Lead Hardware Engineer, Digital & Embedded Systems Job at thrively in Santa Clar

Lead Hardware Engineer, Digital & Embedded Systems About the Opportunity Thrively is partnering with a well‑funded, next‑generation hardware startup developing breakthrough optical and compute‑infrastructure technologies for hyperscale AI/ML data centers. Our client’s platform integrates advanced MEMS, silicon photonics, ASICs, and embedded systems into a radically new hardware architecture. They are backed by top‑tier investors and are building technology that will reshape data‑center‑scale networking for years to come. We’re looking for a Lead Hardware Engineer to own digital board design, embedded control systems, and system‑level hardware development for their next‑gen platform. This is a hands‑on, architecture + design + bring‑up role in a fast‑moving startup environment. What You’ll Own Digital Board & Embedded Control Systems Architect, design, and validate complex digital & mixed‑signal PCBs for high‑reliability environments Develop embedded control systems using microcontrollers/processors, including redundant controller architectures Design and integrate memory subsystems (DDR, Flash, SRAM), plus power sequencing, resets, clocks Implement high‑speed interfaces (PCIe, SERDES, Ethernet, I2C/SPI, GMII, etc.) Own schematic capture, system bring‑up, debugging, and cross‑functional integration FPGA & Digital Logic Integration Implement supporting FPGA logic for system integration or interface glue Write and maintain RTL (VHDL/Verilog/SystemVerilog) where needed Support synthesis, timing closure, simulation, and prototype bring‑up System Debug, Validation & Automation Debug across digital, firmware, and interface layers Use scopes, logic analyzers, and protocol analyzers to validate functionality Build automated validation test setups (Python / LabVIEW ideal) Manufacturing & Reliability Support Drive DFT/DFM alignment with manufacturing & test teams Improve board‑level test procedures, boundary scan, and programming flows What We’re Looking For Bachelor’s or Master’s in EE, CE, or equivalent 8+ years of hands‑on digital board + embedded system design experience Strong experience with microcontrollers/processors, memory systems, and power management Deep familiarity with high‑speed interfaces (PCIe, SERDES, DDR, Ethernet) Skilled in schematic capture, PCB bring‑up, and lab debug tools Excellent cross‑disciplinary communication and documentation skills Bonus Skills (Nice to Have) Strong FPGA background (Xilinx / Intel) Signal/power integrity analysis (HyperLynx, Sigrity, ADS) Hardware automation or scripting (Python, LabVIEW) Experience with optical/photonics hardware Background in data‑center, telecom, HPC, or high‑reliability systems Compensation Base: $220,000–$280,000 per year. Compensation depends on experience, seniority, and technical depth. Why This Role Matters This is a chance to design the digital/embedded architecture behind a category‑defining hardware platform in the AI/ML infrastructure world. You’ll work alongside leaders in ASIC development, photonics, MEMS, packaging, and systems engineering — and own some of the most critical control‑plane hardware in the company. Seniority level Mid‑Senior level Employment type Full‑time #J-18808-Ljbffr