Firmware Engineer Intern (SCO2)

Job description

<p> </p>
<h1 class="wnfdnti _1ibi0s33y _1ibi0s34u" data-pm-slice="1 1 []">Firmware Engineer Intern (SCO2)</h1>
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea"><strong>Location:</strong> San Jose, California, United States</p>
<h2 class="wnfdnti _1ibi0s33y _1ibi0s34u">About the role</h2>
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Astera Labs is seeking a Firmware Engineer Intern to work on Scorpio2 (SCO2), a high-performance platform that combines multiple firmware images and processor subsystems. You will contribute to product-specific embedded firmware development, build and validation workflows, and software-hardware debug alongside experienced firmware engineers.</p>
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">This internship is designed around meaningful project ownership. You will learn the SCO2 codebase, build flow, and observability tools while developing practical experience with embedded systems, real-time software, processor-to-processor communication, and product validation.</p>
<h2 class="wnfdnti _1ibi0s33y _1ibi0s34u">What you will do</h2>
<ul class="wnfdntf">
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Learn the SCO2 firmware architecture, source tree, build flow, and product interfaces.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Develop, debug, and improve embedded firmware running across the SCO2 AMC, SMC, and CMC processor subsystems.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Work with FreeRTOS tasks, interrupts, processor-local memory, mailboxes, and inter-processor communication under mentorship.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Build and package SCO2 firmware for emulation and silicon or bench workflows using the established compile-and-pack flow.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Work with SysConfig templates and firmware image outputs to create and validate configuration variants.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Add or improve firmware functionality, diagnostics, console commands, logging, or platform support for SCO2.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Use SDK, mailbox, command-line, and Python-based tools to interact with the device and investigate firmware behavior.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Support telemetry and debug workflows involving PCIe health, link events, error counters, performance data, and firmware reset events.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Create tests, reproduce issues, analyze logs and build artifacts, and communicate root causes and proposed fixes.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Document implementation details, validation results, and lessons learned; present the outcome of your internship project to technical and business stakeholders.</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">Enrollment in a bachelor’s, master’s, or Ph.D. program in computer engineering, electrical 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 embedded systems, firmware, operating systems, computer architecture, or software-hardware integration.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Programming experience in C, C++, Python, or a comparable systems-oriented language.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Familiarity with Linux development environments, Git-based workflows, debugging, and writing clear technical documentation.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Ability to understand technical specifications, investigate problems methodically, and communicate findings clearly.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Strong ownership, curiosity, practical judgment, and willingness to learn in a collaborative engineering environment.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h2 class="wnfdnti _1ibi0s33y _1ibi0s34u">Preferred qualifications</h2>
<ul class="wnfdntf">
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Exposure to real-time operating systems, including FreeRTOS or a comparable RTOS.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Familiarity with multi-core or multi-processor systems, inter-process communication, mailboxes, interrupts, UART, I2C, PCIe, or register-level programming.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Experience building firmware from source, working with compiler toolchains, managing submodules, or generating binary images.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Experience writing Python utilities, SDK integrations, automated tests, or lab/debug scripts.</p>
</li>
<li class="wnfdnte _1ibi0s33w">
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea">Familiarity with embedded telemetry, logging, performance counters, error handling, or hardware bring-up.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<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>
<p class="wnfdntu _1ibi0s3f5 _1ibi0s3ce _1ibi0s3ea"></p>
<h2>Equal opportunity</h2>
<p>Astera Labs is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We encourage anyone with relevant experience to apply.</p>
<p> </p>