Entry Level Associate Software Engineer Jobs in Durham, NC

Relay is the Intelligent System of Action for the physical economy. While the digital revolution has historically left the deskless workforce behind, we are closing that gap by transforming analog frontline operations into a data-rich, AI-powered ecosystem. We aren't just selling radios; we are building the digital foundation for the 80% of the global workforce that doesn't work at a desk.

Relay was recently ranked #175 on the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 and #920 on the Inc. 5000.

We're looking for an Associate Software Engineer to join our Embedded Development team. This is a small, high-performance team within a fast-growing organization where you'll have real ownership and responsibility from day one. You'll ramp up quickly, work across a broad and interesting tech stack, and have a direct impact on hundreds of thousands of physical devices in the hands of frontline workers.

Our technology spans cellular communication, embedded systems, voice processing, Linux, AOSP, app development, and AI — giving you broad exposure that's rare at the associate level. This is a great opportunity for someone early in their career who's genuinely excited about how hardware and software come together, and who wants to solve real problems for real people.

What You'll Do:

• Collaborate closely with device, QA, platform suppliers, external companies, and third-party contractors to identify and resolve hardware and software issues.
• Build and maintain tooling to isolate and reproduce common application issues, accelerating debugging across internal and external teams.
• Work with a team to bring up new embedded products.
• Improve the efficiency of test and development processes across the organization.
• Write and execute black-box tests against both hardware and software systems.
• Work across a wide range of technologies and programming languages as the product evolves.

What You'll Have:

• B.S. in Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, or a related field.
• Familiarity with Linux and embedded systems environments.
• A self-starter mindset with a genuine curiosity about how hardware and software systems work — and fail.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage your own workload with minimal oversight.
• Clear, effective communication skills — including the ability to translate complex technical concepts for non-technical stakeholders — and a collaborative approach to working across teams.

Nice To Have:

• Experience with Android development or familiarity with AOSP.
• Exposure to cellular technologies or mobile network protocols.
• Familiarity with scripting languages (Python, Bash, or similar) for test automation.
• Experience writing or executing test cases for embedded or hardware systems.
• Prior work with any version control or CI/CD tools (Git, Jenkins, etc.).

About us: Relay culture, benefits & perks:

Our culture hinges on Relayers getting LIT up in an environment that fosters learning, impact, and teamwork (LIT) where we can CHASE the best work in our lives. We call this BWIML (pronounced bee wimmel = Best Work In My Life)!

It's truly amazing what engaged team members can achieve together. Our ever-evolving list of benefits and perks means you'll be able to integrate work into your whole life, focus on health, perform impactful work, grow and learn in your role, look after yourself/your family, and invest in your future.

At Relay, we offer:

• 100% Paid Insurance Health, Dental, Vision, Long/Short Term Disability, and Life Insurance benefits for you and those who depend on you
• Generous Paid Time Off
• 401(K) Savings Plan + Company Match
• Baby Cash Reward + Paid Parental Leave
• Wellness Perks, including a world-class onsite fitness center with instructor-led classes + locker room, as well as endless outdoor amenities, whether tennis, basketball, cycling, or pickleball is your jam
• Free Snacks and Fun Times
• Latest tech, standing desks, and all the accessories and software you need to succeed in your role

The Relay Hybrid Work Model:

At Relay, relationships are at the core of everything we do - and this translates to how we approach our customers and our work internally. Our relational approach is also at the heart of why we ask all Relayers in our hybrid model to work from the office a minimum of 3 days per week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. If you are a leader at Relay, we ask that you are available to your teams and onsite fully in the office.