Principal Field Application Engineer - Optical Connectivity

Our Team:

Semtech is a global leader in high-performance analog ICs for high-speed optical and copper interconnect. As AI workloads drive exponential bandwidth growth toward 1.6T infrastructure, interconnect is becoming the major limiting factor in data center scaling, creating an unprecedented market opportunity at the intersection of technical innovation and commercial impact.

This Principal Field Application Engineer represents a pivotal strategic hire, a technical strategist and commercial catalyst positioned to drive $100M+ in design-win revenue and establish market dominance across hyperscaler data centers. The dual mandate is clear: secure immediate design wins with Semtech's current portfolio of high-speed analog ICs for optical and copper connectivity in AI networks, while simultaneously leading long-term customer co-development initiatives that will define our competitive position in next-generation 1.6T and 3.2T connectivity.

Success requires becoming a trusted technical advisor whom Tier 1 hyperscaler customers welcome into their most confidential labs, not as a vendor, but as an extension of their design teams. You'll leverage consultative discovery to uncover the situational factors, business consequences, and decision criteria that drive customer choices. Your technical credibility will open doors; your strategic approach will close deals. Your voice will directly influence Semtech's product roadmaps, serving as strategic advisor to VPs in sales and product lines, co-creating breakthroughs that establish Semtech as the indispensable partner for the future of data center connectivity.

This role is for someone who thrives where breakthrough technology meets strategic business impact, someone ready to shape the future of an industry being transformed by AI.

• Drive design wins for Semtech's portfolio of high-speed drivers, TIAs, copper redrivers, and other products, working closely with engineering teams from key data center customers.
• Accelerate customer design-in cycles, proactively removing technical barriers to secure immediate revenue opportunities.
• Lead co-development initiatives for next-generation technologies (1.6T, 3.2T+) with customer engineering teams, defining the future of data center connectivity.
• Create joint innovation programs and proof-of-concept projects with Tier 1 hyperscaler providers that establish Semtech as their strategic technology partner.
• Align Semtech product roadmap with customer technology evolution plans, ensuring our solutions arrive precisely when markets mature.

• Lead technical evaluations and drive technical differentiation in competitive situations.
• Provide comprehensive pre-sales and post-sales customer support for strategic design-ins.
• Troubleshoot and debug complex technical issues with a relentless commitment to solving problems.
• Guide customers on hardware design, PCB layout, signal integrity optimization, firmware integration, and system validation.
• Support customer qualification processes with equipment manufacturers, network operators, and cloud service providers.
• Create application notes, white papers, and design guides establishing thought leadership.

• Influence product management and R&D priorities based on customer insights and market intelligence.
• Serve as strategic technical advisor to VPs in sales and product lines, bridging the gap between customer needs and product strategy.
• Partner with engineering teams to ensure customer co-development projects receive appropriate resources and priority.
• Drive internal alignment across product management, engineering, marketing, sales, and operations.

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