Embedded Software Engineer — Firmware, Embedded, and Functional Safety
$145,709–$194,279 year
On-siteCambridge, Massachusetts, United States or Cambridge, England, United Kingdom
Job Summary
Design, implement, and debug real-time C/C++ firmware for motor controllers, sensors, and safety-critical subsystems. Bring up new hardware boards, write device drivers, and validate peripherals using lab equipment. Develop bare-metal and RTOS-based software for control loops, timing-sensitive communication, and resource-constrained systems. Implement industrial interfaces including EtherCAT, CAN, and SPI while building diagnostics, logging, and automated test utilities. Collaborate with electrical, mechanical, and controls teams to integrate embedded capabilities into the robot stack and mature prototypes for production. Contribute to design tradeoffs, code reviews, and mentoring while maintaining hands-on implementation.
Required Qualifications
- 3+ years of professional embedded software experience, including shipping robust robotics-related products
- Strong C/C++ skills for bare-metal and RTOS-based embedded systems
- Deep understanding of microcontrollers, onboard computers, sensors, cameras, actuators, motor controllers, and fieldbus communication
- Experience with board bring-up, device drivers, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, debuggers, and hardware/software integration
- Experience with control loops, timing-sensitive communication, fault handling, and safety monitoring
- Ability to work effectively across hardware, controls, and software teams in a fast-moving engineering environment
- Must be able to go through the E-Verify process of digital verification of your employment authorization documents
Desired Qualifications
- Direct experience with robotic systems, preferably humanoid robots, manipulation robots, mobile robots, or other complex mechatronic systems
- Experience with designing and delivering software for functional safety
- Familiarity with industrial safety standards such as IEC 61508
- Experience with EtherCAT, Ethernet, CAN/CAN-FD, RS-485, or other industrial/robotics communication protocols
- Experience with motor control, power systems, sensor integration, safety systems, or distributed embedded systems
- Experience with firmware test infrastructure, CI/CD, diagnostics, logging, OTA updates, or production validation workflows
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