Sponsorship verdict
Sponsorship possible
One solid signal, not two. Worth applying, and worth asking about sponsorship early.
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✓
Employer is on a government sponsor recordThe US Department of Labor certified 63 H-1B/E-3 labor condition applications for this employer between Oct 2025 and Jun 2026 (latest Jun 2026) — the step every H-1B hire needs first.
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The posting doesn’t mention sponsorshipSilence isn’t a refusal — ask the recruiter before investing much time.
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No salary bar for this routeH-1B has no fixed salary bar: the employer must pay at least the prevailing wage for the role and area.
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What Astera Labs INC paid sponsored hires in similar roles14 certified filings for “Tech Lead Design Verification Engineer” (Electrical Engineers) in CA: $160k–$218k, median $206k.
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Confirmed live todayWhen a source last listed this job as open.
Details and sources
- Employer is on a government sponsor record
- The US Department of Labor certified 63 H-1B/E-3 labor condition applications for this employer between Oct 2025 and Jun 2026 (latest Jun 2026) — the step every H-1B hire needs first. Source: LCA disclosure data (US Department of Labor (OFLC)).
- No salary bar for this route
- H-1B has no fixed salary bar: the employer must pay at least the prevailing wage for the role and area. Cap-subject employers enter a lottery weighted by wage level. Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/12/29/2025-23853/weighted-selection-process-for-registrants-and-petitioners-seeking-to-file-cap-subject-h-1b, rules effective 2026-02-27.
- What Astera Labs INC paid sponsored hires in similar roles
- 14 certified filings for “Tech Lead Design Verification Engineer” (Electrical Engineers) in CA: $160k–$218k, median $206k. Most were filed at wage level IV (70%) — 4 lottery entries, ≈61% projected selection odds for cap-subject employers. Source: US Department of Labor LCA disclosure data (Oct 2025 – Jun 2026).
US H-1B: cap-subject employers enter a lottery weighted by wage level — Level I gets 1 entry, Level IV gets 4 (DHS projected selection odds ≈15% at Level I to ≈61% at Level IV). Universities and non-profit research employers are cap-exempt. The $100,000 fee for new petitions from abroad is currently blocked by a court order (appeal pending).
A verdict summarises public evidence. It is not legal advice and never a guarantee: the employer and the immigration authority decide. Sign in to factor in where you can already work.
About the role
Astera Labs (NASDAQ: ALAB) provides rack-scale AI infrastructure through purpose-built connectivity solutions. By collaborating with hyperscalers and ecosystem partners, Astera Labs enables organizations to unlock the full potential of modern AI. Astera Labs’ Intelligent Connectivity Platform integrates CXL®, Ethernet, NVLink, PCIe®, and UALink™ semiconductor-based technologies with the company’s COSMOS software suite to unify diverse components into cohesive, flexible systems that deliver end-to-end scale-up, and scale-out connectivity. The company’s custom connectivity solutions business complements its standards-based portfolio, enabling customers to deploy tailored architectures to meet their unique infrastructure requirements. Discover more at www.asteralabs.com .
Design Verification Tech Lead- SerDes/PHY IP
San Jose, California, United States
Astera Labs (NASDAQ: ALAB) provides rack-scale AI infrastructure through purpose-built connectivity solutions. By collaborating with hyperscalers and ecosystem partners, Astera Labs enables organizations to unlock the full potential of modern AI. Astera Labs’ Intelligent Connectivity Platform integrates CXL®, Ethernet, NVLink, PCIe®, and UALink™ semiconductor-based technologies with the company’s COSMOS software suite to unify diverse components into cohesive, flexible systems that deliver end-to-end scale-up, and scale-out connectivity. The company’s custom connectivity solutions business complements its standards-based portfolio, enabling customers to deploy tailored architectures to meet their unique infrastructure requirements. Discover more at www.asteralabs.com .
Role Overview
Astera Labs is hiring a Principal Design Verification Engineer to own functional verification of our high-speed SerDes/PHY IP — the connectivity engine powering rack-scale AI infrastructure. You will architect verification environments, drive coverage closure, and ensure first-pass silicon success on the analog/digital boundary that defines next-generation AI systems.
This is a high-impact, hands-on role at the heart of Astera Labs' hyper-growth story. You'll partner directly with PHY analog/mixed-signal designers, digital architects, and SoC integration teams to verify multi-Gbps SerDes blocks that ship into the world's most advanced AI platforms, including UALink, UCIe, PCIe Gen 6/Gen 7, and Ethernet-based connectivity products.
Key Responsibilities
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Verification Architecture & Strategy
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• Architect UVM-based verification environments for SerDes/PHY IP, including PMA, PCS, and PHY-MAC interface layers
• Define verification plans, coverage models, and sign-off criteria for high-speed serial link blocks
• Drive methodology decisions across analog/mixed-signal co-simulation, gate-level simulation, and emulation flows
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Execution & Coverage Closure
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• Develop SystemVerilog/UVM testbenches, sequences, scoreboards, and reference models for multi-Gbps SerDes lanes
• Execute functional, performance, and corner-case verification across equalization, CDR, training, and link bring-up scenarios
• Lead coverage analysis and closure, debug failures with designers, and drive regressions to clean tape-out
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Physical Layer & Protocol Verification
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• Verify PHY behavior against industry specifications including PCIe Gen 6/Gen 7, UALink, UCIe, and Ethernet PHY standards
• Model and validate channel behavior, link training state machines, and analog handoff scenarios
• Partner with analog/AMS designers on Real Number Modeling (RNM) and behavioral models for SerDes blocks
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Cross-Functional Leadership
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• Mentor junior DV engineers and set technical direction across the verification team
• Collaborate with SoC integration, firmware, post-silicon validation, and customer engineering teams
• Contri
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