Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical/Computer Engineering, or a related field with 10+ years of relevant experience; or Master’s degree with 8+ years; or PhD with 6+ years. Equivalent practical experience is implicitly accepted per the stated degree-with-experience tradeoffs.

About the Company

Company: Micron Technology

Headquarters: Boise, Idaho, USA

Micron Technology is a global leader in memory and storage solutions, dedicated to transforming how the world uses information. The company offers a diverse portfolio of high-performance DRAM, NAND, and NOR memory products under the Micron and Crucial brands. With a commitment to customer focus and technological innovation, Micron drives advancements in artificial intelligence, 5G, and other data-centric applications, empowering users to learn, communicate, and progress.