Systems Engineer III (26-00411) -

Systems Engineer III – Linux, PCIe & NVMe Systems Debug

Location

Milpitas, CA (100% onsite) standard business hours

Duration

3-Month Contract with Potential to Extend or Convert

Pay Rate

up to 67.00/hour DOE

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Systems Engineer to support the development, debugging, and stabilization of Linux-based internal test platforms. This position requires deep Linux systems expertise combined with a strong understanding of PCIe and NVMe technologies.

The engineer will investigate complex system-level failures and determine whether issues originate within the Linux kernel, device drivers, PCIe/NVMe stack, firmware, BIOS, or underlying hardware. The initial focus will be troubleshooting and stabilizing a specific Linux-based test system, working closely with hardware, software, firmware, and test engineering teams.

Responsibilities

• Diagnose and resolve complex Linux system, kernel, device driver, PCIe, and NVMe issues
• Debug PCIe problems including device enumeration, link training, link stability, AER/errors, resets, bandwidth, and device communication
• Troubleshoot NVMe/SSD devices and their interaction with the Linux and PCIe stack
• Analyze Linux kernel logs, system logs, traces, crash dumps, kernel panics, and driver behavior
• Use Linux diagnostic/debugging tools such as lspci, dmesg, sysfs, kernel tracing, and related utilities
• Perform root-cause analysis across hardware, firmware, BIOS/UEFI, Linux kernel, device drivers, and applications
• Debug and stabilize internal test platforms containing PCIe/NVMe devices and other custom hardware
• Develop scripts or software utilities using C/C++, Python, Bash, or similar languages to support debugging, testing, and automation
• Reproduce system failures, validate fixes, and ensure long-term system stability
• Partner closely with hardware, firmware, software, and test engineers during system bring-up and troubleshooting
• Document technical findings, root causes, debugging procedures, and validated solutions

Required Qualifications

• Strong hands-on experience working with Linux systems, ideally at the kernel or systems-software level
• Deep understanding of PCIe architecture, protocols, and troubleshooting
• Strong knowledge of NVMe and PCIe-based storage devices
• Experience debugging Linux device drivers and kernel/system-level issues
• Ability to troubleshoot complex interactions between the Linux OS, drivers, PCIe/NVMe devices, firmware, BIOS, and hardware
• Experience using Linux debugging and diagnostic tools such as lspci, dmesg, kernel logs, tracing tools, and crash analysis
• Strong system-level root-cause analysis and troubleshooting skills
• Programming/scripting experience with C, C++, Python, Bash, or similar languages
• Experience with hardware or platform bring-up, system validation, or test environments
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical discipline

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with SSD/NVMe development, validation, or debugging
• Experience with PCIe switches, retimers, or complex PCIe topologies
• Linux kernel or device-driver development experience
• Experience with BIOS/UEFI and low-level firmware
• Familiarity with PCIe protocol analyzers, logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, or similar debugging equipment
• Experience supporting semiconductor, storage, server, or high-performance computing platforms

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