Freelance Embedded Systems Engineer Jobs in Columbia, SC

Do you excel at developing robust, secure firmware at the intersection of hardware and low-level software? Are you passionate about architecting the foundational communication and peripheral layers that keep world-class GPUs running efficiently? If so, you’re primed to help develop the core out-of-band and peripheral firmware that powers our next-generation GPU architectures.
We are looking for a distinguished Senior Firmware Engineer to become part of our GPU Firmware Development team. Unlike sustainment or support roles, our team is dedicated to active development and innovation from the ground up. You will be tasked with crafting and deploying key firmware within the GPU OOBHUB (Out-of-Band Hub). This firmware manages peripherals seamlessly, updates securely, and monitors communication telemetry reliably. Join us to work with top experts in building robust, high-performance infrastructure for the future of computing.

• Core Development: Build, architect, develop, and debug critical firmware running in the GPU OOBHUB, prioritizing robust peripheral control and secure communication interfaces.
• Lifecycle & Update Systems: Build and optimize high-reliability firmware update mechanisms and telemetry systems for next-generation GPU subsystems.
• Hardware Interface: Collaborate closely with hardware architects and ASIC designers to initiate new silicon, defining firmware-hardware interfaces and communication protocols.
• High-Integrity Coding: Implement secure, modern firmware solutions, bringing to bear high-reliability languages and principles to ensure system stability.
• Collaborative Innovation: Partner with internal software, hardware, and infrastructure teams to transform brand new architectural features from concepts into production-ready firmware.

• Education: BS or MS degree in EE, CS, CE, or equivalent experience.
• Experience: 5+ years of experience in low-level firmware development, embedded systems, or microcontroller programming.
• Domain Expertise: Strong background in managing peripherals and communication stacks via industry-standard protocols (e.g., SPI, I2C/I3C, PCIe, SMBus, MCTP, PLDM).
• Programming Language: Expert-level C development skills in resource-constrained environments.
• Architecture Familiarity: Experience working with RISC-V or similar embedded processor architectures.
• Engineering Approach: Deep understanding of software development processes, robust debugging methodologies, and a developer-first approach passionate about writing clean, maintainable, and scalable code.
• Collaboration: Excellent interpersonal abilities enabling close work with hardware designers and diverse engineering groups.

• Language Advantage: Hands-on experience or familiarity with the Ada or SPARK programming languages for high-integrity/safety-critical software.
• Deep RISC-V Expertise: Direct experience with RISC-V assembly, custom extensions, or low-level architectural optimizations.
• Security Focus: Knowledge of building secure firmware updates, hardware roots of trust (RoT), or handling cryptographic hardware accelerators.

Widely considered to be one of the technology world’s most desirable employers, NVIDIA offers highly competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package. As you plan your future, see what we can offer to you and your family www.nvidiabenefits.com/
Your base salary will be determined based on your location, experience, and the pay of employees in similar positions. The base salary range is 152,000 USD - 241,500 USD.
You will also be eligible for equity and benefits.
Applications for this job will be accepted at least until May 26, 2026.
This posting is for an existing vacancy.
NVIDIA uses AI tools in its recruiting processes.
NVIDIA is committed to fostering a diverse work environment and proud to be an equal opportunity employer. As we highly value diversity in our current and future employees, we do not discriminate (including in our hiring and promotion practices) on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status or any other characteristic protected by law.