Principal Engineer, SSD Validation

Job Title

Principal Engineer, SSD Validation

Role Summary

Technical leader for SSD firmware validation and test architecture across enterprise, data center, and automotive SSD products. Owns validation strategy, automation frameworks, CI/CD pipelines, and quality systems to ensure reliability, performance, scalability, and manufacturing readiness.

Experience Level

Senior — typically requires 8+ years of relevant SSD firmware validation or development experience.

Responsibilities

Lead validation strategy, architecture, and cross-functional resolution of complex firmware issues. Drive automation, long-duration testing, and CI/CD to support qualification and production readiness.

• Lead SSD firmware test architecture and validation strategy for enterprise SSDs.
• Design and implement validation for functionality, performance, reliability, QoS, PLP, FTL, GC, power management, and security.
• Build and optimize automation frameworks, long-duration stability test systems, and CI/CD validation pipelines.
• Lead root-cause analysis for system hangs, drive drops, compatibility failures, and performance degradation.
• Define validation methodologies, metrics, and coverage plans to improve release confidence.
• Coordinate across firmware, hardware, NAND, system engineering, and quality teams to resolve technical challenges.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship; participate in architecture reviews and validation readiness decisions.
• Maintain awareness of emerging storage technologies (PCIe 5.0/6.0, NVMe 2.0, ZNS, CXL) and automotive storage requirements.
• Use AI-assisted tools and LLMs to improve validation efficiency, data analysis, and automation while complying with organizational standards.

Requirements

Core technical skills and proven experience required. Candidates should demonstrate leadership in validation engineering and practical expertise implementing large-scale validation and automation systems.

• Must-have: Deep expertise in NVMe, PCIe, and SATA protocols; SSD internals (FTL, GC, wear leveling, PLP, NAND Flash).
• Must-have: Strong proficiency in Linux, Python, C, and shell scripting; experience building automated test frameworks and CI/CD pipelines.
• Must-have: Hands-on experience with storage validation tools (fio, nvme-cli, PyNVMe) and debug/performance analysis utilities.
• Must-have: Experience with firmware/hardware co-debugging, reliability validation, and mass-production test systems; structured root-cause analysis and quality engineering practices.
• Must-have: Technical leadership, clear communication, and ability to influence cross-functional teams; mentorship experience.
• Nice-to-have: Experience with ZNS, CXL, NVMe-oF, Secure Boot, ASIL/functional safety, or enterprise/data center/automotive SSD products.
• Nice-to-have: Experience establishing end-to-end validation systems, automation platforms, or validation teams for product qualification and production.
• Nice-to-have: Storage-related patents, publications, or recognized technical contributions.

Education Requirements

B.Sc. or higher in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Microelectronics, or a related technical field — or equivalent practical experience.

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.