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Embedded Firmware Engineer Jobs in Irvine, CA (NOW HIRING)

Brelle

Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer

Los Alamitos, CA · On-site

$165K - $225K/yr

About the Role As a Senior Firmware / Software Engineer, you will be a core technical owner of Brelle's embedded platform, building the software foundation that powers a vehicle embedded architecture ...

Traka (Assa Abloy)

Firmware Engineer

Lake Forest, CA · On-site

$81.81 - $128.57/hr

Industry experience in embedded firmware/software development for microcontrollers.* Design experience in C/C++ for embedded applications.* Experience with chip-to-chip communication protocols or ...

Anduril Industries

Firmware Engineer

Irvine, CA

Take full ownership of design, implementation and completion of embedded firmware projects * Mentor other firmware engineers and help teach best practices in design engineering * Contribute to team ...

Assa Abloy

Firmware Engineer

Lake Forest, CA · On-site

Industry experience in embedded firmware/software development for microcontrollers. * Design experience in C/C++ for embedded applications. * Experience with chip-to-chip communication protocols or ...

ASSA ABLOY

Firmware Engineer

Lake Forest, CA · Hybrid

Industry experience in embedded firmware/software development for microcontrollers. * Design experience in C/C++ for embedded applications. * Experience with chip-to-chip communication protocols or ...

Assa Abloy

Sr. Firmware Engineer II

Lake Forest, CA · On-site

$189K - $195K/yr

Sr. Firmware Engineer II Job Summary Research, evaluate, and prototype emerging wireless and ... Design, develop, and architect embedded systems and firmware solutions for smart locks and access ...

ASSA ABLOY

Sr. Firmware Engineer II

Lake Forest, CA

$189K - $195K/yr

Sr. Firmware Engineer II Job Summary Research, evaluate, and prototype emerging wireless and ... Design, develop, and architect embedded systems and firmware solutions for smart locks and access ...

Slope

Firmware Engineer

Irvine, CA · On-site

$166 - $220/hr

Take full ownership of design, implementation and completion of embedded firmware projects * Mentor other firmware engineers and help teach best practices in design engineering * Contribute to team ...

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All JobsEmbedded Firmware Engineer JobsEmbedded Firmware Engineer Jobs in Irvine, CA

Embedded Firmware Engineer information

See Irvine, CA salary details

$78.9K

$131K

$176K

How much do embedded firmware engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 22, 2026, the average yearly pay for embedded firmware engineer in Irvine, CA is $130,962.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $110,600.00 and $151,300.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does an embedded firmware engineer do?

An Embedded Firmware Engineer develops and maintains low-level software that controls hardware devices, ensuring they function efficiently and reliably. They write code in languages like C and C++ for microcontrollers and processors, often working with real-time operating systems (RTOS) and communication protocols. Their role involves debugging, optimizing performance, and collaborating with hardware and software teams to integrate systems.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an embedded firmware engineer?

To excel as an Embedded Firmware Engineer, you need a strong command of C/C++ programming, embedded systems design, and microcontroller architecture, typically supported by a degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or a related field. Familiarity with debugging tools, real-time operating systems (RTOS), version control systems like Git, and industry-relevant certifications such as Certified Embedded Systems Engineer (CESE) are valuable. Strong problem-solving abilities, effective cross-functional communication, and adaptability are essential soft skills. These competencies ensure high-quality, reliable firmware development and efficient collaboration with hardware, software, and testing teams.

How much do embedded firmware engineers make?

Embedded firmware engineers typically earn between $80,000 and $130,000 annually, depending on experience, location, and industry. Senior roles or those with specialized skills in real-time operating systems or hardware interfaces can command higher salaries. Certifications and proficiency with tools like C, C++, and debugging hardware can also influence compensation.

Is embedded firmware engineering a good career?

Embedded firmware engineering is a stable and growing field that involves developing software for hardware devices such as microcontrollers and IoT products. It requires skills in programming languages like C and C++, knowledge of hardware interfaces, and often involves working with real-time operating systems. The demand for embedded firmware engineers is strong across industries like automotive, healthcare, and consumer electronics, making it a viable career choice with good job prospects.

What are the most commonly searched types of Embedded Firmware Engineer jobs in Irvine, CA?

The most popular types of Embedded Firmware Engineer jobs in Irvine, CA are:

What are popular job titles related to Embedded Firmware Engineer jobs in Irvine, CA?

For Embedded Firmware Engineer jobs in Irvine, CA, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Embedded Firmware Engineer jobs in Irvine, CA look for?

The top searched job categories for Embedded Firmware Engineer jobs in Irvine, CA are:

What cities near Irvine, CA are hiring for Embedded Firmware Engineer jobs?

Cities near Irvine, CA with the most Embedded Firmware Engineer job openings:

Embedded Firmware Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Embedded Firmware Engineer job openings in Irvine, CA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 91% Full Time, 5% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $130,962 per year, or $63 per hour.

Principal Embedded Firmware Engineer

Hire Ventures, Inc.

Los Alamitos, CA • On-site

$150K - $200K/yr

Full-time

Posted 8 days ago

Job description

Principal Embedded Firmware Engineer - Rust and Connected Devices
About CI Solutions
CI Solutions develops secure identity and credentialing technology for schools and other organizations. Our products support student identification, card issuance, RFID and NFC credentials, connected readers, and integrations with the systems our clients use every day.
CR-One is our networked NFC/RFID reader platform. It supports student-ID, transportation, food service, access, attendance, and other credential-based programs. The first generation of CR-One readers is moving into customer and partner environments, and we are hiring an experienced firmware engineer to take technical ownership of the platform.
The role
We are looking for a Principal Embedded Firmware Engineer to own the CR-One firmware platform and the tools used to build, provision, release, update, and support it.
You will take ownership of an in-production system, develop a deep understanding of its architecture, keep the deployed fleet healthy, and extend it for future products and use cases. You will work closely with hardware, backend, product, manufacturing, technical services, and external engineering partners.
What you will work on
  • Embedded Rust device architecture
  • NFC RFID
  • Cellular, BLE, USB, and GNSS
  • Security and device lifecycle
  • Protocols and fleet tooling

Responsibilities
  • Take technical ownership of the CR-One firmware platform and its build, flash, provisioning, release, and update pipelines.
  • Safely extend and improve firmware running on devices in customer and partner environments.
  • Own the OTA release lifecycle, including signing, staged deployment, rollback, health validation, and incident response.
  • Diagnose firmware and hardware problems using logs, telemetry, serial traces, and controlled reproduction.
  • Improve reproducible builds, release documentation, and operational visibility.
  • Maintain backward compatibility across firmware versions, device configurations, and shared wire protocols.
  • Support factory programming, provisioning, production testing, hardware revisions, and manufacturing failure analysis.
  • Partner with backend and dashboard engineers on device configuration, telemetry, fleet health, and remote support.
  • Help define the firmware architecture for future CR-One generations.
  • Improve the system incrementally while continuing to deliver customer and partner capabilities.

Required qualifications
  • Strong professional in embedded systems, infrastructure, performance-sensitive, or similarly demanding software.
  • Substantial hands-on microcontroller firmware experience.
  • Experience with RTOS-based systems, interrupts, peripheral drivers, persistent state, and resource-constrained devices.
  • Ability to bring up and debug hardware directly from datasheets, register maps, and protocol specifications.
  • Experience supporting embedded product through production and after deployment.
  • Understanding of firmware release safety, OTA updates, device recovery, and field-failure investigation.
  • Strong bench-debugging skills.
  • Experience taking ownership of a large, evolving codebase and improving it without stopping delivery.
  • Sound engineering judgment and the ability to communicate clearly across firmware, hardware, backend, product, and operations teams.

Preferred experience
Experience in some of the following areas is valuable, but we do not expect candidates to have worked with every technology:
  • Embedded Rust or Rust on ESP-IDF.
  • ESP32, ESP-IDF, FreeRTOS, or comparable embedded platforms.
  • LTE-M, NB-IoT, Quectel, u-blox, or other cellular modem integrations.
  • MQTT, TLS, mutual TLS, PKI, X.509, and certificate enrollment.
  • NFC & RFID protocols, including ISO 14443, ISO 15693, MIFARE, DESFire, or NFC-V.
  • USB device stacks, HID, CDC, TinyUSB, BLE, and GNSS.
  • Secure boot, flash encryption, hardware provisioning, and protected key storage.
  • Differential or delta OTA systems.
  • Binary and JSON serialization formats.
  • Python, Bash, firmware release tooling, cross-compilation, and build automation.
  • MQTT-broker, or fleet-management experience.

Why Join CI Solutions
For more than 30 years, we have built our business by earning the trust of our customers, partners, and employees. We value long-term relationships, we approach our work with integrity and take pride in delivering solutions that customers rely on every day.
We are a small, agile, and fast-paced company that offers employees the opportunity to take ownership, drive improvements, work collaboratively across departments, and make a meaningful impact without layers of bureaucracy.
In this role, you will own the CR-One firmware platform and the decisions you make will directly shape how current and future devices are built, deployed and supported. This role is a strong fit for an engineer who enjoys ambitious embedded work, wants meaningful technical ownership, and is motivated by seeing hardware operate successfully in real customer environments.
* This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship *

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