Firmware Engineer - SERDES/C2C First-Silicon Bring-Up

Senior Firmware Engineer – SERDES/C2C First-Silicon Bring-Up

Type: Freelance

Location: Remote

We’re looking for a Senior Firmware Engineer to support first-silicon bring-up of high-speed SERDES and chip-to-chip (C2C) interfaces. This is a hands-on role focused on low-level firmware development, hardware initialisation and debugging complex issues to get silicon operational.

Working closely with hardware and verification teams, you’ll translate simulation flows into executable firmware, configure PHYs and controllers, and diagnose issues across clocking, calibration and link training.

Key responsibilities

Develop and debug low-level C/C++ firmware, including register-level programming, MMIO access, reset sequencing and link initialisation. Configure and troubleshoot SERDES PHYs, PLLs, CDRs, reference clocks, TX/RX parameters and equalisation. Use status registers, error counters, oscilloscopes and laboratory equipment to identify failures across physical and digital interface layers.

You’ll also translate verification and simulation sequences into repeatable silicon bring-up flows, implement robust timeout and error-handling mechanisms, and produce clear diagnostic evidence for debugging and regression testing.

What we’re looking for

• Hands-on experience with first-silicon bring-up, ideally involving SERDES or high-speed PHY interfaces.
• Strong C/C++ firmware development skills, including MMIO and register-level programming.
• Understanding of PLLs, CDR, clocking, calibration, reset sequencing and link training.
• Experience debugging hardware initialisation and correlating simulation results with physical-silicon behaviour.
• Practical laboratory debugging experience and the ability to collaborate across firmware, hardware and verification teams.

Experience with chiplet/die-to-die interfaces, Cadence or comparable SERDES IP, embedded PHY microcontrollers or calibration firmware would be highly advantageous.

This is an excellent opportunity for a firmware engineer who enjoys working close to the hardware, solving complex silicon-level problems and building reliable, repeatable bring-up processes.