A Systems Design Engineer is responsible for developing, designing, and testing new products. They prototype innovative ideas and design and prepare technical documentations. In this blog post we describe the primary responsibilities and the most in-demand hard and soft skills for Systems Design Engineers.

Get market insights and compare skills for other jobs here.

Main Responsibilities of Systems Design Engineer

The following list describes the typical responsibilities of a Systems Design Engineer:

Align

Align issue priorities with Program debug team.

Analyze

• Analyze, create, modify or amend existing design and documentation.

• Analyze trade-offs between performance and implementation complexity.

Assist

Assist senior engineers in carrying out technical tasks.

Attend

Attend ASIC bring-up and validation, ensure coverage and schedule.

Automate

Automate some of manual tests in Perl / Python or other scripting language.

Build

• Build and execute validation test plans, report coverage plan and perform debug experiments.

• Build and grow relationships with key Client Platform Engineering technical leaders / architects.

• Build automation scripts and infrastructure for execution and triage.

Capture

Capture and manage system requirements throughout program lifespan.

Carry out

Carry out aircraft electrical load analysis.

Characterize

Characterize performance from quantitative perspective and various research.

Collaborate with

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams in developing tools to improve SoC validation and debug.

• Collaborate with other engineers on common program test & debug activities and process improvements.

• Collaborate with other engineers to troubleshoot and resolve issues.

• Collaborate with peer teams to analyze behaviors and resolve issues.

Collect

Collect requirement and optimized existed automation tool.

Compose

Compose validation reports and provide future test plan improvement.

Conduct

• Conduct analysis to adjust or reinforce our methodologies.

• Conduct cross check requirements.

Contribute

Contribute on the continues productivity improvement.

Co-work

• Co-work with geographically distributed engineering teams on code development and review.

• Co-work with partners for program execution milestones.

Create

• Create and execute test procedures to validate the design of various GPU components and features.

• Create and execute validation test plans, report coverage plan and perform debug experiments.

• Create and improve automation capabilities of emulation workloads.

• Create test procedures and generate technical documents as needed.

Debug

• Debug and drive root-cause analysis for SoC related issues.

• Debug and fix problems including system setup, hardware, software, firmware.

• Debug and solving system level issues.

• Debug and troubleshooting system level issues.

• Debug issues found during pre-silicon, bring-up, validation, and production phases of SOC programs.

• Debug issues that found from IP level and system level post silicon verification.

• Debug of top 1-3 issues for week.

• Debug OS / Application level failures using Microsoft and / or Linux Kernel Debugger.

• Debug prototypes in order to achieve production-worthy products.

• Debug electrical & functional PMM issues of processors.

• Debug skills and solving complex problems.

• Debug, troubleshoot system-level issues related to power and performance features.

Define

• Define and execute end-to-end test plan and validation strategy .

• Define system specification, negotiate features with input teams and silicon designers.

Design

• Design board-level products using industry-standard CAD tools.

• Design protocols, methods and ethics application for clinical data collection.

• Design verification for CORE / Fabric / Memory / GFX / IO.

Develop

• Develop activity plan and coordinate project with the assistance of more experienced engineers.

• Develop and debug SMU firmware for discrete GPU product on Windows, Linux and Mac OS.

• Develop and drive detailed workflow for post-silicon system validation process.

• Develop and enhance automation features according to requirements.

• Develop and execute feature enablement and test plans for system and power management IP.

• Develop and maintain automation tool.

• Develop and maintain MATLAB applications and Perl scripts used for power analysis.

• Develop and optimize system perf including HW / FW / BIOS / Driver / OS / App / Compiler settings.

• Develop automation tools, improve efficient productivity methodologies.

• Develop comprehensive electrical & functional test plans for PMM validation of processors.

• Develop debug tools to accelerate the analysis for complex issues.

• Develop deep understanding of upcoming AMD SOCs, IPs and programming libraries to enable framework.

• Develop, design, and test procedures based on well-defined requirements.

• Develop expertise and test procedures to validate the design of GPU IPs and functional blocks.

• Develop firmware functions and features for embedded microcontrollers in CPU / GPU.

• Develop knowledge of system architecture, technical debug, and validation strategy.

• Develop / modify / enhance functional / stress tests to find silicon bugs on emulator.

• Develop more complex units with more complex algorithms and techniques.

• Develop strategic direction for validation automation based on team requirements.

• Develop system level Power and performance test strategies and plans.

• Develop test and debug automation with existing automation infrastructure.

• Develop test automation infrastructure and scripts.

• Develop test plan and execute Power Testing on Computer Systems.

• Develop validation strategies, pioneer hardware / software validation improvements.

Direct

Direct technical experience on system performance analysis and micro-architectural power management.

Document

• Document algorithms for software and designers.

• Document and generate system level requirements and specifications.

Drive

• Drive innovation in circuit implementations, power supply topologies and component selections.

• Drive internal debug activity by playing the role of issue coordinator when needed.

• Drive pre & post-Silicon platform feature validation definition & execution.

• Drive proven solutions to technical issues and design challenges.

• Drive relative engineering teams to debug issue.

• Drive solid solutions to technical issues and design challenges.

• Drive validation planning for each SoC program as well as execution towards program milestones.

Engage

Engage in pre-silicon emulation validation.

Execute

• Execute pass / fail testing as bandwidth allows.

• Execute performance test plans for discrete GPU and give out the improvement suggestion.

• Execute Post-Si integration validation and feature enablement to meet program milestones.

Help

• Help build thermal tools to enable internal and external customers.

• Help debug prototypes and perform lab experiments in order to achieve production-worthy products.

• Help design and review board-level products using industry-standard CAD tools.

• Help write and review detailed technical documentation.

Identify

• Identify challenges to delivering quality / efficiency and associated solutions.

• Identify, report, and isolate failures found in Validation.

• Identify risks & build mitigation plans.

• Identify & root-cause failures found in customer server Validation and Characterization.

Improve

Improve efficiencies by generating automation commodities.

Include

Include debugging PC systems with an emphasis on Software (window OS & drivers) level debug.

Insure

Insure SW stack and BIOS integrity – often daily updates by support teams.

Interact with

Interact with customers while debugging and supporting issues.

Interface with

Interface closely with HW / FW design teams.

Lead

• Lead a small engineering team, growing to 5-10 direct reports.

• Lead collaborative test approach and track test execution.

• Lead complex debug efforts for customer issues and identify root cause and resolution.

• Lead complex debug efforts for customer / partner findings to identify root cause and resolution.

• Lead early knowledge share for new programs within the team.

• Lead SMU test engineer to define SMU IP test plan for post-silicon.

• Lead the post-silicon product validation and system debug efforts of AMD's latest dGPUs.

Learn

Learn to use professional concepts and apply company policies and procedures to resolve issues.

Maintain

Maintain Lab Inventory records and manage expendable supplies to quarterly budgets.

Make

Make improvements to system level integration test strategy, methodology, and process.

Manage

• Manage and track technical issues, risks and priorities.

• Manage customer and executive communications, including program status, risks and opportunities.

Maximize

Maximize coverage, while minimizing overlap between teams.

Modify

Modify existing interface between modules within a product.

Optimize

Optimize the debug process with other team to improve the efficiency.

Oversee

Oversee the manufacturing process at outside vendors.

Own

Own overall Client Validation test methodology.

Participate

• Participate in code reviews, identify risks, and escalate issues when necessary.

• Participate in reporting technical progress associated with achieving the programme milestones.

Plan

• Plan and report validation progress to program leads.

• Plan and take ownership of own work using project management methods and tools.

Prepare

Prepare technical documentations.

Prioritize

Prioritize defect resolution by negotiating cross-organizational team resource allocations.

Produce

Produce aircraft installation wiring diagrams using.

Prototype

Prototype innovative ideas and designs.

Provide

• Provide daily updates and hands on debug support.

• Provide debug leadership to drive debug data collection and analysis, Waveform capture and analysis.

• Provide implementation guidelines and feedback to silicon, package, and system design groups.

• Provide input in developing new solutions, processes or standards within area of responsibility.

• Provide PMM technical leadership in the development of new test & validation features.

• Provide technical expertise and mentoring for less experienced engineers.

• Provide technical expertise for less experienced engineers.

Report

Report project progress in execution and work with stakeholders for program milestones.

Reproduce

Reproduce Complex issues and analyze logs / Scandamp.

Respond to

• Respond to customer queries by providing technical advice and performing basic design changes.

• Respond to customer queries in a timely manner and strive to exceed or meet customer expectations.

Review

• Review and approve all Platform and Validation Team technical content for Program Milestone review.

• Review nightly internal validation results for new issues needing debug attention.

Run

Run and collect benchmarks data with accuracy through AMD automation tools.

Supervise

Supervise, train and provide technical advice to technical staff.

Support

• Support and develop in-house board production and validation suite.

• Support Asia debug efforts and triage new observations.

• Support cross-functional technical teams with targeted ad hoc analyses through hands-on testing.

• Support on customer platforms as requested by customer support teams.

• Support product engineering in resolving customer problems that require system-level expertise.

• Support test automation infrastructure and develop test scripts.

• Support the provision of timely, economic, design solutions.

Take

Take ownership of all your deliverables and communicate your results to timely project delivery.

Test

• Test interactions between various SoC features using validation infrastructure.

• Test plan and test development experience.

Train

Train customers on debug tools.

Understand

• Understand customer Validation flow and ensure synergy with AMD's process.

• Understand new features in silicon, BIOS, firmware, SW etc., bring up new product.

Use

• Use and applies emulation and platform level tools and techniques to ensure zero quality escapes.

• Use of Git for source code control and preferably GitLab.

User

User or kernel mode drivers for Window, Linux or chrome OS.

Utilize

• Utilize test systems and power measurement equipment for automated test framework.

• Utilize the JTAG tools to analyze, collect and verify the data collected from the Hardware.

Verify

Verify and correct new / updated documentation.

Work

• Work along with Power, Platform, and SOC Architects to improve power models used for future programs.

• Work in a team as a professional individual contributor under ongoing supervision.

• Work on ad hoc related tasks or projects provided by management.

• Work on Pre-Silicon platforms to shift left the validation for complex IPs.

• Work on related projects or assignments as needed.

• Work to streamline design validation process and debug to reduce the time to market.

• Work with cross-functional teams to Debug IP failures to deliver products to market with quality.

• Work with customers to develop and document complex electronic and electrical system requirements.

• Work with functional teams to prioritize and develop test plans for all aspects of testing.

• Work with IP designers to build knowledge of design internals within the system integration team.

• Work with multiple suppliers or 3rd party vendors for new solution deployment.

• Work with other team members to connect test objectives with Emulation environment and future needs.

• Work with pre silicon teams on pre silicon feature validation and debug enablement.

• Work with thermal and mechanical team members for your designs.

Write

• Write and review detailed technical documentation.

• Write comprehensive electrical & functional test plans for the PMM validation of processors.

• Write reports on root cause of issues and provide future test plan improvements.

• Write test schedules and reports.

Most In-demand Hard Skills

The following list describes the most required technical skills of a Systems Design Engineer:

1. Python

2. Perl

3. Computer Engineering

4. Electrical Engineering

5. Ruby

6. Debug

7. Oscilloscopes

8. Linux

9. Pcie

10. USB

11. C / C++

12. Debugging

13. Bios

14. CPU

15. GPU

16. Validation

17. Architecture

18. Verification

19. SOC

20. Platform Design

21. Sata

22. Test Creation

23. Emulation

24. Graphics

25. System Level

26. Windows

27. Scripting Languages

Most In-demand Soft Skills

The following list describes the most required soft skills of a Systems Design Engineer:

1. Written and oral communication skills

2. Self-starter

3. Analytical ability

4. Collaborative

5. Independently drive tasks to completion

6. Interpersonal skills

7. Leadership

8. Organizational capacity

9. Problem-solving attitude

10. Attention to detail

11. Mentoring

12. Excel in a dynamic team working environment

13. Priority management

14. Teamwork

15. Time-management