Steven Klassen
Austin,TX
Summary
Seeking a local full-time or contract position which allows me hands-on work in a Validation or Engineering lab environment.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
Work History
Server Firmware Technician
Advanced Micro Devices
Austin, Texas
10.2023 - Current
- Executed BIOS QA hardware requests, including CPU swaps, PCIe/CXL device additions, and DIMM population.
- Frontlines of new project Bring-Up (SP7 and SP5) through soft and hard fusing of CPUs.
- Ensured system stability prior to domestic and international server shipments, verifying operational integrity.
- Responding promptly to tickets, resolving issues efficiently, to maintain workflow continuity.
- Debugged down servers to restore optimal functionality.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to enhance project outcomes.
- Maintained various networks in lab environments for consistent performance.
- Training of new employees and supporting the onboarding process for hires outside of the team.
- Acquired knowledge of new and upcoming projects to ensure readiness.
- Updated server firmware using BMC and DediProg tools efficiently.
- Maintained organized hardware inventory within data center/lab environment.
- Gained experience working in dynamic data center/lab settings.
Crew Member
Trader Joe's
Austin, TX
08.2019 - 10.2023
- Section Lead: Responsible for ordering and stocking the wine section and creating displays to improve sales
- Assisted management with inventory management and stock ordering
- Maintained high standards of customer service during high-volume work shifts and fast-paced
operations - Processed payments on cash register and counted back bills and change to patrons
Co-Op Engineer
Advanced Micro Devices
Austin, TX
01.2018 - 05.2018
- Executed validation test plans for x86 based Client systems, collected / organized results, review findings with engineering leadership to determine next actions
- Worked closely with the Debug Lead on triaging critical customer issues, run experiments and tally results for daily debug meetings
- Experience setting up debug tools (hardware and software) to assist with issue triage
- Engineering lab work with all PC components, including mother boards, plug in PCIe cards, CPU device handling, DRAMs, etc..., along with basic soldering
- Responsible for hardware maintenance of a set of validation motherboards (validation farm), keeping boards / systems functional, updated firmware and ensuring the systems were kept busy executing tests
- Responsible for maintaining scripts for SCANVIEW for several x86 CPU programs
- Experience using JTAG/HDT hardware and software (AMD debug tool) to obtain SCANs of failures, parse data with SCANVIEW utility to determine data patterns / trends
- Experience with racking, stacking and upgrading data center class HPE servers for engineering
Food Service Cashier
Chill Out Frozen Yogurt
05.2011 - 08.2016
- Responsible for many aspects of running the business: yogurt machines maintenance and up-keep, customer satisfaction
- Training new employees on company process and procedure
Education
Some College (No Degree) -
Texas State University
San Marcos, TXSome College (No Degree) -
Austin Community College
Austin, TXSkills
- Clear communication
- Team collaboration
- Inventory management
- Problem solving
- Customer interaction
- Flexible scheduling
- MS Office proficiency
- PC assembly and debugging
- Validation testing execution
- Willingness to learn
- Forklift operation
- Heavy equipment handling
- Organizational efficiency
- International and domestic shipping
- Server building expertise
- Server debugging skills
- DediProg usage
- aHDS utilization
- Hardware knowledge
- Task prioritization
- Quality assurance
- Server Maintenance and repair
Accomplishments
- Team Hero Award from AMD - Key role in the move from the LoneStar Campus to the MetCenter - shipping and handling of ~300 servers and all hardware made it to the MetCenter in one piece and set up upon arrival.
- Individual Hero Award from AMD - Key role in the Bring up of SP7 and setting up servers for various teams throughout. Prompt Debug and lots of weekend work.
- Enlogic/nVent PDUs - helped make the PDU GUI where it is today. Attending meetings weekly to ensure PDUs function with automation. Played a key roll in testing new PDU firmware releases and reporting my findings with nVent. Some of my suggestions have even made it to the PDU GUI (multiple simultaneous users / outlet locking). Started with firmware version 1.1.1 to 3.3.1 (most recent FW version)
References
Ben Brown – Fellow, Debug Lead
ben.brown@amd.com
(512)-602-8592
Aya Esam - My direct Manager at AMD
Aya.Esam@amd.com
(512)964-2043
Wendee Delgado – Trader Joe's Captain
(480) 250-4592
Abel Ruiz – Trader Joe's Manager
(830) 876-6778
Timeline
Server Firmware Technician
Advanced Micro Devices
10.2023 - Current
Crew Member
Trader Joe's
08.2019 - 10.2023
Co-Op Engineer
Advanced Micro Devices
01.2018 - 05.2018
Food Service Cashier
Chill Out Frozen Yogurt
05.2011 - 08.2016
Some College (No Degree) -
Texas State University
Some College (No Degree) -
Austin Community College