Software Engineer, PhD, Early Career, Embedded Systems and Firmware, 2026 Start

Google

Sunnyvale, CA

JOB DETAILS
LOCATION
Sunnyvale, CA
POSTED
13 days ago
Applicants in the County of Los Angeles: Qualified applications with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.
In accordance with Washington state law, we are highlighting our comprehensive benefits package, which is available to all eligible US based employees. Benefits for this role include:
  • Health, dental, vision, life, disability insurance
  • Retirement Benefits: 401(k) with company match
  • Paid Time Off: 20 days of vacation per year, accruing at a rate of 6.15 hours per pay period for the first five years of employment
  • Sick Time: 40 hours/year (increased to 69 hours/year for Seattle) including 5 discretionary sick days per instance
  • Maternity Leave (Short-Term Disability + Baby Bonding): 28-30 weeks
  • Baby Bonding Leave: 18 weeks
  • Holidays: 13 paid days per year
Note: By applying to this position you will have an opportunity to share your preferred working location from the following: Sunnyvale, CA, USA; Atlanta, GA, USA; Kirkland, WA, USA; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Mountain View, CA, USA; New York, NY, USA; Raleigh, NC, USA; Durham, NC, USA; Seattle, WA, USA.

Minimum qualifications:

  • PhD degree in Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
  • Experience in embedded systems/firmware design.
  • Experience coding in C or C++.

Preferred qualifications:

  • Knowledge of one or more of the following: Microcontrollers, SoC, device drivers, hardware, power management, ARM processors, performance optimization, file systems, bootloading, firmware, x86 assembly, system BIOS, or hardware/software integration.
  • Knowledge of Unix/Linux environments and kernel development.
  • Ability to start full-time role in 2026.

About the job

Google's software engineers develop the next-generation technologies that change how billions of users connect, explore, and interact with information and one another. Our products need to handle information at massive scale, and extend well beyond web search. We're looking for engineers who bring fresh ideas from all areas, including information retrieval, distributed computing, large-scale system design, networking and data storage, security, artificial intelligence, natural language processing, UI design and mobile; the list goes on and is growing every day. As a software engineer, you will work on a specific project critical to Google’s needs with opportunities to switch teams and projects as you and our fast-paced business grow and evolve. We need our engineers to be versatile, display leadership qualities and be enthusiastic to take on new problems across the full-stack as we continue to push technology forward.

As a PhD graduate, your research expertise is invaluable to us. Explore a variety of projects, collaborate with various teams, and contribute to products that are changing the world, across many product areas, including AI & Infrastructure, Cloud, and more!

Our Engineering teams include thousands of PhDs who bring their deep knowledge and research experience to enhance our systems and products. As a Google PhD Software Engineer, you will work on critical projects, with many opportunities to learn and follow your interests. We expect our engineers to be creative and versatile, leading and identifying new problems to push the field and Google technology forward.

Google is one of the world’s leading suppliers and consumers of ML and AI technology, with decades of experience in designing, deploying, and using ML software and custom ML hardware infrastructure at massive scale.

The US base salary range for this full-time position is $147,000-$211,000 + bonus + equity + benefits. Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.

Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only, and do not include bonus, equity, or benefits. Learn more about benefits at Google.

Responsibilities

  • Participate in or lead team projects to carry out design, analysis, and development of advanced systems across the stack, particularly embedded systems. 
  • Develop code and review code developed by other developers, and provide feedback to ensure best practices (e.g., style guidelines, accuracy, testability, and efficiency).
  • Write documents that set new technical directions.  Contribute to existing documentation or educational content and adapt content based on product/program updates and user feedback.  
  • Study, diagnose and resolve complex technical issues by analyzing the sources of the issues and the impact on software, hardware, network, or service operations and quality. 
Google is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. See also Google's EEO Policy and EEO is the Law. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know by completing our Accommodations for Applicants form.

About the Company

G

Google

Build for everyone

Since our founding in 1998, Google has grown by leaps and bounds. Starting from two computer science students in a university dorm room, we now have thousands of employees and offices around the world. These Googlers build products that help create opportunities for everyone, whether down the street or across the globe.

It starts with how we work together. We’re building a company where people of different views, backgrounds and experiences can do their best work and show up for one another. A place where every Googler feels like they belong.

So whether you develop new technology or creative campaigns, craft beautiful products or breakthrough partnerships, your work here is a chance to accomplish things that matter. Bring your insight, imagination, and healthy disregard for the impossible. Bring everything that makes you unique. Together, we can build for everyone.

Benefits

We strive to provide Googlers and their loved ones with a world-class benefits experience, focused on supporting their physical, financial, and emotional wellbeing. Our benefits are based on data, and centered around our users: Googlers and their families. They’re thoughtfully designed to enhance your health and wellbeing, and generous enough to make it easy for you to take good care of yourself (now, and in the future). So we can build for everyone, together.

Learn more about Google’s benefits on this site featuring Googlers’ experience.

How we Hire

Google’s hiring process is an important part of our culture. Googlers care deeply about their teams and the people who make them up. In order to  build for everyone, we know that we need a wide range of perspectives and experiences, and a fair hiring process is the first step in getting there.

Learn more about our hiring process.

COMPANY SIZE
10,000 employees or more
INDUSTRY
Computer Software
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
Paid Sick Days, Performance Bonus, Professional Development, 401K, Stock Options, Employee Events, Retirement / Pension Plans, Tuition Reimbursement, Work From Home, Life Insurance, On Site Cafeteria
FOUNDED
1998
WEBSITE
https://goo.gle/4dbno6V