Senior SSD Firmware Applications Engineer – Enterprise Storage

About the Opportunity

I'm partnering with an industry-leading semiconductor company to identify a Senior SSD Firmware Applications Engineer to support next-generation Enterprise SSD controller solutions. This is an opportunity to join a market leader in NAND flash storage technology that develops cutting-edge controller solutions for enterprise SSD, data center, automotive, and embedded storage applications.

The successful candidate will work directly with enterprise and hyperscale customers, helping drive technical design wins, resolve complex storage platform challenges, and accelerate adoption of advanced PCIe/NVMe SSD technologies. This role combines deep firmware expertise with customer-facing technical leadership, making it ideal for engineers who enjoy both hands-on development and strategic customer engagement.

Key Responsibilities

Firmware Development & Debug

• Develop and enhance SSD firmware features to meet product specifications and customer requirements.
• Design, implement, and modify firmware supporting PCIe and NVMe protocols.
• Debug host-interface and platform-related issues discovered during internal and customer qualification testing.
• Conduct root cause analysis and implement corrective actions to resolve firmware and system-level issues.
• Collaborate closely with hardware engineering teams to resolve customer issues efficiently.

Customer & Applications Engineering

• Work directly with customers to support SSD qualification, integration, validation, and debug activities.
• Drive technical design-ins and design wins by removing hardware, firmware, and platform adoption barriers.
• Serve as a technical advisor during customer meetings, presentations, and technical reviews.
• Advocate customer requirements internally and align engineering priorities with customer expectations.
• Coordinate with product management, engineering, and customer teams to resolve product issues and influence future controller and firmware roadmaps.

Enterprise & Data Center Technology Support

• Promote the technical advantages of enterprise SSD controller solutions.
• Support ecosystem enablement efforts that accelerate customer adoption.
• Build strong relationships with enterprise, OEM, ODM, and hyperscale customers.
• Assist customers in deploying storage solutions within enterprise and data center environments.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related technical field.
• Minimum 3+ years of experience in firmware engineering, applications engineering, or SSD development.
• Experience with SSD controller architecture and firmware development.
• Strong knowledge of PCIe and NVMe protocols, including:
• Host Reset
• Power Management
• Namespaces
• MSI-X
• SMBus
• ARP
• NVMe Command Processing
• Experience analyzing PCIe protocol traces and debugging front-end interface issues.
• Experience in SSDs, HDDs, storage systems, or related storage technologies.
• Strong C/C++ programming and data structures expertise.
• Hands-on experience with JTAG/ICE debugging tools.
• Experience using Git or similar version control systems.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and documentation skills.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating across global engineering teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, and protocol analyzers.
• Knowledge of SSD hardware architecture and firmware design.
• Experience with Windows and Linux enterprise/data center environments.
• Familiarity with:
• SAS
• SATA
• PCIe/NVMe
• RAID Controllers
• HBAs
• PCIe Switches
• Expanders
• JBOD/JBOF Architectures
• Understanding of enterprise storage and data center infrastructure.
• Microsoft and Linux OS debug experience.
• Mandarin language proficiency (reading and writing) is a plus.
• Experience supporting enterprise, hyperscale, or cloud infrastructure customers.

Compensation & Benefits

My client offers a highly competitive compensation and rewards package, including:

• Competitive base salary: $160,000 – $200,000
• Annual performance bonus
• RSU grants for eligible employees
• Annual merit increases
• Patent and invention awards
• 401(k) employer matching
• Length of service recognition awards
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Health insurance plans for employees and eligible dependents
• Employee-focused culture emphasizing innovation, collaboration, and work-life balance

Why Consider This Opportunity?

• Work on cutting-edge Enterprise SSD and NVMe storage technologies.
• Collaborate directly with leading hyperscale and enterprise customers.
• Influence future storage controller and firmware roadmaps.
• Join a growing organization with strong market presence in enterprise storage.
• Competitive compensation, equity participation, and long-term career growth opportunities.

Equal Employment Opportunity

My client is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

As a recruiting partner, Future Wave Recruiting evaluates candidates solely on qualifications, experience, and job-related factors and presents qualified candidates without discrimination. We are committed to supporting fair, equitable, and inclusive hiring practices throughout the recruitment process.