SoC Functional Validation Engineer - Memory

The Role and Impact

As a SoC Functional Validation Engineer, you will play a key role in ensuring the quality and reliability of Intel’s next-generation platforms, including CPUs, chipsets, and boards. You will focus on post-silicon validation debug, performing hands-on and characterization activities to identify issues, root-cause failures, and enabling hardware functionality across firmware and software interactions. A major focus of this role is memory feature enablement, DDR / LPDDR technology bring-up, and advanced memory subsystem debug during new-generation CPU/SoC power-on, covering memory initialization, training optimization, frequency scaling, stability assessment, and power-management validation. Your contributions will directly impact Intel's ability to deliver high-quality products across server, desktop, and mobile market segments.

Business Group

The Functional Validation team belongs to Intel Corporation and is chartered to perform post-silicon validation of cutting-edge Client AI PC SoCs and platforms. This team is dedicated to ensuring the functionality of SoC hardware features in real-world environments while supporting Intel’s broader goals of innovation and product excellence. With a strong focus on quality and reliability, the team is instrumental in driving Intel’s success in delivering reliable solutions to its global customers.

Key Responsibilities

- Perform post-silicon validation and debug to ensure platform functionality aligns with design and architecture specifications.

- Develop and enhance debug methodologies, debug flow, and AI debug frameworks to improve debug efficiency, quality, and productivity.

- Conduct hands-on debug of hardware, firmware, and software interaction issues, identifying and resolving failures across CPUs, chipsets, boards, and memory subsystems.

- Drive Memory feature enablement and debug during new-generation CPU/SoC power-on activities, including DDR5 and LPDDR5/LPDDR5X bring-up, MRC/BIOS analysis, memory initialization, training convergence, frequency scaling, and stability assessment.

- Investigate and debug memory training algorithms, including read leveling, write leveling, read/write training, command/address training, power training, timing optimization, voltage margining, and signal integrity-related issues.

- Analyze memory reference code, BIOS logs, training reports, margin data, eye diagrams, and memory matrix results to identify root causes and improve platform robustness.

- Perform DDR memory characterization, margin validation, RMT analysis, failure pattern investigation, and memory subsystem tuning across different configurations and operating conditions.

- Collaborate with architecture, design, firmware, BIOS, and silicon teams to resolve complex memory-related issues and improve validation effectiveness.

- Debug tool capabilities including traces, cross-triggers, VISA, scan, and silicon observability features in pre-silicon and post-silicon environments.

- Drive continuous improvement in validation and debug strategies, debug methodologies, and memory validation coverage.

- Utilize hardware lab equipment such as logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, protocol analyzers, and memory debug tools to reproduce issues, collect data, and accelerate root-cause analysis.

Minimum Qualifications 

- Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field with 2 years of experience in SoC validation, design, or debugging, with demonstrated skills gained through internships, academic projects, coursework, or hands-on training OR a Master’s degree in a relevant field with no prior professional experience. 

- Fundamental knowledge of SoC platform architectures, PC architecture, and hardware setup. 

- Proficiency in scripting or programming for debugging purposes. 

- Experience with system-level validation methodologies, including hardware and firmware integration testing. 

Preferred Qualifications 

- Familiarity with validation tools such as Lauterbach debuggers, memory logic analyzers, oscilloscope and protocol exercisers. 

- Experience in post silicon and hardware debug for SoC validation. 

- Passion for problem-solving and continuous improvement, with a drive to explore new technical strategies or methodologies. 

- Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to present technical findings and influence stakeholders effectively. 

Join us and be part of a team that is shaping the future of technology. Your contributions will directly impact the quality and reliability of Intel products, empowering innovation across global markets.

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