Principle Design Verification Engineer SerDes/PHY

About this role

Astera Labs (NASDAQ: ALAB) provides rack-scale AI infrastructure through purpose-built connectivity solutions. By collaborating with hyperscalers and ecosystem partners, Astera Labs enables organizations to unlock the full potential of modern AI. Astera Labs’ Intelligent Connectivity Platform integrates CXL®, Ethernet, NVLink, PCIe®, and UALink™ semiconductor-based technologies with the company’s COSMOS software suite to unify diverse components into cohesive, flexible systems that deliver end-to-end scale-up, and scale-out connectivity. The company’s custom connectivity solutions business complements its standards-based portfolio, enabling customers to deploy tailored architectures to meet their unique infrastructure requirements. Discover more at www.asteralabs.com.

Role Overview

Astera Labs is hiring a Principal Design Verification Engineer to own functional verification of our high-speed SerDes/PHY IP — the connectivity engine powering rack-scale AI infrastructure. You will architect verification environments, drive coverage closure, and ensure first-pass silicon success on the analog/digital boundary that defines next-generation AI systems.

This is a high-impact, hands-on role at the heart of Astera Labs' hyper-growth story. You'll partner directly with PHY analog/mixed-signal designers, digital architects, and SoC integration teams to verify multi-Gbps SerDes blocks that ship into the world's most advanced AI platforms, including UALink, UCIe, PCIe Gen 6/Gen 7, and Ethernet-based connectivity products.

Key Responsibilities

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Verification Architecture & Strategy

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• Architect UVM-based verification environments for SerDes/PHY IP, including PMA, PCS, and PHY-MAC interface layers

• Define verification plans, coverage models, and sign-off criteria for high-speed serial link blocks

• Drive methodology decisions across analog/mixed-signal co-simulation, gate-level simulation, and emulation flows

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Execution & Coverage Closure

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• Develop SystemVerilog/UVM testbenches, sequences, scoreboards, and reference models for multi-Gbps SerDes lanes

• Execute functional, performance, and corner-case verification across equalization, CDR, training, and link bring-up scenarios

• Lead coverage analysis and closure, debug failures with designers, and drive regressions to clean tape-out

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Physical Layer & Protocol Verification

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• Verify PHY behavior against industry specifications including PCIe Gen 6/Gen 7, UALink, UCIe, and Ethernet PHY standards

• Model and validate channel behavior, link training state machines, and analog handoff scenarios

• Partner with analog/AMS designers on Real Number Modeling (RNM) and behavioral models for SerDes blocks

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Cross-Functional Leadership

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• Mentor junior DV engineers and set technical direction across the verification team

• Collaborate with SoC integration, firmware, post-silicon validation, and customer engineering teams

• Contribute to verification IP reuse strategy and tooling improvements across product lines