Principal Field Application Engineer - Optical Connectivity
Location: San Jose, CA
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.
Job Summary:
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.
Responsibilities:
Strategic Customer Co-Development & Innovation
- 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
Technical Excellence & Customer Support
- 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
Cross-Functional Strategic Influence
- 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
Minimum Qualifications:
Education & Experience
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related technical field (Master's or Ph.D. preferred)
- 8+ years of proven FAE experience, demonstrating expert-level technical capability and strategic customer engagement
Technical Mastery
- Expertise in signal integrity (high-speed principles, modulation schemes, channel modeling, equalization) for 800G, 1.6T, 3.2T applications
- Knowledge of optical transceiver architecture, design, validation, and manufacturing
- Familiarity with LPO, LRO, and CPO architectures
- Experience in high-speed PCB design including layout, impedance control, and signal integrity validation
- Proficiency with high-speed test equipment (network analyzers, BER testers, oscilloscopes)
- Understanding of IEEE 802.3 and OIF standards
Market & Co-Development Expertise
- Understanding of hyperscaler data center architectures, network topologies, and infrastructure evolution
- Demonstrated success leading customer co-development projects with significant revenue impact
- Established relationships with Tier 1 hyperscaler engineering teams and Bay Area ecosystem partners (highly preferred)
Leadership & Communication Excellence
- Exceptional communication across technical and business audiences
- Proven ability to influence without formal authority and work autonomously in complex situations
- Strong initiative and ownership mentality
Desired Qualifications
- Direct experience with high-speed laser/modulator drivers, TIAs, redrivers, and/or DSPs
- Active participation in industry standards bodies (IEEE 802.3, OIF) driving 1.6T/3.2T specifications
- Prior experience at hyperscaler operators, optical module vendors, or data center equipment manufacturers
The intent of this job description is to describe the major duties and responsibilities performed by incumbents of this job. Incumbents may be required to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically included in this description.
All duties and responsibilities are essential job functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.
We are proud to be an EEO employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace.
A reasonable estimate of the pay range for this position is $180,000-$200,000. There are several factors taken into consideration in determining base salary, including but not limited to: job-related qualifications, skills, education, and experience, as well as job location and the value of other elements of an employee’s total compensation package.
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About Semtech
Semtech Corp supplies analog, mixed-signal semiconductors, and algorithms for enterprise, communication, and industrial applications.
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