Principal Systems Engineer

MaxLinear is seeking a Principal Systems Engineer to join our team. In this role, you will focus on the following:

• Leading cross-functional debug and validation efforts for optical modules, Active Electrical Cables (AECs), and solutions for data center applications, including emerging workloads such as Generative Artificial Intelligence
• System-level troubleshooting, performance optimization, and ensuring products meet internal design goals and industry standards
• Lead system-level debug and validation of optical modules and AECs across design, hardware, and systems teams supporting data center and AI infrastructure
• Architect and analyze optical systems, ensuring compatibility and performance across internal platforms and test environments for high-bandwidth, low-latency applications
• Drive root-cause analysis and resolution of complex issues during bring-up, validation, and production phases
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to resolve technical challenges and deliver robust solutions for next-generation data center deployments
• Support development and validation of reference designs and test platforms for optical products used in AI and cloud-scale environments
• Provide feedback to internal teams on design improvements, validation coverage, and field performance in high-performance computing and AI workloads

• Extensive knowledge of optical-electrical systems, high-speed interfaces, and system integration is required
• Proven experience with optical modules, AECs, or data center solutions
• Deep understanding of optical system impairments and mitigation techniques (BER, OSNR, signal integrity)
• Hands-on experience with system-level debug, validation, and performance tuning
• Familiarity with high-speed PCB design and CAD tools
• Exposure to system architecture of optical transceivers and baseband DSP systems
• Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills
• Knowledge of DSP algorithms and modulation techniques
• BS in Electrical Engineering or related + 9 years of experience, or MS + 7 years of experience, or Ph.D. + 4 years of experience, The actual starting base salary will be determined by the match to certain role-related criteria such as educational degree(s) or equivalent, relevant work experience, skillset needed for the role, and geographic location; this is not an all-inclusive list as some roles may require unique skills or experience.

MaxLinear has a Total Compensation philosophy which includes base salary and annual discretionary bonus eligibility and many positions also include stock-based compensation.

MaxLinear’s good faith estimate starting base salary range is: $155,000 to $193,000 Annually

We offer competitive benefits designed to support employee health, welfare, and retirement and some highlights are: health care benefits, 401k savings plan, Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP), and paid time off.

MaxLinear is a global, NASDAQ-traded company (MXL) where the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well. We are a fabless system-on-chip product company, striving to improve the world’s communication networks for everyone through our highly integrated radio-frequency (RF), analog, digital, and mixed-signal semiconductor solutions for access and connectivity, wired and wireless infrastructure, and industrial and multi-market applications.

We hire the best people in the industry and engage them in some of the most exciting opportunities that connect the world we live in today. Our growth has come from innovative, bold approaches to solving some of the world’s most challenging communication technology problems in the most efficient and effective manner.

MaxLinear began by developing the world’s first high-performance TV tuner chip using standard CMOS process technology. Others said we couldn’t achieve the extremely high-performance requirements using CMOS, but we proved them wrong and achieved enduring global market leadership with our designs. Since then, we’ve developed a full line of products that drive 4G and 5G infrastructure; enable data center, metro and long-haul optical interconnects; bring 10Gbit to the home; power the IoT revolution; and enable robust and reliable communication in harsh industrial environments. Over the years, we’ve expanded through organic growth and through several acquisitions that have perfectly complemented our existing portfolio and enabled us to deliver complete end-to-end solutions in our target markets. One such example was the acquisition of Intel’s Home Gateway Platform Division that added Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and Broadband Gateway Processor SoC technology to our connected home portfolio creating a complete and scalable platform of connectivity and access solutions to fully address our customers’ needs.

Our headquarters are in Carlsbad, near San Diego, California. We also have major design centers in Irvine and San Jose, California; Valencia, Spain; Bangalore, India; Munich, Germany; Israel; and Singapore.

We have approximately 1,200 employees, a substantial majority of whom have engineering degrees and include masters and Ph.D. graduates from many of the premiere universities around the world. Our employees thrive on innovation, outstanding execution, outside-the-box thinking, nimbleness, and collaboration. Together, we form a high-energy business team that is focused on building the best and most innovative products on the market.