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Contract Embedded Software Engineer Jobs in California

Array Labs

Embedded Software Engineer

Redwood City, CA

$161K - $211K/yr

About the Job As an Embedded Software Engineer , you will develop the embedded software that enables Array's radar sensors, communication links, and flight systems to operate reliably in orbit. Your ...

Array Labs

Embedded Software Engineer

Redwood City, CA · On-site

$161K - $211K/yr

About the Job As an Embedded Software Engineer , you will develop the embedded software that enables Array's radar sensors, communication links, and flight systems to operate reliably in orbit. Your ...

804 Technology

Embedded Software Engineer

Simi Valley, CA

$135K - $178K/yr

The Embedded Software Engineer 2 designs, develops and debugs software, working in small teams to solve problems and explore technologies for new and existing core products. JOB CORE RESPONSIBILITIES:

Viasat, Inc.

Embedded Software Engineer

Carlsbad, CA

$145K - $218K/yr

What you'll do This is a role for a Embedded Software Engineer within Secure Netowrk Systems (SNS) - Viasat Government who is eager to contribute to a small, fast-paced team. You will develop ...

Viasat, Inc.

Embedded Software Engineer

Carlsbad, CA

$174K - $261K/yr

What you'll do This is a role for a Embedded Software Engineer within Secure Netowrk Systems (SNS) - Viasat Government who is eager to contribute to a small, fast-paced team. You will develop ...

RapidIT, Inc

Embedded Software Engineer

Manhattan Beach, CA · On-site

$139K - $183K/yr

Position: Embedded Software Engineer Location: * Fully Onsite in Manhattan Beach, CA Requirements: * Bachelor's Degree from an ABET accredited university * Minimum of 8-10+ years of applicable ...

Embtel, Inc.

Embedded software engineer

Brisbane, CA · On-site

$158K - $208K/yr

The Sr. Embedded Software Engineer serves on the R&D team to contribute toward the development of embedded software for novel medical systems. As part of our growing software group, you will ...

Motorola

Embedded Software Engineer

Los Angeles, CA · Hybrid

$48.08 - $67.31/hr

S. government contracts * All employment is contingent upon the successful clearance of a ... or relevant engineering fields. * 3 years of relevant embedded system software development ...

Fieldpiece Instruments

Embedded Software Engineer

Orange, CA · Hybrid

$140K - $184K/yr

Fieldpiece is hiring an Embedded Software Engineer to contribute to the design, development, and support of the embedded software that powers our connected instruments, wireless tools, probes ...

Orbotech

Embedded Software Engineer

Milpitas, CA · On-site

$153K - $201K/yr

We are seeking a highly motivated Embedded Software Engineer to join our team within the RAPID division. In this role, you will take end-to-end technical ownership of embedded software that powers ...

Embtel, Inc.

Embedded software engineer

Brisbane, CA · On-site

$158K - $208K/yr

The Sr. Embedded Software Engineer serves on the R&D team to contribute toward the development of embedded software for novel medical systems. As part of our growing software group, you will ...

KLA Corporation

Embedded Software Engineer

Milpitas, CA

$153K - $201K/yr

We are seeking a highly motivated Embedded Software Engineer to join our team within the RAPID division. In this role, you will take end-to-end technical ownership of embedded software that powers ...

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All JobsContract Embedded Software Engineer JobsContract Embedded Software Engineer Jobs in California

Contract Embedded Software Engineer information

See California salary details

$69.1K

$151.4K

$171.7K

How much do contract embedded software engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 11, 2026, the average yearly pay for contract embedded software engineer in California is $151,375.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $129,800.00 and $170,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are typical day-to-day responsibilities for a Contract Embedded Software Engineer?

As a Contract Embedded Software Engineer, your daily tasks often include writing and debugging embedded code, integrating software solutions with hardware components, and working closely with hardware engineers to meet project requirements. You'll participate in code reviews, documentation, and sometimes testing or troubleshooting hardware-software interactions. Communication with project managers and cross-functional teams is also common to ensure project milestones and deadlines are met. This variety allows you to apply your technical expertise while gaining experience across different industries and applications.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Contract Embedded Software Engineer position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Contract Embedded Software Engineer, you need strong skills in C/C++ programming, embedded systems development, debugging, and a relevant engineering degree. Familiarity with microcontrollers, real-time operating systems (RTOS), hardware interfaces, and tools like oscilloscopes or JTAG debuggers is often required, and certifications such as Certified Embedded Systems Engineer can be beneficial. Excellent problem-solving, adaptability, and communication skills help you collaborate on diverse projects and meet tight contract deadlines. These abilities are crucial for delivering reliable, high-quality embedded software solutions in a fast-paced and dynamic work environment.

What is a Contract Embedded Software Engineer job?

A Contract Embedded Software Engineer is a professional hired on a temporary or project basis to design, develop, and optimize software for embedded systems. These engineers work with microcontrollers, processors, and real-time operating systems (RTOS) to create software that operates hardware devices efficiently. They often specialize in industries like automotive, medical devices, aerospace, or consumer electronics. Contract roles can vary in duration and scope, offering flexibility and opportunities to work on diverse projects.

What are the most commonly searched types of Embedded Software Engineer jobs in California? The most popular types of Embedded Software Engineer jobs in California are:
What are popular job titles related to Contract Embedded Software Engineer jobs in California? For Contract Embedded Software Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Contract Embedded Software Engineer jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Contract Embedded Software Engineer jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Contract Embedded Software Engineer jobs? Cities in California with the most Contract Embedded Software Engineer job openings:
Contract Embedded Software Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Contract Embedded Software Engineer job openings in California as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 70% Full Time, 1% Part Time, 1% Temporary, 27% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 79% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 18% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $151,375 per year, or $72.8 per hour.
Embedded Software Engineer

Embedded Software Engineer

Array Labs

Redwood City, CA

$161K - $211K/yr

Full-time

Posted 2 days ago

Job description

Array Labs builds advanced radar systems to help humanity understand and respond to changes across the physical world. 
 
We’re launching a coordinated fleet of radar satellites to create a high-resolution 3D map of the Earth – updated in real time – enabling faster, smarter decision-making for government and commercial organizations supporting disaster response, infrastructure resilience, and mission-critical geopolitical intelligence.
 
We design and build our satellites end-to-end, producing the world’s most advanced earth observation satellites. Our fleet will deliver unprecedented levels of accuracy, coverage, and responsiveness to power critical insights precisely where they’re needed most.
 
About the Job
As an Embedded Software Engineer, you will develop the embedded software that enables Array’s radar sensors, communication links, and flight systems to operate reliably in orbit. Your work will include board bring-up of Linux-based platforms, high-performance data movement between sensors and compute elements, integration with FPGA and RF subsystems, and the development of safety-critical control and FDIR algorithms.
 
You will collaborate closely with signal processing, hardware, and GNC engineers to prototype, evaluate, and deploy software architectures that meet demanding latency, throughput, and reliability requirements. The software you build will directly influence radar performance, system robustness, and mission resilience on orbit.
 
As part of our quickly growing engineering team, you will play a critical role in the design of the world’s most advanced radar satellite constellation—one that will significantly improve humanity’s ability to rapidly and comprehensively understand our changing planet.
Responsibilities:
  • Develop highly reliable and available software systems for our low-latency, high-capacity radar sensor, communication system, and flight control system
  • Board bring-up of a Linux-based platform that integrates radar sensors, flight computers, RF transceivers, and navigation sensors
  • Work collaboratively with signal processing, hardware, and GNC engineers to build performant and reliable embedded software for our payload
  • Rapid prototyping and evaluation of key architectural choices and design constraints
  • Implement high-efficiency data movement between our radar sensor, FPGA fabric, microprocessors, networking interfaces, and storage peripherals.
  • Develop safety-critical system-level software for hardware components and develop FDIR (fault detection, isolation, and recovery) algorithms for mission-critical systems
  • Debug complex, system-level, multi-component issues that typically span across multiple layers from kernel to driver to application
 
 
Basic Qualifications:
  • Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering or related field
  • 4+ years of embedded software experience
  • Good understanding of Embedded Systems and OS concepts (Linux/RTOS).
  • Experience in one or more of the following areas: BSP/Board Support Package, Operating Systems, RTOS, Bootloader, Power Management, Linux, MCU (Microcontroller).
  • Excellent teamwork and communication skills
  • Learns new concepts rapidly, completely, and in a self-directed manner
  • High levels of self-motivation and personal accountability
  • Ability to work in a fast-paced environment under significant time constraints
  • Experience programming in C or C++ in embedded environments and in Python to support development, automation, and testing.
 
 
Preferred Skills and Experience:
  • Master’s degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering or related field
  • Experience with aerospace or space projects (flight control/GNC)
  • Experience in the automotive, medical robotics, or similar regulated embedded device industry with a focus on safety and high availability
  • Good understanding of multi-threaded embedded system concepts including tasks, priorities, and deadlocks 
  • Embedded software debugging experience including clock-level issues, bridges, delays, interrupts, clock gating, and polling using debuggers (Keil, J-Link)
  • Experience building software for complex embedded systems or custom SoCs 
  • Hands-on coding experience with peripherals with interfaces such as UART, SPI, CSI-2, i2c, GPIO, USB, and PCIE
  • Experience developing with modern Real-Time Operating Systems  (FreeRTOS, Zephyr, ThreadX, VxWorks) 
  • Experience with embedded software design and debugging of boards with multiple processors (ARM/RISC-V, DSPs, MCUs) and a large array of peripherals using a multitude of interfaces (SPI, UART, GPIO,  I2C, Ethernet)
  • Experience with a variety of microprocessors (ARM,Nordic, Microchip, STM, etc) and hardware modules
  • Working knowledge of networking stack (Ethernet, TCP/IP suite) desired
  • Ability to read and interpret schematic diagrams
 
 
ITAR Requirements:
  • To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
 
 
Equal Opportunity Employer:
  • Array Labs is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made on the basis of merit, competence, and job qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by gender, color, race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, age, gender identity, veteran status, disability status, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.
 
 
Interview Process
We will conduct interviews via Google Meet; the typical process takes around 2-4 weeks to complete from start to finish.
 
Hiring and Compensation Strategy
Our hiring and compensation strategy is simple:
 
1) find uncommonly good people
2) pay them uncommonly well
 
You can anticipate competitive pay, with high flexibility between salary and equity-based compensation.
 
Why Join Array Labs?
Array Labs is launching a constellation of satellites to create the first high-resolution, real-time, three-dimensional model of Earth. Our next-generation satellite technology will offer image quality 60x greater than traditional techniques, profoundly expanding humanity’s ability to understand and respond to events on a global scale.
 
In forging an affordable, accessible, accurate representation of Earth, our work has the potential to transform the face of dozens of fields, including autonomy, telecommunications, disaster relief, gaming, climate science, defense and construction.