System Validation Engineer Intern

Job description

<p></p>
<h1 class="wnfdnti _1ibi0s33y _1ibi0s34u" data-pm-slice="1 1 []">System Validation Intern</h1>
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea"><strong>Location:</strong> San Jose, California, United States<br><strong>Employment type:</strong> Internship</p>
<h2 class="wnfdnti _1ibi0s33y _1ibi0s34u">About the role</h2>
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">We are looking for a System Validation Intern to help validate hardware, firmware, and applications together as an integrated system. This is a hands-on opportunity to work at the intersection of software and hardware while helping improve validation coverage and accelerate deployment of next-generation data-center connectivity products.</p>
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">You will collaborate with system validation, firmware, hardware, software quality, interoperability, compliance, and Product Applications teams. The right candidate is curious, execution-focused, comfortable troubleshooting from data, and eager to own a scoped validation project with guidance from experienced engineers.</p>
<h2 class="wnfdnti _1ibi0s33y _1ibi0s34u">What you’ll do</h2>
<ul class="wnfdntf">
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Define test specifications and deliver repeatable test workflows for system-level validation.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Execute functional, performance, stress, reliability, interoperability, regression, and end-to-end validation scenarios.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Automate feature validation and develop scripts or utilities that improve test coverage, repeatability, and reporting.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Investigate issues across hardware, firmware, software, and applications by reproducing failures, analyzing logs and telemetry, and documenting clear findings.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Generate comprehensive validation reports, record test results, summarize pass/fail trends, and communicate risks, known issues, and recommended next steps.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Support lab setup and maintain test environments, devices under test, configurations, firmware versions, and required tools.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Track bugs through their lifecycle, including clear reproduction steps, logs, traces, screenshots, retesting, regression testing, and closure verification.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Validate system functionality, subsystem integration, performance under load, stability, and recovery behavior.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Support interoperability and compliance activities by sharing validation reports, known-issues lists, test results, and follow-up findings.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams to clarify requirements, investigate complex technical challenges, and improve validation processes.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Build dashboards, parse logs, analyze coverage and pass/fail data, and identify opportunities to make validation more efficient.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Own a defined internship project with mentor support, provide progress updates, meet milestones, and present the project’s results and recommendations at the end of the internship.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h2 class="wnfdnti _1ibi0s33y _1ibi0s34u">What you bring</h2>
<ul class="wnfdntf">
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Currently enrolled in a bachelor’s, master’s, or Ph.D. program in electrical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, or a related field.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Coursework, research, or project experience in systems, embedded software, digital hardware, computer architecture, networking, test engineering, or hardware/software integration.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Programming or scripting experience with Python, C, C++, Bash/Shell, or comparable languages.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Familiarity with Linux development environments, Git version control, command-line tools, issue-tracking platforms, data analysis, and technical documentation.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Ability to follow structured test procedures, troubleshoot from telemetry or logs, reproduce issues, and communicate findings clearly.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Foundational understanding of computer architecture and platform components, including CPUs, GPUs, memory, storage, and PCIe devices.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Strong ownership, curiosity, practical judgment, attention to detail, and willingness to collaborate across engineering functions.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Ability to ask for help when blocked, follow up, escalate appropriately, and work around obstacles while maintaining quality.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="wnfdnti _1ibi0s33y _1ibi0s34u">Preferred qualifications</h3>
<ul class="wnfdntf">
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Experience with system bring-up, hardware or firmware validation, lab testing, test automation, or device-under-test debugging.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Familiarity with PCIe, CXL, Ethernet, I2C, I3C, or other industry protocols.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Hands-on experience with oscilloscopes, protocol analyzers, traffic generators, power supplies, thermal-forcing systems, or other lab equipment.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Familiarity with firmware updates, boot flows, configuration and telemetry utilities, error injection, performance counters, or recovery testing.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Experience with interoperability, compliance, stress, reliability, or regression-testing frameworks.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Experience building dashboards, parsing logs, analyzing pass/fail trends, or automating validation reporting.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h2 class="wnfdnti _1ibi0s33y _1ibi0s34u">Equal opportunity</h2>
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Astera Labs is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We encourage anyone with relevant experience to apply.</p>
<h2 class="wnfdnti _1ibi0s33y _1ibi0s34u">Internship experience and compensation</h2>
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">This is a paid, hourly U.S. internship. The applicable hourly rate is determined as part of the offer process and specified in the offer letter, depending on education level ranges from $35/hour to $55/hour. U.S. interns currently receive a $500-per-week housing/relocation stipend for the duration of the internship. Interns participate in Early Career programming, including technical and professional-development sessions, community events, and an end-of-program project presentation.</p>
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