Principal Engineer, SSD Validation

Our vision is to transform how the world uses information to enrich life for all. Join an inclusive team passionate about one thing: using their expertise in the relentless pursuit of innovation for customers and partners. The solutions we build help make everything from virtual reality experiences to breakthroughs in neural networks possible. We do it all while committing to integrity, sustainability, and giving back to our communities. Because doing so can fuel the very innovation we are pursuing. The Principal Engineer, SSD Validation provides technical leadership for SSD firmware validation and test architecture across enterprise, data center, and automotive SSD products. This role owns validation strategy, automation frameworks, and quality systems that ensure product reliability, performance, scalability, and manufacturing readiness. The position leads cross-functional collaboration to resolve complex firmware issues, influences product and validation roadmaps, and drives continuous improvement in test efficiency through automation, CI/CD integration, and AI-assisted engineering practices. Main Responsibilities • Lead SSD firmware test architecture, validation strategy, and quality systems for enterprise SSD products. • Design and implement validation solutions covering functionality, performance, reliability, QoS, power loss protection (PLP), flash translation layer (FTL), garbage collection (GC), power management, and security features. • Build and optimize automation frameworks, long-duration stability test systems, and CI/CD validation pipelines to support large-scale qualification and production readiness. • Lead root cause analysis and resolution of complex firmware issues, including system hangs, drive drops, compatibility failures, and performance degradation. • Define validation methodologies, metrics, and coverage plans to improve product quality, reliability, and release confidence. • Drive alignment across firmware, hardware, NAND, system engineering, and quality teams to resolve technical challenges and improve validation effectiveness. Other Responsibilities • Provide technical leadership and mentorship to engineers through knowledge sharing, standards development, and best-practice adoption. • Participate in product architecture reviews and influence firmware design, NAND technology selection, reliability targets, and validation readiness decisions. • Drive process optimization, test standardization, and continuous improvement initiatives across validation workflows. • Maintain awareness of emerging storage technologies including PCIe 5.0/6.0, NVMe 2.0, Zoned Namespaces (ZNS), CXL, and automotive storage requirements. AI Responsibilities • Leverage AI-assisted tools, large language models (LLMs), and intelligent agents to improve validation efficiency, data analysis, automation development, and engineering quality while complying with organizational standards and legal requirements. • Identify, evaluate, and share AI-enabled process improvements that enhance validation coverage, issue detection, productivity, and knowledge management. Qualifications • B.Sc. or higher in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Microelectronics or equivalent. • Over 8 years’ experience in SSD firmware validation or development experience Technical Skills • Deep expertise in NVMe, PCIe, and SATA protocols, as well as SSD technologies that include FTL, GC, wear leveling, PLP, and NAND Flash. • Strong proficiency in Linux environments, Python, C, Shell scripting, and automated test framework development. • Hands-on experience with storage validation tools such as Fio, nvme-cli, PyNVMe, and related debug and performance analysis utilities. • Experience in firmware and hardware co-debugging, reliability validation, and manufacturing or mass-production test systems. • Structured root cause analysis, quality engineering, and validation coverage methodologies for complex storage systems. Soft Skills • Strong technical leadership and ability to influence cross-functional teams and stakeholders. • Structured problem-solving and data-driven decision-making for complex engineering challenges. • Clear technical communication, documentation, and presentation skills. • Ability to mentor engineers and drive alignment across geographically distributed teams. Preferred Skills • Experience with enterprise, data center, or automotive SSD products, including ZNS, CXL, NVMe-oF, Secure Boot, or functional safety (ASIL) environments. • Experience establishing end-to-end validation systems, automation platforms, or teams supporting product qualification and mass production. • Storage-related patents, publications, or recognized technical contributions. Embody Micron’s Core Values • People – Respect, develop, and empower others • Innovation – Drive continuous improvement and breakthrough thinking • Tenacity – Show grit and determination • Collaboration – Build trust and foster teamwork • Customer Focus – Deliver excellence and value • Speed – Act with purpose and set the pace About Micron Technology, Inc. We are an industry leader in innovative memory and storage solutions transforming how the world uses information to enrich life for all . With a relentless focus on our customers, technology leadership, and manufacturing and operational excellence, Micron delivers a rich portfolio of high-performance DRAM, NAND, and NOR memory and storage products through our Micron® and Crucial® brands. Every day, the innovations that our people create fuel the data economy, enabling advances in artificial intelligence and 5G applications that unleash opportunities — from the data center to the intelligent edge and across the client and mobile user experience. To learn more, please visit micron.com/careers All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, nati…