Job Description
The Role
We're looking for a Senior Embedded Systems Engineer to own the firmware and embedded software stack on general-purpose robots. You'll work at the intersection of hardware and software — developing motor control firmware, sensor interfaces, and communication infrastructure for general-purpose robots.
This is a high-ownership, hands-on role. You'll collaborate daily with mechanical, electrical, and controls engineers, and your firmware will be among the first code that runs on every new robot subsystem. You'll help define how we scale from lab prototype to deployed fleet.
What You'll Do
Architect and develop production-grade firmware for actuator controllers, sensor interfaces, and communication subsystems on the robots
Own hardware bring-up: write low-level peripheral drivers, validate new PCBs, and debug hardware/firmware boundary issues
Implement and optimize motor control algorithms — torque, velocity, and position loops — on bare-metal and RTOS platforms
Develop and maintain real-time communication stacks including EtherCAT, CAN, SPI, I2C, and UART
Build and maintain CI/CD pipelines and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) test infrastructure to enable fast, reliable iteration
Contribute to firmware safety architecture — fault detection, safe-state logic, and watchdog systems
Read and interpret schematics and datasheets; participate in hardware design reviews to give firmware perspective early
Establish firmware standards, coding practices, and review processes as the team scales
What We're Looking For
Required:
5+ years of embedded firmware development experience in robotics, automotive, or industrial/consumer electronics — with at least some of that in a production-deployed product
Strong C and C++ skills for bare-metal and RTOS environments across multiple modern MCU families (e.g., ARM Cortex-M, TI C2000, Nordic nRF); breadth across vendors and architectures is valued over depth in any single platform
Hands-on experience with motor control or actuator firmware (FOC, torque control, or similar)
Proficiency with communication protocols: EtherCAT, CAN, SPI, I2C, UART — at the driver level, not just API usage
Hardware bring-up experience: JTAG, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and debugging across the firmware/hardware boundary
Ability to read schematics and PCB layouts; comfortable working directly with hardware engineers
Preferred:
Experience scaling firmware from prototype to high-volume production (hundreds to thousands of units)
Background in functional safety (ISO 26262, IEC 62443, or equivalent)
Python scripting for test automation and HIL frameworks
Familiarity with EtherCAT master/slave stack implementation (SOEM or equivalent)
Experience with power electronics firmware: BMS, DC-DC converters, or charging systems
Prior work in a vertically integrated robotics or hardware startup
Hands-on use of AI coding agents (e.g., Claude Code, Codex, etc.) to accelerate firmware development — writing prompts, reviewing AI-generated code, and integrating agentic workflows into embedded development cycles
We're looking for a Senior Embedded Systems Engineer to own the firmware and embedded software stack on general-purpose robots. You'll work at the intersection of hardware and software — developing motor control firmware, sensor interfaces, and communication infrastructure for general-purpose robots.
This is a high-ownership, hands-on role. You'll collaborate daily with mechanical, electrical, and controls engineers, and your firmware will be among the first code that runs on every new robot subsystem. You'll help define how we scale from lab prototype to deployed fleet.
What You'll Do
Architect and develop production-grade firmware for actuator controllers, sensor interfaces, and communication subsystems on the robots
Own hardware bring-up: write low-level peripheral drivers, validate new PCBs, and debug hardware/firmware boundary issues
Implement and optimize motor control algorithms — torque, velocity, and position loops — on bare-metal and RTOS platforms
Develop and maintain real-time communication stacks including EtherCAT, CAN, SPI, I2C, and UART
Build and maintain CI/CD pipelines and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) test infrastructure to enable fast, reliable iteration
Contribute to firmware safety architecture — fault detection, safe-state logic, and watchdog systems
Read and interpret schematics and datasheets; participate in hardware design reviews to give firmware perspective early
Establish firmware standards, coding practices, and review processes as the team scales
What We're Looking For
Required:
5+ years of embedded firmware development experience in robotics, automotive, or industrial/consumer electronics — with at least some of that in a production-deployed product
Strong C and C++ skills for bare-metal and RTOS environments across multiple modern MCU families (e.g., ARM Cortex-M, TI C2000, Nordic nRF); breadth across vendors and architectures is valued over depth in any single platform
Hands-on experience with motor control or actuator firmware (FOC, torque control, or similar)
Proficiency with communication protocols: EtherCAT, CAN, SPI, I2C, UART — at the driver level, not just API usage
Hardware bring-up experience: JTAG, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and debugging across the firmware/hardware boundary
Ability to read schematics and PCB layouts; comfortable working directly with hardware engineers
Preferred:
Experience scaling firmware from prototype to high-volume production (hundreds to thousands of units)
Background in functional safety (ISO 26262, IEC 62443, or equivalent)
Python scripting for test automation and HIL frameworks
Familiarity with EtherCAT master/slave stack implementation (SOEM or equivalent)
Experience with power electronics firmware: BMS, DC-DC converters, or charging systems
Prior work in a vertically integrated robotics or hardware startup
Hands-on use of AI coding agents (e.g., Claude Code, Codex, etc.) to accelerate firmware development — writing prompts, reviewing AI-generated code, and integrating agentic workflows into embedded development cycles
💡 Quick Summary
Seeking a career-building opportunity? The Senior Embedded Systems Engineer position is now open for candidates interested in the IT Engineer & Developer Jobs sector. This role in Santa Clara offers a professional environment and growth potential.
Requirement Snapshot: Candidates should possess basic communication skills, a proactive attitude, and the ability to work in a team. Experience in IT Engineer & Developer Jobs is a plus.
