Contract Embedded Software Engineer Jobs in Foothill Ranch, CA

Description

Location: San Clemente, CA

Type: Full time

Build the Firmware That Powers the Future of Audio

Sonance is an industry-leading manufacturer of custom-install speakers and audio electronics. At Sonance, we believe life is better with music. Our mission is to create audio experiences that are heard, not seen. For over 40 years, we have been revolutionizing the audio industry with innovative solutions that seamlessly integrate into our customers' lives.

This role will lead architecture and development of RTOS-based systems for real-time audio networking, secure boot, and device connectivity, working closely with software, hardware, DSP, and application team members. You will define and own the embedded firmware platform powering Sonance's next-generation networked audio products. In our collaborative, small-team environment, you will have significant influence on both product direction and company strategy. If you are energized by close collaboration, passionate about music and technology, and want to build your legacy by delivering production-quality firmware across multiple products, this is your opportunity.

*This position is on-site in San Clemente, CA.*

About Sonance

Since 1983, we have grown from our San Clemente headquarters into a global leader across three innovative brands: Sonance, James Loudspeaker, and IPORT. Our solutions enhance audio experiences in over 75 countries, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in both residential and commercial spaces. Our Electronics R&D team is a collaborative and innovative group focused on developing world-class audio amplifiers, networked audio electronics, and the software that powers them.

Your Mission

As a Senior Embedded Software Engineer, you will define and own the embedded firmware platform powering Sonance's next-generation networked audio products, built on ARM Cortex-M microcontrollers running Zephyr RTOS. This platform will serve as the foundation across multiple products. You will be responsible for architecting and developing the core platform layers, including board support packages (BSP), peripheral drivers, middleware, and shared networking and audio stacks, in collaboration with other software engineers, guiding implementation and ensuring consistency across the platform. This role reports to the Director of Engineering.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and own the embedded firmware platform architecture for Sonance's networked audio products, including BSP, drivers, middleware, and shared networking/audio stacks.
• Lead development of Zephyr RTOS-based firmware on ARM Cortex-M systems, enabling scalable, production-ready implementations across multiple products.
• Collaborate with internal engineers and external platform partners to define interfaces, integration boundaries, and shared APIs.
• Drive system-level design decisions across hardware, firmware, and networking domains, including board bring-up, multi-core partitioning, and performance optimization.
• Architect and implement the product security strategy: secure boot, firmware signing, certificate management, encrypted communications, and compliance with the EU Cyber Resilience Act.
• Establish and maintain high standards for code quality, testing, and release processes, including CI/CD, documentation, and long-term platform maintainability.

What Success Looks Like

• Deliver production-ready firmware for the initial product through the full development cycle within the first 12 months.
• Proactively identify architectural risks and opportunities and communicate them clearly to leadership.
• Build a productive working relationship with our external audio platform partners, navigating protocol boundaries and shared APIs effectively.
• Contribute to a collaborative, high-trust engineering culture where technical excellence and continuous learning are the norm.

What to Expect

In a typical week, you will operate across multiple layers of the system, from low-level firmware and hardware bring-up to networking, audio, and system architecture. You might debug a PTP clock synchronization issue, review a Zephyr device tree overlay with the hardware engineer, participate in an API design session with our external partners over video call, prototype an AES70 control handler, run your CI pipeline against a new firmware build, and develop test harnesses and automation to validate new drivers and platform components. You will also collaborate closely with distributed team members via online tools for real-time bring-up and debug work. Staying current on industry developments and bringing new ideas back to the team is part of the culture. You will need to context-switch frequently and be comfortable operating across networking, security, and real-time audio domains.

Your Next Step

Ready to build the firmware that powers the next generation of networked audio? Join us in shaping the future of custom-installed audio solutions and apply today!

Sonance is an equal-opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace.

Requirements

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a closely related field (or equivalent practical experience).
• 7+ years of professional embedded software development experience.
• Strong hands-on experience with RTOS-based embedded systems (Zephyr preferred), including kernel concepts, device drivers, and system integration.
• Strong experience with ARM Cortex-M class microcontrollers.
• Proficiency in C for bare-metal and RTOS environments; working knowledge of C++.
• Solid knowledge of Ethernet networking and associated concepts: TCP/IP, UDP, ARP, IGMP, DNS/mDNS, multicast, and L2/L3 switching.
• Experience with modern development workflows: Git, CI/CD, static analysis, unit testing frameworks for embedded targets.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work effectively in a cross-functional, distributed team.

Preferred Experience & Skills

Strongly Preferred (should have 3+ of these):

• Experience with real-time audio networking product development (AES67, Dante, Ravenna, or AVB).
• Familiarity with NXP i.MX RT series microcontrollers.
• Experience with embedded security architectures, including secure boot, firmware signing, and device identity.
• Experience with AES70/OCA control protocol implementation.
• Experience with multi-core embedded architectures and inter-processor communication.
• Audio industry experience: codecs, I2S/TDM, DMA-based audio pipelines, sample rate conversion.

Nice to Have:

• Experience with DSP algorithm implementation or audio signal processing.
• Familiarity with Python for test tooling, automation, or scripting.
• Experience working with contract manufacturers and supporting production firmware.
• Experience with Bluetooth Classic audio (A2DP) and embedded wireless integration.