Staff Engineer - SSD Hardware Design

Job Title

Staff Engineer - SSD Hardware Design

Role Summary

Lead hardware design, validation and qualification for SSD products (E3.S, E1.L, E3.L, U.2 form factors), evaluation/test boards and daughter cards. Own SSD hardware through design, verification, validation and product lifecycle.

Work cross-functionally with SI/PI simulation, mechanical, firmware validation and global Micron teams to ensure designs meet performance, reliability and regulatory requirements.

Experience Level

Senior — minimum 10+ years of experience in hardware design, validation, debugging and root-cause analysis of hardware and system issues.

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities include technical leadership of SSD hardware design and validation.

• Lead design and development of SSD hardware (EDSFF E3.S/E3.L/E1.L, U.2), test and evaluation boards, and daughter cards.
• Define PCB back-end (stack-up, via technologies), set design constraints, and perform SI/PI analysis.
• Design, simulate and analyze proposals; review results and recommend optimal design practices.
• Perform hardware validation and characterization for DC–DC converters, LDOs, PMICs, I2C/I3C/SMBus, LPDDR5 and PCIe interfaces.
• Execute measurements using oscilloscopes, power analyzers, logic analyzers and PCIe analyzers; document and communicate results to cross-functional teams.
• Ensure designs comply with industry standards (IPC) and regulatory requirements (UL, IEC); maintain design documentation, test reports and FMEA.
• Collaborate with SI/PI, mechanical and firmware teams and with global engineering counterparts across time zones.
• Participate in DFM/DFA and continuous improvement activities.
• Automate hardware validation tests and maintain test frameworks.

Requirements

Must-have technical skills and hands-on experience.

• In-depth knowledge of PCIe interfaces (Gen5 & Gen6) and PCIe Base/CEM specifications.
• Strong understanding of power management: DC–DC converters (buck/boost), PMICs, Power Loss Protection (PLP), LDOs and load-switch devices.
• Thorough understanding of Signal Integrity (SI), Power Integrity (PI) and Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) requirements.
• Hands-on measurement and debug experience with oscilloscopes, power analyzers, logic analyzers and PCIe analyzers.
• Proven hardware design skills: schematic capture, worst-case analysis, simulations, de-rating and end-to-end ownership through product lifecycle.
• PCB back-end expertise: defining stack-up, via technologies and setting constraints for SI/PI.
• Experience in hardware validation and characterization of interfaces and power subsystems.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills for cross-geo collaboration.
• Ability to work proactively with cross-functional teams during design, verification and validation.
• Automation experience for HW validation and test frameworks.

Nice-to-have:

• Experience with LPDDR4/5, NAND memories; ONFI interface is preferred.
• Familiarity with AI tools for automation and Python coding for test automation is preferred.

Education Requirements

Candidate must have a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electronics Engineering, Electrical Engineering or a related 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.