1

Freelance Embedded Firmware Engineer Jobs in Ohio

$90 - $150/hr

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Embedded Systems, or a related field. * 3+ years of professional embedded firmware development experience in a real-time ...

New

Be Seen First

Embedded Software Engineer/Firmware Engineer with Microcontroller Connectivity Emerging Technology Company Revenue Generating Company with Customers in various industries; Smaller Collaborative Team ...

$74.18 - $97.01/hr

Embedded Firmware Engineer (Medical Devices) (m/f/d) - Nürnberg Requisition ID: 4480 Location: Schwarzenbruck, DE Work regime: Full-Time Kind of contract: Open Ended Contract Mission At IBA ...

New

Senior Firmware Engineer

Oakwood, OH · On-site

$117K - $154K/yr

As a Senior Firmware Engineer, you will help develop and deliver the embedded software that powers next-generation handheld radiation detection and identification systems used in public safety ...

Firmware Engineer

Willoughby, OH · On-site

$80K - $120K/yr

Design and implement embedded firmware for power supply control, monitoring, and communication ... Collaborate with hardware engineers to define microcontroller/processor specifications and ...

$90 - $130/hr

As Firmware Engineer for Dexterous Hand Systems, your mission is to build and own the embedded firmware stack that makes this possible -- from the motor control loops running on Infineon TLE9879 ...

Vertiv's Thermal business unit is seeking an Embedded Product Security Engineer to help protect the security and integrity of our embedded thermal firmware platforms and exposed system interfaces ...

Firmware Engineer

Cleveland, OH · On-site

$113.50 - $170.25/hr

What You'll Be Doing The Firmware Engineer is responsible for the design, development, testing, and ... Design, develop, implement, debug, and maintain embedded firmware for hardware systems and products

What You'll Be Doing The Firmware Engineer is responsible for the design, development, testing, and ... Design, develop, implement, debug, and maintain embedded firmware for hardware systems and products

next page

Showing results 1-20

Freelance Embedded Firmware Engineer information

What does a freelance embedded firmware engineer do?

A Freelance Embedded Firmware Engineer designs, develops, and tests low-level software (firmware) that controls hardware devices. They often work on projects such as microcontroller programming, developing drivers, or integrating sensors and peripherals in embedded systems. As freelancers, they typically work with multiple clients, providing expertise in areas like C/C++ programming, hardware interfacing, and debugging. Their role is crucial in making electronic devices function efficiently and reliably.

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

To thrive as a Freelance Embedded Firmware Engineer, you need strong expertise in C/C++ programming, microcontroller architectures, and embedded systems design, usually supported by a degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or a related field. Familiarity with debugging tools, version control systems (like Git), real-time operating systems (RTOS), and relevant industry certifications such as ARM or IoT certifications is often required. Excellent problem-solving, self-management, and client communication skills are crucial for coordinating projects and delivering solutions independently. These abilities are essential to meet client expectations, deliver robust firmware solutions, and succeed in a highly technical and autonomous work environment.

What are some common challenges faced by freelance embedded firmware engineers when working with remote clients?

Freelance embedded firmware engineers often encounter challenges such as aligning on hardware specifications without physical access, navigating diverse toolchains or development environments, and ensuring clear communication across time zones. Managing expectations and maintaining thorough documentation is key, especially when troubleshooting or delivering updates remotely. Building trust with clients requires proactive status reporting, flexibility in accommodating client workflows, and strong problem-solving skills to address unforeseen hardware or integration issues.

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

AspectFreelance Embedded Firmware EngineerEmbedded Software Developer
CredentialsTypically requires a degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or related fields; certifications like ARM or embedded systems courses are commonSimilar credentials; often holds degrees in computer science or electrical engineering; certifications in embedded systems are beneficial
Work EnvironmentIndependent, project-based work often remote; collaborates with multiple clientsUsually employed by a company; works in office or remote teams
Industry UsageFreelance embedded firmware engineers are hired for specific projects in IoT, consumer electronics, or automotive sectorsEmbedded software developers are employed across industries like aerospace, medical devices, and consumer electronics

In summary, Freelance Embedded Firmware Engineers work independently on specific projects, often remotely, focusing on firmware development for embedded systems. Embedded Software Developers are typically employed by companies, working within teams to develop software for embedded devices across various industries.

Are freelance embedded firmware engineers in demand?

Freelance embedded firmware engineers are in high demand due to the growth of IoT devices, consumer electronics, and industrial automation. Skills in C/C++, real-time operating systems, and experience with hardware integration increase employability, with many opportunities available for remote and contract work across various industries.

How much do freelance embedded firmware engineers make?

Freelance embedded firmware engineers typically earn between $50 and $150 per hour, depending on experience, project complexity, and location. Senior engineers with specialized skills in microcontrollers, real-time operating systems, or hardware integration may command higher rates, especially for long-term or complex projects.

What are the most commonly searched types of Embedded Firmware Engineer jobs in Ohio?

The most popular types of Embedded Firmware Engineer jobs in Ohio are:

What cities in Ohio are hiring for Freelance Embedded Firmware Engineer jobs?

Cities in Ohio with the most Freelance Embedded Firmware Engineer job openings:

Infographic showing various Freelance Embedded Firmware Engineer job openings in Ohio as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution.

Embedded & Firmware Engineer (human)

NEURA Robotics

On-site

$90 - $150/hr

Other

Posted 3 days ago

New


Key responsibilities

  • Develop, port, and maintain board support packages and low-level peripheral drivers for ARM Cortex-M and Cortex-A targets.

  • Architect and implement real-time application layers, including task structures, inter-task communication, and resource management.

  • Integrate sensors and actuators into the firmware stack, implementing filtering, calibration routines, and data timestamping.


Job description

Your mission & challenges

You write the firmware that makes cognitive robots tick — at 1 kHz and beyond.

NEURA's robots run dense, safety-relevant, real-time workloads across a distributed network of microcontrollers and SoCs. Your firmware keeps the system deterministic, observable, and ready for the AI stack above it. You'll work across the embedded stack — from bare-metal drivers and BSP (Board support package) bring-up to RTOS application layers, communication middleware, and OTA infrastructure — collaborating closely with electronics, systems, and AI/software engineers.

  • BSP & driver development: Develop, port, and maintain board support packages and low-level peripheral drivers (GPIO, SPI, I²C, UART, CAN-FD, EtherCAT, USB) for ARM Cortex-M and Cortex-A targets; support hardware bring-up from first power‑on.
  • RTOS application layer: Architect and implement FreeRTOS (or equivalent) task structures, inter-task communication, priority management, and resource allocation for safety-critical real-time applications.
  • Sensor & actuator integration: Integrate IMUs, encoders, tactile sensors, ToF sensors, force/torque sensors, and BLDC motor controllers into the firmware stack; implement filtering, calibration routines, and data timestamping.
  • Communication middleware: Implement and maintain embedded communication stacks — CAN-FD network management, micro‑ROS / DDS‑XRCE bridge, EtherCAT slave stack — ensuring reliable, low-latency data exchange with the main robot controller.
  • Safety & monitoring: Implement hardware watchdogs, software safety monitors, safe-state machines, and power-loss handling; contribute to functional safety analysis (FMEA, safety requirements allocation).
  • OTA & configuration management: Design and maintain firmware update mechanisms (OTA, JTAG/SWD flashing), boot sequence management, non-volatile configuration storage, and firmware versioning aligned with the PLM system.
  • Testing and CI: Write unit and integration tests for firmware modules; support HIL (hardware-in-the-loop) test setups; integrate automated firmware testing into CI/CD pipelines.
  • Documentation and code quality: Maintain clear, peer-reviewed code with proper documentation; participate in firmware architecture reviews and contribute to shared coding standards across the embedded team.
What we can look forward to

Deep embedded expertise with a system-level mindset.

You are an embedded engineer who thinks in terms of determinism, latency, and resource constraints — and who is equally comfortable writing a CAN driver as reviewing a schematic with the hardware team. You understand that firmware quality is invisible when it's good and catastrophic when it's not.

  • Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Embedded Systems, or a related field.
  • 3+ years of professional embedded firmware development experience in a real-time, resource-constrained environment (robotics, industrial automation, medtech, automotive, or similar).
  • Expert-level C/C++ for microcontrollers; strong understanding of memory models, volatile/atomic operations, stack management, and linker scripts.
  • Solid hands-on experience with ThreadX or a comparable RTOS — task creation, synchronization primitives, interrupt handling, and timing analysis.
  • Experience with ARM Cortex-M series (M0/M3/M4/M7/M33) and ideally also Cortex-A targets running embedded Linux or Zephyr.
  • Practical experience with key peripheral interfaces: EtherCAT, SPI, I²C, UART, USB CDC/HID, CAN-FD, or similar; ability to debug protocol issues with logic analyzers and oscilloscopes.
  • Familiarity with micro-ROS or ROS 2 integration (fastDDS) is a significant advantage.
  • Experience with firmware CI/CD, unit testing frameworks (Unity, Ceedling, GoogleTest for embedded), and version control (Git).
  • Ability to read hardware schematics and collaborate effectively with electronics and mechanical engineers at the HW/SW boundary.
  • Good English; German is a practical advantage for day-to-day collaboration.
#J-18808-Ljbffr