Principal Engineer, Firmware & Product Test

Job Title

Principal Engineer, Firmware & Product Test

Role Summary

Lead front-end firmware verification and test development for enterprise SSD products within the Firmware & Product Test (FPT) team. Own verification strategy, automation framework development, failure analysis, and testability collaboration with firmware architects.

Drive scalable test infrastructure and AI-enabled workflows to accelerate validation across simulation, FPGA, and prototype hardware environments.

Experience Level

Senior-level. See Education Requirements for degree-and-years guidance.

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities include test strategy, automation, failure analysis, and mentoring.

• Define and lead firmware verification strategies for NVMe front-end features (SMART, Trim, Get Log Page, OCP, Identify, Namespace Management).
• Own the end-to-end test development lifecycle: spec analysis, test planning, automation, execution, and coverage closure.
• Architect and maintain scalable test automation frameworks and CI/CD integration for regression automation and reporting.
• Perform root-cause analysis for field and regression failures; develop systematic debug methodologies using logs, protocol analyzers, and firmware traces.
• Lead failure analysis efforts and correlate test observations to firmware behavior to identify defect causes and recommend fixes.
• Define and enforce test coverage standards; conduct code and test reviews to improve effectiveness and quality.
• Apply AI-enabled tools and data-analytics/ML techniques to optimize test development, anomaly detection, and predictive failure analysis.
• Mentor junior and mid-level engineers and present technical findings and validation status to cross-functional stakeholders.

Requirements

Must-have technical skills and experience; preferred items listed separately.

• Expert-level Python proficiency with experience building production-quality test automation frameworks.
• Proven experience validating NVMe front-end features and designing firmware test strategies.
• Strong failure-analysis skills: systematic debug, log analysis, root-cause identification, and defect documentation.
• Deep understanding of test architecture, automation strategy, and validation methodologies.
• Experience driving test infrastructure improvements, CI/CD integration, and reporting dashboards.
• Demonstrated ability to lead technical initiatives and mentor engineers; strong verbal and written communication skills.

Nice-to-have / Preferred:

• Protocol-level knowledge of NVMe and PCIe specifications.
• Experience with storage firmware architecture, SSD validation methodologies, and NAND/FTL concepts.
• Familiarity with Rust or C for firmware comprehension and grey-box testing.
• Experience with protocol analyzers, coyote event logs, and firmware debug tools.
• Working knowledge of Linux/Windows administration, Git, and CI/CD pipelines.
• Experience applying AI/ML for test optimization or intelligent failure triage and leading cross-functional initiatives.

Education Requirements

Bachelor's degree with ~10+ years of relevant experience, Master's with ~8+ years, or PhD with ~6+ years in Computer Science, Electrical/Computer Engineering, or a related technical field.

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.