Firmware Design Engineer

Firmware Design Engineer

The Firmware Engineer combines strong software engineering fundamentals with practical hardware programming experience, delivering practical results while maintaining engineering rigor. They understand how to build maintainable, testable, and reliable software, working directly with electronic hardware.

This position involves both new product development and continuation engineering of existing products, requiring curiosity, adaptability, and the ability to work effectively with legacy codebases of varying maturity levels.

Key Responsibilities

Embedded Firmware Development

• Design, develop, test, and maintain embedded firmware primarily using the C programming language.
• Develop new firmware features while supporting the ongoing enhancement and maintenance of existing products.
• Troubleshoot, debug, and resolve firmware, software, and system integration issues using structured engineering methodologies and diagnostic tools.
• Participate in software architecture and design discussions focused on scalability, modularity, maintainability, and long-term product reliability.

Software Tools & Manufacturing Support

• Develop Python-based utilities, automation scripts, manufacturing software, and engineering test applications.
• Support manufacturing and production teams by creating and maintaining diagnostic tools, production software, and automated test platforms.
• Develop engineering utilities that improve product validation, manufacturing efficiency, and production support.

Engineering Excellence

• Participate in peer code reviews and contribute to continuous improvements in software quality, coding standards, and engineering best practices.
• Produce clear technical documentation, software design specifications, validation procedures, and test documentation.
• Collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams throughout the product development lifecycle.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Strong proficiency in the C programming language.
• Experience developing software for embedded systems, microcontrollers, and PC-based applications.
• Solid understanding of software engineering principles, including:
• Software abstraction, modularity, decoupling, and cohesion
• Design patterns and software architecture
• UML modeling and technical documentation
• Code optimization techniques for embedded microcontroller environments
• Proven ability to troubleshoot and debug complex firmware and software systems.
• Experience maintaining and refactoring legacy code while preserving functionality and reliability.
• Ability to read and interpret electronic schematics and understand fundamental electronic design principles.
• Hands-on experience using laboratory equipment such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, logic analyzers, or similar diagnostic tools.
• Demonstrated commitment to writing clean, readable, maintainable, and well-documented code.
• Strong written communication skills with the ability to produce high-quality technical documentation.
• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, multidisciplinary engineering environment.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with several of the following technologies and environments is highly desirable:

Embedded Systems

• PIC32M, PIC18F, Freescale (NXP), or Silicon Labs microcontrollers
• Real-time embedded firmware development
• Legacy embedded systems and long-lifecycle product support

Programming & Automation

• Python application development
• Engineering utilities and automation tools
• Manufacturing software and automated test applications

Hardware & Communications

• I2C, SPI, UART, USB, ADC, DAC, and sensor interfaces
• Digital and analog communication peripherals
• Instrumentation, data acquisition, and laboratory automation
• Telecommunications, optical communications, or RF systems
• Digital and analog control systems

Manufacturing & Validation

• Manufacturing test systems
• Automated production testing
• Hardware validation and verification
• Test fixture development
• Engineering diagnostic tools

Additional Experience

• Schematic capture or development
• Electronic circuit troubleshooting and hardware debugging

Why Join Us?

This is an opportunity to work on sophisticated embedded systems that combine firmware, hardware, manufacturing, and product engineering. You'll contribute to both new product innovation and the ongoing evolution of established platforms while collaborating with an experienced engineering team focused on delivering reliable, high-performance solutions.

If you enjoy solving complex technical problems, improving existing systems, and building software that directly impacts real-world products, this role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful engineering contribution while continuing to grow your technical expertise.