Wireless RF PHY Firmware Engineer

Summary

Would you like to join Apple’s growing Wireless Connectivity Silicon team? Our wireless System on a Chip (SoC) organization is responsible for all aspects of wireless silicon development with an emphasis on energy-efficient design and new technologies that transform the user experience. The team spans RF/Analog architecture and design, Systems/PHY/MAC architecture and design, VLSI/RTL design and integration, Emulation, Design Verification, Test and Validation, and FW/SW engineering.

In this highly visible role, you will be at the center of a silicon design group with a critical impact on bringing functional wireless products to hundreds of millions of customers. This role involves crafting and implementing embedded firmware for SoC bring up and wireless connectivity enablement. You will collaborate with product software and manufacturing teams to enable RF and PHY calibrations, algorithms, and testing to enable productization of the silicon/system.

As an Embedded FW Engineer, you will be a core member of a Wireless SoC firmware team, focusing on PHY bring up, RF calibrations, signal processing algorithm implementation, and performance tuning.

• Work closely with product SW and manufacturing teams to provide system-level API and firmware functionality to meet productization needs. Develop SoC test and calibration capabilities for wafer, module, and system factories.
• Collaborate with RF/Radio design, DVT, PHY and System engineering teams to architect, define and implement innovative algorithms, calibrations and protocols.
• Debug realtime systems with limited visibility, working hands-on with development boards and lab equipment.
• Support pre-silicon validation efforts, including simulation, emulation, and FPGA prototyping.
• Support post-silicon bringup, validation, performance characterization, system integration and debug.

• BS and 3+ years of relevant industry experience
• Embedded systems knowledge including:
  • multi-thread environment
  • interrupt handling/latency considerations
  • multi-core environment
  • HW/FW semaphores/resource management

• Strong background in embedded FW development using C and assembly languages, familiarity with ARM CPUs and their internals
• Good understanding of embedded wireless communication systems, RF fundamentals and key performance metrics
• Familiarity with digital signal processing algorithms
• Understanding of Python libraries (e.g., Num Py/Sci Py) and how to translate algorithms to embedded C
• Understanding fixed-point vs floating-point arithmetic and how to make tradeoffs for embedded usage
• Experience with low-level hardware interfaces, register and interrupt programming, bare-metal software development, clock and power management
• Solid understanding of RTOS, concurrency, and multi-processor systems
• Ability to use lab equipment (logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, network/spectrum analyzers, signal generators, power meters)
• Experience implementing diagnostics, manufacturing tests, and protocol compliance software
• Knowledge of wireless industry standards (Bluetooth, WLAN, Zig Bee, UWB is a plus)
• Proficiency in at least one scripting language (Python, Perl, or Tcl)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

At Apple, base pay is one part of our total compensation package and is determined within a range. The base pay range for this role is between $139,500 and $258,100, and your base pay will depend on your skills, qualifications, experience, and location. Apple employees have access to discretionary stock programs, restricted stock units, and the Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Benefits include comprehensive medical and dental coverage, retirement benefits, product discounts, and reimbursement for eligible educational expenses.

This role may be eligible for discretionary bonuses or relocation benefits. Learn more about Apple Benefits.

Note:

Apple benefit, compensation and employee stock programs are subject to eligibility requirements and other terms of the applicable plan or program. Apple is an equal opportunity employer committed to inclusion and diversity. We seek to promote equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics.

Learn more about your EEO rights as an applicant.

Apple accepts applications to this posting on an ongoing basis.