Independent Contractor Embedded Software Engineer Jobs in Minnesota

*** apply directly at https://www.nextgenrf.com/about/careers/

NextGen RF Design is seeking a Senior Embedded Software Engineer with 7+ years of experience
developing embedded C software for real-time, hardware-centric systems. This role is for a hands-on
technical expert who designs, implements, debugs, and maintains low-level firmware across
microcontrollers, SoCs, and embedded Linux platforms.

You will play a critical role in architecting and delivering robust, production-ready embedded software,
working closely with hardware, FPGA, DSP, and systems engineers. While mentorship and technical
leadership are expected, this is not a people-management role, it is focused on deep technical
contribution and ownership. This role requires strong hands-on experience debugging complex
embedded systems running both RTOS and Embedded Linux in production environments.

Key Responsibilities

 Embedded Software Development
o Design, develop, and maintain embedded C/C++ firmware for microcontroller- and SoC-
based systems.
o Implement real-time software using RTOS environments (e.g., FreeRTOS, or similar).
o Develop and maintain low-level drivers, BSPs, bootloaders, and hardware abstraction
layers.
o Write efficient, deterministic, and maintainable code for interrupt-driven and time-critical
systems.
o Embedded Linux is used where appropriate and complements MCU/RTOS-based
systems.
 - Kernel configuration and debugging
 - Device drivers
 - User-space applications and services
o Lead design reviews; establish coding, documentation, and verification standards; drive
technical best practices across projects.

 Systems Architecture & Integration
o Collaborate with hardware, FPGA, and DSP engineers to define hardware/software
partitioning.
o Translate system requirements into clear, testable software designs and interfaces.
o Participate in design reviews, ensuring software architectures are scalable, testable,
and production-ready.
o Support integration of embedded software into complete RF and embedded systems.

 Debugging & Bring-Up
o Lead board bring-up and system-level debugging on new hardware.
o Diagnose and resolve complex issues involving:
  - Memory corruption, stack overflows, race conditions
  - Timing issues, watchdog resets, and hard faults
  - Kernel panics and low-level Linux issues
o Use tools such as JTAG/SWD debuggers, logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, and trace
tools.

o Debug across hardware, firmware, and OS boundaries.

 Customer & Business Alignment
o Work directly with customers to capture requirements, translate into system-level
specifications, and communicate design tradeoffs.
o Represent the company at customer design reviews, technical working groups, or
industry events as needed.

 Verification, Quality Production Support
o Develop and execute unit, integration, and system-level test strategies.
o Ensure software meets performance, reliability, and maintainability requirements.
o Support manufacturing test, field issues, and long-term product sustainment.
o Contribute to coding standards, documentation, and software best practices.
o Support requirements traceability, documentation, and formal verification activities
consistent with structured product development and quality system standards.

 Technical Leadership & Mentorship
o Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior and mid-level engineers.
o Lead by example through code quality, design rigor, and problem-solving approach.
o Influence engineering best practices without formal management responsibility.

JOB REQUIREMENTS
* BS in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.
* 10+ years of professional experience in embedded software development.
* Solid background in embedded Linux, including kernel-level debugging.
* Proven experience with:
  o Interrupts, DMA, memory-mapped I/O
  o Multithreading, synchronization, and real-time constraints
  o Device driver development
* Deep debugging skills using both software and hardware tools.
* Expert-level skills in:
  o C/C++ for embedded systems (bare metal and RTOS).
  o Git-based version control and CI/CD workflows.
* Basic understanding of RF communications protocols (e.g., LoRa, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, LTE/5G,
proprietary modulations).
* Ability to manage tasks using Atlassian JIRA or other software tracking tools.
* Demonstrated experience leading engineering teams or mentoring junior engineers.
* Strong written and verbal communication skills, with ability to explain technical tradeoffs to
both engineers and executives.
* Experience with ISO 9001 or other regulated development environments preferred.

End-to-end ownership: define requirements, document designs, develop and verify firmware;
proficient with interrupt-driven, real-time systems and device drivers.
* Evaluate and partition functions across CPU, FPGA, and peripherals, making clear cost,
performance, and schedule tradeoffs.

JOB SNAPSHOT
Base Pay: Competitive; commensurate with experience
Employment: Full-Time, OnSite/Hybrid
Job Type: Engineering, Embedded Design
Education: BSCE/BSEE required.
Experience: 7 years experience preferred
Manages Others: No
Industry: RF Engineering Services
Required Travel: Not Specified