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Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer (Avionics / Platform Interface)

Protingent

Pasadena, CA

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JOB DETAILS
SKILLS
ARM (Advanced RISC Machine), Aerospace and Defense, Automation, Avionics, Booting, Boundary Scan, C Programming Language, C++ Programming Language, Communications Protocols, Computer Firmware, Continuous Deployment/Delivery, Continuous Integration, Debugging Skills, Device Drivers, Documentation, Electronics, Embedded Linux, Embedded Systems, Hardware Debugging, Hardware Design, Hardware-Software Integration, I2C, Information Technology Software, Integration Testing, Kernel Programming, Legal, Linux Operating System, Logic Analyzer, Medical Equipment, Microcontroller, Oscilloscope, RS-485, RTEMS, Realtime Operating System, Robotics, Schematics, Scripting (Scripting Languages), Software Architecture, Software Engineering, Startup, System Test, Systems Engineering, Telecommunications Industry, Telemetry, Testing, United States Citizen, Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitter (UART)
LOCATION
Pasadena, CA
POSTED
1 day ago
Position Title: Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer (Avionics / Platform Interface)

Position Description: Protingent Staffing has an exciting direct hire Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer (Avionics / Platform Interface) opportunity.

Job Responsibilities:
  • Design and implement bootloaders, BSPs, HALs, and low-level device drivers tightly coupled to custom avionics hardware.
  • Bring up new ARM-based flight boards from first power-on through stable firmware operation, working directly from schematics and hardware documentation
  • Build firmware using bare-metal and/or RTOS architectures with deterministic timing and fault tolerance.
  • Develop low-level flight firmware as part of system fault tolerance to, including command and telemetry handling, health monitoring, FDIR, safe-mode behavior, and autonomous recovery.
  • Customize and integrate Jetson Linux platforms, including boot chain, device tree, kernel bring-up, and MCU to Jetson interfaces.
  • Debug and resolve hardware–software integration issues, collaborating closely with avionics and systems engineers through test and flight readiness.
  • Implement and validate power sequencing, reset handling, watchdogs, interrupt
  • handling, DMA, and linker configurations.
  • Customize and integrate Jetson Linux platforms, including boot chain configuration, device tree updates, kernel bring-up, and MCU-to-Jetson interfaces.
  • Debug and resolve hardware–software integration issues using JTAG/SWD, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and other bench tools.
  • Collaborate closely with avionics hardware, systems, and mission teams through integration testing, protoflight activities, and flight readiness reviews.
  • Develop and maintain MCU-side firmware supporting power, thermal, communications, and telemetry functions.
  • Support and evolve redundant communication paths (e.g., dual CAN) for coordination, monitoring, and fault tolerance. Define, document, and maintain stable firmware interfaces consumed by higher-level platform software.
  • Partner with software engineers to ensure firmware behavior aligns with system-level requirements and operational constraints.
  • Contribute to embedded build automation, reproducibility, and test infrastructure where appropriate.

Job Qualifications:
  • 7+ years of hands-on embedded firmware development experience in the aerospace, robotics, automotive, or other safety- or mission-critical systems environments.
  • Expert-level proficiency in C/C++ for embedded systems.
  • Strong experience with ARM Cortex-M (M4/M5/M7 or similar) architectures.
  • Proven experience developing bootloaders, BSPs, HALs, and hardware-facing device drivers.
  • Demonstrated ability to bring up new hardware from schematics to working firmware.
  • Strong understanding of power sequencing, resets, watchdogs, interrupts, DMA, and linker scripts.
  • Hands-on debugging experience with JTAG/SWD, oscilloscopes, and logic analyzers.
  • Experience working with embedded Linux systems (Jetson or similar platforms)
  • Ability to operate independently and take full ownership in a startup environment.

Desired Job Qualifications:
  • Familiarity with flight software architectures and fault detection, isolation, and recovery (FDIR) concepts.
  • Experience with RTOS environments such as FreeRTOS, RTEMS, RTLinux, or Embassy
  • Experience with radiation-tolerant or space-grade MCUs
  • Familiarity with embedded communication protocols such as CAN, RS485, SPI, I2C, UART, SpaceWire, or CCSDS telemetry systems
  • Experience with secure boot, image signing, and in-field firmware update strategies
  • Experience to CI/CD pipeline or automated build environments for embedded systems
  • Experience with supporting protoflight or flight hardware and design reviews

Job Details
  • Job Type: Direct Hire
  • Salary Range: Market Rate
  • Location: Pasadena, CA (Onsite).
  • ITAR obligations are associated with this role; U.S. Citizenship, U.S. legal permanent resident status, or protected person status under 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a) (1), (3) is required.

About Protingent: Protingent is a niche provider of top Engineering and IT talent to Software, Electronics, Medical Device, Telecom, and Aerospace companies nationwide. Protingent exists to make a positive impact and contribution to the lives of others as well as our community by providing relevant, rewarding, and exciting work opportunities for our candidates.

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