Bare Metal Programming Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Software Engineer

Clearance Level: Must be able to obtain a Secret Clearance- Must be US Citizen

Location: The position is Hybrid. Must be within 100 miles of Lexington MA. May require occasional travel.

At Aquila Technology, you will see our team’s passion every day, whether we are building a robust, policy-compliant IT system or stress-testing a system to identify gaps and security vulnerabilities. To own the advantage, we ensure our team owns results and gets the work done right the first time by deploying smart, purposeful solutions that work. Aquila is the right people with the right skills driving the right outcomes. We call this the Aquila Advantage.

Aquila Technology is looking for a highly skilled Embedded Software Engineer to support one of the nation’s leading defense research organizations. This role blends software development with system integration and operational support, requiring someone who can both build and sustain complex systems. The ideal candidate will develop and maintain software and tools, troubleshoot issues across multiple system layers, and help ensure the reliable performance of deployed solutions.

We are specifically seeking a strong embedded software engineer with experience designing, debugging, and operating testbeds and fielded systems for a tactical communications program.

Must Have:

• Bachelor's Degree
• 3 years Experience with ARM architecture
• 3 years Experience with board bring up and boot process
• 3 years Bare-Metal programming experience
• 5 years C/C++ Programming
• 3 years Experience in Kernel/Drive/Module development
• 5 years Software Design/Development
• 5 years CI/CD pipelines tools (GitHub Actions, Jenkins, Ansible, etc.)
• 3 years Debugging real-time system issues
• 5 years Experience with Embedded Linux
• 3 years Hardware and Software Integration

Nice to Have:

• Experience with AI coding tools/AI agents
• Experience with Altera Agilex-specific architecture
• Experience with test equipment: oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, emulators, and digital multi-meters

Key Responsibilities:

• Write and maintain embedded software solutions and tooling used to deploy, configure, and operate systems.
• Debug issues across all layers of the system: application, networking, Link Layer, OS, and hardware
• Write and maintain code to interface with FPGA
• Participate in board bring up with other cross functional teams.
• Support CI/CD pipelines and automated test environments.
• Validate and support releases across multiple active systems.
• Take ownership of uptime and system reliability across lab and field environments.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or other related discipline
• 3+ years Experience in Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or other related discipline
• Embedded C++ development experience
• Understanding/Experience with ARM architecture (Cortex-A, Cortex-R, Cortex-M)
• Understanding/Experience with Bare-Metal programing (i.e. direct register-level programming of peripherals, clock and power domain initialization, cache and MMU setup)
• Understanding/Experience in Embedded Linux development (i.e. kernel configuration, patching, building, device tree authoring/debugging, kernel module dev, root file system creation, etc.)
• Experience with board bring up and boot process (i.e. First-stage bootloader, U-boot, Device Tree, etc.)
• Understanding of embedded development toolchain and build experience (i.e. JTAG debugging, peripheral and memory-mapped IO debugging, signal-level debugging)
• Experience with GIT/CI-CD environments
• High ownership: you take responsibility for outcomes, not just tasks.
• Able to move quickly and make progress in loosely defined environments.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team oriented environment.
  

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with Altera Agilex-specific architecture (i.e. DMA, interrupts, clocks, resets, boot behavior). Efforts will be on Altera Agilex 7 SoC processors
• Experience with leveraging AI coding tools / AI agents to enable faster workflow
• Working with benchtop testing and equipment such as Logic Analyzers, Digital Oscilloscopes and Spectrum Analyzers
• Familiarity with serial protocols and drivers (ex. I2C, SPI, JTAG, etc.)

Benefits and Perks:
Aquila team members experience the opportunity to be part of a fast-paced, customer-focused, and technically innovative work environment. Aquila strives to deliver the best of the best in technical services to our customers. Candidates that possess a love for technical challenges, a desire to constantly learn, and the desire to establish themselves as critical players within a team will enjoy calling Aquila Technology home.
Our Perks Include:
PTO - 15 days (vacation/sick) 10 paid holidays - 6 standard (New Year’s, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas) - 4 floating holidays prorated based on your day of hire:

• 1.5 paid days, or 12 hours, for approved volunteer work
• 1 week of paid maternity/paternity LOA after 1 year of Full-time employment

Tuition & Training Reimbursement- 5K annually for pre-approved, Eligible full-time team members who have completed a minimum ofsix (6) monthsof employment may apply for tuition reimbursement for approved, job-related courses taken through an accredited college or university. Team members must achieve a grade of “B” or better to qualify for reimbursement.Aquila will reimburse up to $5,000 per fiscal year for tuition expenses only. Expenses related to training programs, certifications, books, materials, meals, transportation, or other non-tuition costs are not eligible under the Tuition Reimbursement Program. All tuition reimbursement requests must be submitted to and approved by the team member’s Manager prior to course registration. Reimbursement will be issued upon successful course completion and submission of final grades and proof of payment.

401K with Fidelity - Eligible to participate following 90 days of employment. Company match on employee contribution:

• $1/$1 up to 3%, then .50 cents / $1 for 4th and 5th %s
• Fully vested from day one
• Company match does not apply to catch-up contribution

Cell Phone & Internet Reimbursedup to $150 monthly to cover cell phone, data, and home internet expenses. Aquila Technology will reimburse team members who work from home ONLY for cell phone/mobile device fees for work-related communications and/or operations each month. Employees eligible for this benefit must work remote 2 days a week or more to qualify.

Buy Your Own Device (BYOD) - Team members are eligible for reimbursement of up to $1,500 every three (3) years for the purchase of electronic equipment used to access corporate services. To qualify for this benefit, employees must have completed a minimum of six (6) months of employment and must agree to and sign the Device Minimum Configuration Form prior to reimbursement. Electronic devices eligible under the Buy Your Own Device (BYOD) program are limited to cell phones, laptops, and tablets.

Location: This position will be HYBRID. Must be live within 100 miles of Lexington MA.

Clearance Level: Interim clearance is sufficient for start

Interview process: initial zoom screening and then second round would be onsite interviews. They would consider candidates for second round zoom if they are relocating but local candidates should expect to come onsite.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer.