Senior 5G MAC Software Engineer

What you will do:

• Own the software architecture, redesign, implementation, and integration of MAC-side software for a new 5G NR physical layer, including PHY integration, emulation, and test capabilities.
• Define a portable, layered architecture that separates MAC behavior, the MAC-PHY interface, platform transport, and operating-system services. Support host-based simulation, execution on a simulated ARM processor, and deployment on FPGA and ASIC platforms.
• Define and evolve the MAC-PHY interface, including message sequencing, timing, buffer ownership, compatibility, versioning, and error handling. Coordinate changes with PHY and protocol-stack engineers.
• Implement and debug real-time control and data flows for terrestrial 5G NR, including PDCCH, PDSCH, PUSCH, PUCCH, PRACH, SRS, HARQ, CQI, timing advance, and measurements.
• Design low-power communication between ARM software and PHY firmware using shared memory, mailboxes, interrupts, and efficient data movement. Address concurrency, cache coherency, memory ordering, backpressure, timeouts, and recovery.
• Extend the SystemC TLM virtual platform, with guidance from system designers, and carry the software through FPGA and ASIC integration. Debug system-level failures on simulated and physical SoCs.
• Build automated regressions, test-vector flows, traces, and KPI checks that correlate behavior across simulation and hardware.
• Review architecture and code, coordinate dependencies across software, firmware, systems, verification, and hardware teams, and gradually expand into production MAC development.

What you bring to this role:

• Demonstrated experience architecting and delivering embedded C/C++ software for a wireless modem, baseband, or comparable real-time, resource-constrained system.
• Practical knowledge of 5G NR MAC and relevant 3GPP specifications, including terrestrial operation, scheduling, HARQ, random access, and MAC-PHY interactions.
• Hands-on experience debugging heterogeneous SoCs and hardware-software interfaces involving shared memory, mailboxes, interrupts, DMA or similar data movement, cache coherency, and multicore synchronization.
• Experience developing embedded Linux software and working with an RTOS.
• Working knowledge of digital communications and DSP sufficient to understand PHY processing constraints, timing, and data flow.
• Ability to decompose complex systems into clear components and interfaces, make sound architectural tradeoffs, diagnose integration failures, and collaborate effectively across software and hardware teams.
• A track record of independent technical ownership, supported by reproducible tests, version control, and clear design documentation.
• Typical background: BS with 7+ years, MS with 5+ years, or PhD with 3+ years of relevant experience in wireless communications, embedded software, computer engineering, or a related field. Equivalent demonstrated expertise is also welcome; these are guidelines rather than mandatory minimums.

Bonus points for the following:

• Experience modifying SystemC TLM virtual platforms or integrating production software with virtual hardware models.
• Experience taking embedded modem software through FPGA prototyping, pre-silicon verification, ASIC bring-up, and hardware correlation.
• Experience designing or extending a MAC-PHY interface such as FAPI, nFAPI, or a proprietary equivalent.
• Experience with Zephyr, FreeRTOS, vector DSPs, or heterogeneous ARM and DSP SoCs.
• Experience optimizing modem or baseband software for low power.
• Experience with 5G NR non-terrestrial networks, including propagation delay, timing advance, Doppler-related coordination, or NTN scheduling and HARQ.
• Experience contributing to production protocol-stack software, including MAC, RLC, RRC, or a MAC-PHY adaptation layer.

Additional Requirements

This is a fast-paced, high-impact environment - flexibility to occasionally work extended hours or weekends during critical periods is expected.