Firmware Engineer

Caltek Staffing
  • San Diego, CA
    30+ days ago

    Job Description

    Position Summary:

    We are seeking a Firmware Engineer to help design, develop, and validate embedded firmware for our wearable medical devices. This role will work closely with electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, electrochemistry, and software teams to bring biosensing systems from prototype to production.
    In this role, you will take ownership of day-to-day firmware development, testing, and debugging for embedded systems, with oversight from senior engineering leadership. You will be responsible for building reliable, efficient, and well-documented firmware that interfaces with sensors, power systems, and wireless communication modules. This role is ideal for a hands-on engineer who thrives in early-stage product development and is passionate about building robust systems for healthcare applications.

    Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

    • Serve as the firmware subject matter expert (SME) on R&D initiatives.
    • Design, implement, and maintain embedded firmware for wearable biosensor devices.
    • Develop low-level drivers and application-layer firmware for sensors, power management, and wireless communication modules.
    • Collaborate closely with electrical engineers to define hardware–firmware interfaces and board requirements.
    • Optimize firmware for low power consumption, performance, and reliability in battery-powered wearable devices.
    • Implement data acquisition, signal processing, and basic on-device data handling or filtering as needed.
    • Support integration with mobile applications and higher-level software systems via BLE or other wireless protocols.
    • Work with senior engineers to ensure firmware development aligns with medical device regulatory standards (IEC 62304, IEC 60601, ISO 13485).
    • Participate in failure mode analysis (FMEA) and contribute to system-level risk mitigation.
    • Develop and execute firmware test plans, including unit testing, integration testing, and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing.
    • Support the transition from R&D prototypes to pilot-scale production, including manufacturing test firmware and field updates.
    • Assist with sustaining engineering efforts by debugging and resolving firmware issues in released products.
    • Maintain thorough engineering documentation, including firmware architecture, requirements, and validation reports.

    Requirements:

    • Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field (Master's degree preferred).
    • Minimum of 3–5 years of experience developing embedded firmware, preferably for wearable or medical devices.
    • Strong proficiency in C/C++ for embedded systems.
    • Experience working with microcontrollers and embedded platforms (ARM Cortex-M or similar).
    • Experience with real-time operating systems (RTOS) is strongly preferred.
    • Familiarity with wireless communication protocols such as BLE (required); experience with Wi-Fi, NFC, or RF a plus.
    • Experience with low-power embedded design and battery-powered systems.
    • Strong debugging skills using tools such as JTAG, logic analyzers, and oscilloscopes.
    • Familiarity with medical device development processes and regulatory standards (21 CFR 820, ISO 13485, IEC 62304) is highly desirable.
    • Experience supporting firmware through manufacturing and production environments is a plus.
    • Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to collaborate effectively in a multidisciplinary team.
    • Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to clearly document and explain technical concepts.

    Working Conditions:

    • Combination of office, laboratory, and hands-on prototype development environments.

    Benefits:

    • Medical, dental, vision, health savings account, flexible spending account, life and long-term disability insurance, 401(k) plan, holidays, and PTO.

    Numbers & Facts

    LocationSan Diego, CA

    Skills

    • ARM (Advanced RISC Machine)unmatched
    • Application Integrationunmatched
    • Boundary Scanunmatched
    • C Programming Languageunmatched
    • C++ Programming Languageunmatched
    • Code of Federal Regulationsunmatched
    • Communication Skillsunmatched
    • Computer Engineeringunmatched
    • Computer Firmwareunmatched
    • Computer Scienceunmatched
    • Cross-Functionalunmatched
    • Debugging Skillsunmatched
    • Debugging Toolsunmatched
    • Device Driversunmatched
    • Documentationunmatched
    • Electrical Engineeringunmatched
    • Electrochemistryunmatched
    • Embedded Systemsunmatched
    • Failure Analysisunmatched
    • Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA)unmatched
    • Field Trialsunmatched
    • Hardware Designunmatched
    • Hardware Quality Assuranceunmatched
    • Healthcare Softwareunmatched
    • ISO (International Organization for Standardization)unmatched
    • Integration Testingunmatched
    • International Electro-Technical Commission (IEC)unmatched
    • Leadershipunmatched
    • Logic Analyzerunmatched
    • Low Powerunmatched
    • Manufacturingunmatched
    • Manufacturing/Production Testingunmatched
    • Mechanical Engineeringunmatched
    • Medical Equipmentunmatched
    • Medical Protocolsunmatched
    • Microcontrollerunmatched
    • Mobile Applicationsunmatched
    • Oscilloscopeunmatched
    • Power Managementunmatched
    • Presentation/Verbal Skillsunmatched
    • Problem Solving Skillsunmatched
    • Product Developmentunmatched
    • Production Systemsunmatched
    • Prototypingunmatched
    • Radio Frequencyunmatched
    • Realtime Operating Systemunmatched
    • Regulationsunmatched
    • Requirements Validation/Verificationunmatched
    • Research & Development (R&D)unmatched
    • Risk Managementunmatched
    • Signal Processingunmatched
    • Team Playerunmatched
    • Technical Writingunmatched
    • Test Plan/Scheduleunmatched
    • Testingunmatched
    • Unit Testunmatched
    • Wi-Fiunmatched
    • Wireless Communicationsunmatched
    • Wireless Protocols/Standardsunmatched
    • Writing Skillsunmatched

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