Systems Engineer III – Linux, PCIe & NVMe Systems Debug Location: Milpitas, CA (100% onsite) standard business hours Duration: 3-Month Contract with Potential to Extend or Convert Pay Rate: up to 67.00/hour DOE About the Role We are seeking an experienced Systems Engineer to support the development, debugging, and stabilization of Linux-based internal test platforms. This position requires deep Linux systems expertise combined with a strong understanding of PCIe and NVMe technologies. The engineer will investigate complex system-level failures and determine whether issues originate within the Linux kernel, device drivers, PCIe/NVMe stack, firmware, BIOS, or underlying hardware. The initial focus will be troubleshooting and stabilizing a specific Linux-based test system, working closely with hardware, software, firmware, and test engineering teams. Responsibilities • Diagnose and resolve complex Linux system, kernel, device driver, PCIe, and NVMe issues • Debug PCIe problems including device enumeration, link training, link stability, AER/errors, resets, bandwidth, and device communication • Troubleshoot NVMe/SSD devices and their interaction with the Linux and PCIe stack • Analyze Linux kernel logs, system logs, traces, crash dumps, kernel panics, and driver behavior • Use Linux diagnostic/debugging tools such as lspci, dmesg, sysfs, kernel tracing, and related utilities • Perform root-cause analysis across hardware, firmware, BIOS/UEFI, Linux kernel, device drivers, and applications • Debug and stabilize internal test platforms containing PCIe/NVMe devices and other custom hardware • Develop scripts or software utilities using C/C , Python, Bash, or similar languages to support debugging, testing, and automation • Reproduce system failures, validate fixes, and ensure long-term system stability • Partner closely with hardware, firmware, software, and test engineers during system bring-up and troubleshooting • Document technical findings, root causes, debugging procedures, and validated solutions Required Qualifications • Strong hands-on experience working with Linux systems, ideally at the kernel or systems-software level • Deep understanding of PCIe architecture, protocols, and troubleshooting • Strong knowledge of NVMe and PCIe-based storage devices • Experience debugging Linux device drivers and kernel/system-level issues • Ability to troubleshoot complex interactions between the Linux OS, drivers, PCIe/NVMe devices, firmware, BIOS, and hardware • Experience using Linux debugging and diagnostic tools such as lspci, dmesg, kernel logs, tracing tools, and crash analysis • Strong system-level root-cause analysis and troubleshooting skills • Programming/scripting experience with C, C , Python, Bash, or similar languages • Experience with hardware or platform bring-up, system validation, or test environments • Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical discipline Preferred Qualifications • Experience with SSD/NVMe development, validation, or debugging • Experience with PCIe switches, retimers, or complex PCIe topologies • Linux kernel or device-driver development experience • Experience with BIOS/UEFI and low-level firmware • Familiarity with PCIe protocol analyzers, logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, or similar debugging equipment • Experience supporting semiconductor, storage, server, or high-performance computing platforms #ZR