Technical Lead Embedded Software Engineering

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and optimization of embedded software and firmware systems supporting robotics, autonomous, maritime, and advanced technology platforms.
• Establish technical direction, software architecture standards, and engineering best practices across multiple programs.
• Architect and implement firmware solutions tightly integrated with custom hardware, sensors, communication systems, and control systems.
• Develop and review RTOS-based firmware utilizing technologies such as FreeRTOS, ROS2, Zephyr, and similar platforms.
• Review electrical schematics and PCB layouts to identify firmware impacts, integration risks, and design concerns.
• Lead technical design reviews, architecture discussions, risk assessments, and roadmap planning activities.
• Debug complex system-level issues involving hardware, firmware, networking, and software integration.
• Build and maintain development and test environments to support early-stage firmware development and system validation.
• Ensure firmware solutions meet real-time performance, reliability, safety, and mission-critical requirements.
• Serve as the primary technical escalation point for embedded software and system integration issues.
• Mentor and coach engineering teams on firmware architecture, debugging methodologies, and development best practices.
• Develop technical documentation including software requirements, architecture designs, specifications, and verification plans.
• Support software configuration management and repeatable development workflows.
• Collaborate closely with electrical, mechanical, systems, product, and customer teams.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Master's Degree preferred.
• Minimum seven (7)+ years of embedded software or firmware development experience.
• Minimum three (3)+ years in a senior engineering, technical lead, or architecture role.
• Advanced proficiency in C and C++ for embedded systems development.
• Experience utilizing Python for development tooling, automation, and testing.
• Strong experience with RTOS environments such as:
  • FreeRTOS
  • ROS2
  • Zephyr
  • Similar real-time operating systems
• Experience developing software for embedded platforms including:
  • STM32
  • ARM-based MCUs/SoCs
  • x86 embedded systems
  • PIC32
  • Similar architectures
• Experience with low-level hardware interfaces including:
  • I2C
  • SPI
  • UART
  • Ethernet
  • GPIO

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting robotics, autonomous systems, maritime platforms, uncrewed systems, or military technologies.
• Experience with navigation, localization, sensor fusion, or autonomous control systems.
• Familiarity with cloud-based systems supporting data collection, storage, analysis, and management.
• Experience troubleshooting networking stacks and board-level communications.
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines supporting embedded software development.
• Familiarity with ISO 9001, CMMI, or related quality frameworks.
• Experience supporting government or defense-related programs.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.

Technical Skills & Experience

Embedded Systems Development

• Embedded firmware architecture
• Device drivers
• Communication stacks
• Hardware bring-up
• Board support package development
• Low-level software development

Real-Time Systems

• FreeRTOS
• ROS2
• Zephyr
• Task scheduling
• Synchronization
• Memory management
• Timing analysis

Hardware & System Integration

• Hardware/software integration
• Sensor integration
• Control systems
• Oscilloscopes
• Logic analyzers
• Protocol analyzers
• Root cause analysis

Development & Configuration Management

• Git version control
• Build systems
• Embedded debugging environments
• Software lifecycle management
• CI/CD workflows
• Software documentation

Bonus Experience

Candidates with experience in the following areas are strongly encouraged to apply:

• Machine Learning (ML)
• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Computer Vision
• Maritime systems
• Autonomous platforms
• Proposal development
• Feasibility studies
• Technical concept development
• Functional safety and mission-critical software development
• Agile software development methodologies
• DevOps and DevSecOps practices
• Quality Management Systems (QMS)

General Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)

• Exceptional technical leadership and mentoring abilities.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to communicate technical concepts to both engineering and non-technical stakeholders.
• Proven analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Ability to identify and mitigate technical risks early in the development lifecycle.
• Strong organizational and project planning skills.
• Ability to work effectively in customer-driven engineering environments.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced development setting.
• Strong collaboration skills across multidisciplinary engineering teams.

Additional Information

• Reports To: Director, Software Engineering
• Travel Requirement: Up to 10%
• Relocation Assistance: Not available at this time

Benefits Include

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• 401(k) with Company Match
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Paid Holidays
• Professional Development Opportunities
• Collaborative and Innovative Engineering Environment

This is an outstanding opportunity for an experienced embedded systems leader to drive the development of cutting-edge technologies while mentoring engineering teams and shaping the technical direction of innovative products and mission-critical systems.