Job Details

Role Number: 200642097-3401

Summary

Are you inherently curious, hands-on, and analytical? We are seeking a seasoned SerDes Robustness Analysis & Validation Architect with a strong technical foundation and a hands-on approach to drive the robustness, performance, and margin validation of high-speed SerDes PHYs, such PCIe and USB, within our system. This role is ideal for someone who is motivated to push designs to the edge through intentional stress testing and margin-finding techniques!

Description

You will architect validation strategies that go beyond traditional spec-checking, focusing on uncovering weaknesses in design assumptions, stress-to-fail conditions, and system interactions across wide-ranging PVT and real-world scenarios, including edge case behaviors. A deep understanding of SerDes design and validation principles, SOC/system integration, and real-world system environments is required. The role demands strong collaboration with design, architecture, and system teams to ensure the IP is designed with design for testability. In addition, you will also partner closely with the validation team to help optimize for maximum test coverage vs. execution time, ensuring efficient yet thorough validation. This is a hands-on lab role that requires close collaboration with designers, architects, system, and test engineers to validate next-generation SerDes IPs from design conception through production.

Minimum Qualifications

• BS and 10 +years of relevant industry experience

Preferred Qualifications

• PhD in Electrical Engineering or related field with 10+ years of experience in SerDes IP validation, AMS circuit design, or silicon/system-level debug.

• Hands-on lab experience with lab instrumentations such as oscilloscopes, BERTs, protocol analyzers, etc, and measurement setups tailored for SerDes PHYs.

• Deep understanding of high-speed serial link protocols (PCIe, USB, Ethernet, DisplayPort, etc.) and equalization techniques (such as CTLE, DFE, FFE, etc.)

• Strong foundation in analog/mixed-signal design principles and familiarity with signal integrity (SI) and power integrity (PI) impacts.

• Skilled in programming (Python, C/C++, etc.) and data analysis tools for validation automation and correlation studies.

• Proven ability to break down complex problems, isolate issues, and root-cause at the circuit, protocol, and system levels.

• Demonstrated experience in design-for-validation, including fault injection, internal monitors, and behavioral hooks.

• Experience validating multi-lane PHYs with adaptive EQ, clocking and CDR paths, and challenging compliance requirements in various real systems.

• Familiarity with production and characterization flows, including margin-to-fail and stress testing techniques.

• Ability to guide test coverage optimization to reduce execution time without sacrificing risk coverage.

• Experience providing post-silicon insights that shaped future design changes.

• Passion for deep debug and a “find the flaw” mentality, with an interest to explore the unexpected.

Apple is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusion and diversity. We seek to promote equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics. Learn more about your EEO rights as an applicant (https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12ScreenRdr.pdf) .