Lead Hardware Design Validation Engineer

NVIDIA is a leading innovator in GPU and AI computing. We are looking for a Lead Hardware Design Validation Engineer to support our GPU, datacenter, and automotive platforms in Santa Clara, CA.

• Own end‑to‑end product validation from architecture through production.
• Lead and mentor design validation engineers and guide related validation teams.
• Represent design validation in executive and cross‑functional product reviews.
• Serve as the accountable technical owner for validation status, risks, and release readiness.
• Define test plans across the full system: power, high‑speed IO, low‑speed IO, clock/resets, manageability, sensors, telemetry, firmware, functional/stress validation, etc.
• Guide manufacturing test approaches, contribute to production troubleshooting and yield improvement.
• Collaborate with vendors and partners to complete validation activities.
• Drive system‑level debugging and root‑cause analysis on complex issues across silicon, board, system, firmware, and software.
• Influence product design through design review and validation/debug feedback.
• Build scalable validation automation and lab infrastructure across product lines.

• BS+ in EE/CE or equivalent experience.
• 8+ years of related experience with a proven track record as a technical lead for a shipping hardware product.
• Proven leadership leading validation through an entire product cycle from bring‑up to mass production.
• Strong system troubleshooting skills covering silicon, board, SI, firmware, OS, and applications.
• Hands‑on experience with power validation, including PDN, power regulators, sequencing, telemetry, protection.
• Expertise in high‑speed IO functionality and electrical validation: PCIe, Ser Des, Ethernet, USB, or display.
• Proficient in low‑speed IO functionality and electrical validation: I2C, SPI, UART, JTAG, SMBus, reference clock.
• System functional and stress test experience: define and complete system‑level stress workloads (thermal, power, IO, memory, mixed‑mode, corner V/F, wide area test).
• Proficiency with lab equipment and scripting; comfortable in Linux environments including driver/firmware debug.
• Strong communication and program management skills; able to lead across multiple teams, sites, and time zones.
• Experience with manufacturing test plans, collaborating with OPs/CM/OEM teams, and driving production debug and yield improvement.
• Willingness to travel locally to manufacturing sites near Santa Clara (typically up to 5%) and internationally (primarily to Asia) during NPI peak.

• Experience leading validation for a GPU, server, automotive platform, or AI accelerator from first silicon to mass production.
• Datacenter platform experience with high‑density/rack‑scale power, liquid cooling, and manageability.
• Proven capability in managing or technically leading a team of validation engineers.
• Willingness to travel internationally up to 8% during NPI peak.

Base salary ranges: USD 168,000 – 258,750 (Level4) and USD 200,000 – 322,000 (Level5). Eligible for equity and benefits. NVIDIA offers highly competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package.

NVIDIA is committed to fostering an inclusive work environment and is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status or any other characteristic protected by law.