Master Thesis: Bringing Silicon to Life - Writing the First Code That Talks to Next-Gen Chips

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About this opportunity:

Are you curious about what happens at the moment a brand-new chip powers on for the very first time, and would you like to write the low-level code that makes it work, then see it run on both real silicon and a virtual model of a chip that does not yet exist?

Every Ericsson radio and baseband ASIC needs to boot and store data, and that responsibility falls to the eMMC storage interface. Before engineers can trust it, test content must be developed that exercises the interface thoroughly. Creating that test content is the focus of this thesis.

You will develop bare-metal code, that is software that communicates directly with the hardware without an operating system in between, to drive the eMMC storage interface on an ARM-based processor. You will first prove it on existing project hardware, then run the same code on the SVP (System Virtual Platform), a software model of chips that are still under development. The result is a reusable validation asset that helps bring future Ericsson silicon to life.

You will be supported throughout by an experienced validation team, and building familiarity with the parts you have not encountered before is an expected and welcome part of the thesis.

What you will do:

• Study the eMMC storage interface and the ARM-based processor at the heart of Ericsson ASICs.

• Develop bare-metal code that drives the storage interface in its different speed modes (SDR and DDR).

• Implement DMA-based transfers, allowing the hardware to move data independently, and verify that the data arrives intact.

• Bring up and validate the test content on existing project hardware as a proof of concept.

• Port it to the SVP virtual platform, targeting chips that are still under development.

• Measure performance, characterize error behavior, and document a reusable methodology for the team.

What you will gain:

• Hands-on experience with real silicon bring-up, an opportunity few engineers have early in their careers.

• Firmware and embedded skills that are in demand across the industry.

• A concrete contribution that will be used in future Ericsson chips.

• Insight into how a global company designs and validates the hardware behind 5G and 6G.

The skills you bring:

• Master´s student in electrical/computer engineering, embedded systems, or a related field.

• Enjoy programming in C and are curious about what happens close to the hardware.

• Have an interest in understanding how a system behaves at a low level.

Good to have knowledge in (but no requirement):

• Bare-metal and firmware programming, including some assembly.

• Storage interfaces such as eMMC and SD.

• DMA and memory concepts.

• Test automation using scripting languages such as Python.

• Hardware validation workflows.

Why join Ericsson?

At Ericsson, you´ll have an outstanding opportunity. The chance to use your skills and imagination to push the boundaries of what´s possible. To build solutions never seen before to some of the world’s toughest problems. You´ll be challenged, but you won’t be alone. You´ll be joining a team of diverse innovators, all driven to go beyond the status quo to craft what comes next.

What happens once you apply?

Click Here to find all you need to know about what our typical hiring process looks like. Encouraging a diverse and inclusive organization is core to our values at Ericsson, that's why we champion it in everything we do. We truly believe that by collaborating with people with different experiences we drive innovation, which is essential for our future growth. We encourage people from all backgrounds to apply and realize their full potential as part of our Ericsson team. Ericsson is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. learn more.

Primary country and city: Sweden (SE) || Stockholm

Req ID: 790610