Industry · Networking
Principal-Level Engineers for Networking Silicon and Data Center Chips
Building an 800G Ethernet switch ASIC or a DPU at 5nm means solving a specific set of engineering problems that have nothing to do with configuring network equipment. It means 112G PAM4 SerDes that close eye margins inside your signal integrity budget, physical design on a die where routing congestion in the datapath is the binding constraint, and forwarding pipeline logic that maps correctly onto your target silicon architecture. The engineer who can do that is not the same as a network architect. We source for the silicon, not the networking layer.
We place across the full networking chip program lifecycle: ASIC architecture and front-end design, physical implementation at advanced nodes, SerDes and analog front-end engineering, and the software stack that makes the chip useful. P4 runtime, DPDK, NVMe-oF, DPU firmware. One partner for the full program span.
Roles we place
Networking and Data Center Chip Engineering Talent
SoC Architects (Networking)
Ethernet switch ASIC architecture, switching fabric design (Clos, crossbar), packet processing pipeline microarchitecture, TCAM implementation, traffic management and QoS engines. SmartNIC and DPU architecture including offload engine design for storage, networking, and security.
RTL Design Engineers (Networking)
Dataplane logic in SystemVerilog, forwarding table engines, flow classification hardware, custom TCAM and ternary lookup implementations, PCIe Gen5 interface design, CXL controller logic, MAC and PCS layer RTL for 400G/800G Ethernet.
Physical Design Engineers (Networking ASIC)
Advanced node (5nm, 3nm) physical implementation of large networking dies, extreme congestion management on datapath-heavy designs, high-speed clock tree synthesis for multi-GHz switching fabrics, timing closure across large multi-block designs.
SerDes / Analog Engineers (Networking)
112G PAM4 SerDes circuit design, CDR (clock data recovery) design and optimization, transceiver equalization (FFE, DFE, CTLE), 224G development (emerging), high-speed ADC and DAC for direct-detection optical interfaces.
Embedded / Systems Software Engineers (Networking)
P4 language-to-hardware compilation and runtime development, DPDK network function development, RDMA and RoCE protocol stack, NVMe/NVMe-oF driver development, SmartNIC and DPU firmware, BMC (Baseboard Management Controller) firmware, platform management.
SI / PI Engineers (Networking Boards)
112G PAM4 channel design for backplane and cable reach, advanced PCB materials (Megtron 6/7, low-loss dielectrics), PCIe Gen5 and CXL board-level signal integrity, power delivery network design for high-current switch ASICs.
Electro-Mechanical Packaging Engineers
Large-body flip-chip BGA package design for high-pin-count switch ASICs and DPUs, thermo-mechanical reliability on high-TDP dies (warpage and coplanarity, CTE mismatch, lid and stiffener design, solder-joint fatigue under thermal cycling), junction-temperature and lid-to-cold-plate thermal interface management for 400W+ parts. Cadence Allegro Package Designer, Ansys Mechanical / Icepak, Abaqus. 2.5D interposer and co-packaged optics (CPO) integration for next-generation 800G and 1.6T switch platforms.
Why Game 7
What Makes Networking Silicon Staffing Unique
01
SerDes at 112G and Above Is One of the Tightest Talent Pools in the Industry
112G PAM4 SerDes design is at the technical frontier of analog IC design. The number of engineers who have designed, characterized, and closed a production 112G SerDes transceiver is small. The move toward 224G makes this constraint more acute. We know the engineers who have done this work, we maintain those relationships actively, and we can move on these roles faster than any search starting from a job board.
02
Networking Programs Run Across the Full Chip Lifecycle
A networking ASIC program runs from architecture definition through RTL development, physical implementation, DFT and tapeout, post-silicon validation, and driver and firmware bring-up. Most of these phases require different engineering profiles. We place across all of them, which means you're not re-onboarding a new staffing partner every time the program phase shifts.
03
SmartNIC and Dpu Architecture Is Its Own Expertise
The convergence of networking, storage, and compute offload in SmartNICs and DPUs has created demand for engineers who understand both the hardware architecture and the software stack that leverages it. Engineers who have worked on DPU designs at Nvidia BlueField, Marvell Octeon, Broadcom Stingray, or Intel infrastructure processors are a distinct profile. We maintain those relationships and can source from that community.
The screening standard
Technical depth
Domain expertise verified through structured discipline-specific screening
Domain match
Experience in your specific discipline, tools, and program phase
Active availability
Confirmed ready to start within your timeline
Rate alignment
Validated against your program budget before submission
Result: 2-4 verified candidates per role. No keyword-matched resumes. No noise.
Disciplines we staff for Networking
Cross-Link to the Discipline Pages
FAQ
Networking Staffing. Common Questions.
Does Game 7 Staffing place engineers for Ethernet switch ASIC programs?+
Yes. Game 7 Staffing places SoC architects, RTL design engineers, physical design engineers, and analog/SerDes specialists for Ethernet switch ASIC programs on a contract basis. Networking ASIC programs require engineers who understand packet processing pipeline microarchitecture, switching fabric design, custom TCAM implementations, and the physical design challenges of routing-congested datapath-heavy dies at 5nm and below. Game 7 screens for networking-specific silicon experience, not general-purpose chip design background.
What is PAM4 SerDes, and can Game 7 staff engineers with that expertise?+
PAM4 (4-level Pulse Amplitude Modulation) is the signaling scheme used for 112G and 400G/800G Ethernet interfaces, doubling bandwidth compared to NRZ (Non-Return-to-Zero) by encoding 2 bits per symbol. SerDes (Serializer/Deserializer) is the circuit block that implements the high-speed serial link. Designing a 112G PAM4 SerDes requires expertise in CDR (clock data recovery) architecture, analog equalization (CTLE, FFE, DFE), ADC-based receivers, and silicon characterization at near-eye-closure signal levels. Game 7 maintains relationships with engineers who have designed and taped out production 112G SerDes transceivers and can source for 224G development programs.
Can Game 7 Staffing place firmware engineers for SmartNIC and DPU programs?+
Yes. Game 7 places embedded and systems software engineers for SmartNIC and DPU firmware development. This includes firmware for DPU management controllers, P4 runtime development and compiler backend work for programmable dataplane hardware, DPDK-based network function development, RDMA/RoCE protocol stack implementation, NVMe/NVMe-oF driver development, and BMC firmware. SmartNIC and DPU programs require engineers who understand both the hardware architecture (PCIe Gen4/5, DDR5, embedded ARM cores) and the software stack that leverages it. Game 7 sources for this intersection.
Let's talk
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