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Embedded Software Engineer Jobs in Pennsylvania (NOW HIRING)

If you are a software engineer and love the idea of working on embedded AI hardware and software compute systems to create the next generation of autonomous vehicles, we would love to talk with you.

Senior Embedded Software Engineer

Pittsburgh, PA · On-site +1

$149K - $198K/yr

If you are a software engineer and love the idea of working on embedded AI hardware and software compute systems to create the next generation of autonomous vehicles, we would love to talk with you.

Embedded Software Engineer

Audubon, PA

$132K - $174K/yr

Collaborate with a team of electrical, mechanical, and software engineers to integrate system software into market-ready medical device products * Evaluate real-world system performance with hands-on ...

Embedded Software Engineer

Audubon, PA · On-site

$132K - $174K/yr

Collaborate with a team of electrical, mechanical, and software engineers to integrate system software into market-ready medical device products * Evaluate real-world system performance with hands-on ...

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Showing results 1-20

Embedded Software Engineer information

See Pennsylvania salary details

$70.2K

$153.8K

$174.4K

How much do embedded software engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 17, 2026, the average yearly pay for embedded software engineer in Pennsylvania is $153,752.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $131,800.00 and $173,400.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Embedded Software Engineer vs Firmware Engineer?

AspectEmbedded Software EngineerFirmware Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related fields; often requires knowledge of C/C++Similar credentials; strong C/C++ skills, understanding of hardware
Work EnvironmentDevelops software for embedded systems in various industries like automotive, IoT, consumer electronicsFocuses on low-level hardware interaction, often working closely with hardware teams
Industry UsageCommon in automotive, medical devices, consumer electronics, industrial automationPrimarily in consumer electronics, IoT devices, and hardware startups

Embedded Software Engineers design and develop software for embedded systems, focusing on system-level programming. Firmware Engineers write low-level code that directly interacts with hardware components. While both roles require similar skills and work environments, Embedded Software Engineers often work on a broader range of software, whereas Firmware Engineers focus on hardware-specific code. Understanding these differences helps in choosing the right career path or job search focus.

What Is an Embedded Software Engineer?

Embedded software is installed on devices that operate like personal computers. Examples of embedded software can be found in geographic positioning systems, or GPS devices, smart watches, and calculators. Embedded software engineers perform a range of embedded software engineering functions, including running system software updates and designing software for embedded systems. Embedded software engineers also advise on product development, approve new product designs, and optimize the product lifecycle.

Will AI replace embedded system engineers?

Embedded software engineers design and develop software for embedded systems, and while AI tools can assist with coding and testing, they are unlikely to fully replace the need for human expertise in understanding hardware constraints, system integration, and troubleshooting. AI can enhance productivity but requires skilled engineers to oversee, interpret, and implement solutions effectively.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Embedded Software Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Embedded Software Engineer, you need a solid background in computer science or electrical engineering, strong programming skills in C/C++, and experience with embedded systems design. Familiarity with real-time operating systems (RTOS), microcontroller architectures, debugging tools, and version control systems like Git is typically required. Excellent problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and effective communication skills set top engineers apart. These competencies are crucial for building reliable, efficient, and safe embedded solutions that meet industry standards.

What are Embedded Software Engineers?

Embedded Software Engineers are professionals who design, develop, and maintain software that runs on embedded systems—specialized computing devices that are part of larger systems, such as cars, medical devices, industrial machines, and consumer electronics. Their work involves programming in languages like C or C++ to interact closely with hardware components, ensuring optimal performance, reliability, and safety. Embedded Software Engineers work closely with hardware engineers to integrate and test software with physical devices, often working within real-time and resource-constrained environments. Their expertise is crucial in developing the 'brains' of many devices we use every day.

What do embedded software engineers do?

Embedded software engineers develop, test, and maintain software that runs on hardware devices such as microcontrollers, sensors, and embedded systems. They write code primarily in C or C++, often using specialized tools and real-time operating systems to ensure efficient and reliable device performance.

How does an Embedded Software Engineer typically collaborate with hardware engineers during product development?

Embedded Software Engineers work closely with hardware engineers throughout the product development lifecycle. Collaboration often involves joint design reviews, debugging sessions, and integration testing to ensure software and hardware function seamlessly together. Effective communication is crucial, as changes in hardware can impact software functionality and vice versa. This cross-disciplinary teamwork helps resolve technical issues quickly and ensures the end product meets performance and reliability standards.

What engineer makes $500,000 a year?

Highly experienced senior engineers in specialized fields such as software, aerospace, or petroleum engineering can earn $500,000 or more annually, often through a combination of base salary, bonuses, and stock options. These roles typically require advanced skills, certifications, and extensive industry experience.

Can I make 200k a year as a software engineer?

Embedded Software Engineers can potentially earn $200,000 or more annually, especially with extensive experience, specialized skills in areas like real-time systems or safety-critical applications, and working in high-paying industries such as aerospace or automotive. Achieving this salary often requires advanced certifications, a strong track record, and positions in regions with higher compensation levels. Entry-level or general roles typically offer lower salaries, but senior engineers with expertise in embedded systems can reach or exceed this income level.
What are the most commonly searched types of Embedded Software Engineer jobs in Pennsylvania? The most popular types of Embedded Software Engineer jobs in Pennsylvania are:
What job categories do people searching Embedded Software Engineer jobs in Pennsylvania look for? The top searched job categories for Embedded Software Engineer jobs in Pennsylvania are:
What cities in Pennsylvania are hiring for Embedded Software Engineer jobs? Cities in Pennsylvania with the most Embedded Software Engineer job openings:
Infographic showing various Embedded Software Engineer job openings in Pennsylvania as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 77% Full Time, and 23% Contract. Highlights an 91% In-person, and 9% Hybrid job distribution, with an average salary of $153,752 per year, or $73.9 per hour.
Principal Embedded Software Engineer

Principal Embedded Software Engineer

Motional

Pittsburgh, PA • On-site

$200K - $275K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement

Posted 18 days ago


Job description

Mission Summary:
Motional's onboard autonomous driving system team works at the intersection of software engineering, machine learning, sensors, and hardware compute platforms to evolve Motional's next-generation on-board autonomous driving system. As part of this team, the High Performance Compute Platform team is responsible for Motional's current and next-generation onboard autonomous driving system. If you are a software engineer and love the idea of working on embedded AI hardware and software compute systems to create the next generation of autonomous vehicles, we would love to talk with you. We are hiring in a range of levels, from graduate engineers to Staff engineers.
What You'll Be Doing:
  • Design and develop infrastructure software on various hardware platforms for applications such as vision processing, radar systems, safety monitoring, etc., to be run on self-driving vehicles.
  • Design test harnesses for embedded software components and full systems
  • Provide technical mentorship to engineers.
  • Proactively work with cross-functional engineering teams to solve complex and interesting problems.
  • Own and drive multi-quarter technical roadmaps for select areas.

What We're Looking For:
  • Experience with creating detailed requirements from use cases.
  • Ability to lead a technical initiative, including breaking down work and guiding other engineers through execution.
  • Experience writing software for embedded platforms in C and C++.
  • Experience with Test-Driven Development (TDD).
  • Experience working on embedded Linux / RTOSs.
  • Experience working with networks (Ethernet, CAN etc.) and the common networking protocols.
  • Experience with debugging on embedded platforms.
  • Experience writing software in Python and experience doing automation with shell scripting.
  • Experience working with ARM Cortex MCUs or Microprocessors.

Bonus Points (not required):
  • Experience with the NVIDIA Drive AGX platform and DriveOS ecosystem.
  • Experience working with large data pipelines, and platforms that require deterministic execution.
  • Experience using inter-system communication protocols such as I2C and SPI
  • Experience deploying Machine Learning models.
  • Experience working with GPUs.
  • Experience working directly with the Linux kernel or Device Drivers.
  • Experience with Simulation and Code Generation, and knowing when their use is appropriate.
  • Experience working with Bazel.
  • Experience integrating various sensors, including Cameras, IMUs, Radars, LIDARs.
  • Experience with PyTorch, TensorFlow, ONNX, and/or other ML frameworks.

This role is hybrid from our Pittsburgh office. It requires in-office days each week to support collaboration.
The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors including but not limited to specific skills, experience and expertise, role location, certifications, licenses, and business needs. The estimated compensation range listed in this job posting reflects base salary only. This role may include additional forms of compensation such as a bonus or company equity. The recruiter assigned to this role can share more information about the specific compensation and benefit details associated with this role during the hiring process.
Candidates for certain positions are eligible to participate in Motional's benefits program. Motional's benefits include but are not limited to medical, dental, vision, 401k with a company match, health saving accounts, life insurance, pet insurance, and more.
Salary Range
$200,000-$275,000 USD
Motional is a driverless technology company making autonomous vehicles a safe, reliable, and accessible reality. We're driven by something more.
Our journey is always people first.
We aren't just developing driverless cars; we're creating safer roadways, more equitable transportation options, and making our communities better places to live, work, and connect. Our team is made up of engineers, researchers, innovators, dreamers and doers, who are creating a technology with the potential to transform the way we move.
Higher purpose, greater impact.
We're creating first-of-its-kind technology that will transform transportation. To do so successfully, we must design for everyone in our cities and on our roads. We believe in building a great place to work through a progressive, global culture that is diverse, inclusive, and ensures people feel valued at every level of the organization. Diversity helps us to see the world differently; it's not only good for our business, it's the right thing to do.
Scale up, not starting up.
Our team is behind some of the industry's largest leaps forward, including the first fully-autonomous cross-country drive in the U.S, the launch of the world's first robotaxi pilot, and operation of the world's longest-standing public robotaxi fleet. We're driven to scale; we're moving towards commercialization of our technology, and we need team members who are ready to embrace change and challenges.
Formed as a joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and Aptiv, Motional is fundamentally changing how people move through their lives. Headquartered in Boston, Motional has operations in the U.S and Asia. For more information, visit www.Motional.com and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.
Motional AD Inc. is an EOE. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. To comply with Federal Law, we participate in E-Verify. All newly-hired employees are queried through this electronic system established by the DHS and the SSA to verify their identity and employment eligibility.