Technical Staff Engineer - Design & Product Validation

Job Title

Technical Staff Engineer - Design & Product Validation

Role Summary

Lead validation and system-level engineering for next-generation networking and edge-compute products. This role owns validation strategy, platforms, and cross-functional investigations from architecture through product release.

Work spans hardware, FPGA, firmware, software, and test automation; collaborate with product design, verification, applications, and customers. Travel 0–25%. Annual base salary range: $107,000–$226,000 (dependent on location, skills, and experience).

Experience Level

Senior - 12+ years of related experience; proven technical leadership and experience leading teams, projects, or cross-functional initiatives.

Responsibilities

Define and execute validation strategies, build and maintain complex validation platforms, and lead root-cause investigations to ensure product quality and release readiness.

• Lead development and execution of validation plans, qualification criteria, and coverage metrics across the product lifecycle.
• Design, develop, and maintain validation platforms spanning hardware, FPGA, software, automation, and system integration.
• Lead investigation and root-cause analysis of silicon, hardware, firmware, software, networking, and interoperability issues.
• Drive technical decisions and influence product architecture, validation methodologies, and technical roadmaps.
• Partner with Product Design, Verification, Software, Applications, Product Engineering, Marketing, and external partners to ensure execution.
• Lead and mentor engineers across disciplines; promote best practices and technical growth.
• Manage external engineering partners: SOWs, milestones, risk management, and deliverable acceptance.
• Coordinate project priorities, schedules, resources, and technical deliverables to meet program objectives.
• Develop and deploy tools, automation frameworks, and infrastructure to improve validation effectiveness and scalability.
• Communicate technical recommendations, product readiness, and risks to engineering leadership and stakeholders.

Requirements

Minimum qualifications and useful skills for success in this role.

• Must-have:
  • 12+ years related experience.
  • Proven technical leadership of engineering teams, projects, or cross-functional initiatives.
  • Strong coaching and mentoring skills.
• Nice-to-have / Preferred:
  • Debug, validation, and bring-up experience with complex SoCs and high-speed interfaces (PCIe, Ethernet).
  • High-speed networking, communications, or edge-compute systems experience.
  • FPGA development using VHDL or SystemVerilog.
  • Embedded software or firmware development in C/C++ and Python scripting for automation and test.
  • Experience with SerDes, NRZ/PAM4, equalization, and signal integrity concepts.
  • System integration involving hardware, firmware, software, networking, and test infrastructure.
  • Use of laboratory instrumentation: oscilloscopes, BERTs, VNAs, protocol analyzers, and related equipment.
  • Customer engagement, field issue investigation, and managing external contractors.

Education Requirements

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering.

About the Company

Company: Microchip

Headquarters: Chandler, Arizona, USA

Microchip is a leading semiconductor company focused on developing innovative solutions to enhance the human experience. With a commitment to empowering innovation, Microchip prioritizes the value of its employees by fostering a culture that supports their growth and contributions.