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Rtos Engineer Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

Embedded Software Engineer

Herndon, VA ยท On-site

$135K - $177K/yr

An aerospace client is seeking a Full Time Embedded Software Engineer to join the team and will be ... Have designed and implemented device drivers and kernel drivers in linux or RTOS Experience with ...

An aerospace client is seeking a Full Time Embedded Software Engineer to join the team and will be ... Experience with Embedded linux, RTOS, and Linux kernel or Petalinux * Support the Space and Ground ...

Interconnection Engineer

Washington, DC ยท On-site

$95K - $130K/yr

The Interconnection Engineer is responsible for managing solar, storage and hybrid projects through ... Lead Generator Interconnection Agreement (GIA) negotiations with utilities and RTOs through ...

Interconnection Engineer

Washington, DC ยท On-site +1

$95K - $130K/yr

The Interconnection Engineer is responsible for managing solar, storage and hybrid projects through ... Lead Generator Interconnection Agreement (GIA) negotiations with utilities and RTOs through ...

Simulation Engineer

Manassas, VA ยท Hybrid

$90K - $110K/yr

Simulation Engineer About Electra At Electra, we're building the EL9 - a nine-passenger, hybrid ... Build and integrate real-time simulation models using RTOS platforms and model-based development ...

CNO NetDev Developer 3

Columbia, MD ยท On-site

$124K - $170K/yr

... engineer for network-based devices on exciting, up-and-coming projects. In this role, you will ... Experience with reverse engineering Windows or embedded platforms (RTOS) * Programming Skills:

CNO NetDev Developer 3

Columbia, MD ยท On-site

$235K/yr

... engineer for network-based devices on exciting, up-and-coming projects. In this role, you will ... Experience with reverse engineering Windows or embedded platforms (RTOS) * Programming Skills:

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Rtos Engineer information

What is an RTOS engineer?

An RTOS (Real-Time Operating System) Engineer is a professional who specializes in designing, developing, and maintaining software for embedded systems that require real-time performance. These engineers work with real-time operating systems to ensure that applications meet strict timing and reliability requirements, often found in industries like automotive, aerospace, telecommunications, and consumer electronics. Their responsibilities typically include configuring RTOS kernels, optimizing hardware-software integration, and troubleshooting time-sensitive software components.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an RTOS engineer?

To thrive as an RTOS Engineer, you need a strong background in embedded systems, C/C++ programming, and a solid understanding of real-time operating system concepts, typically supported by a degree in computer engineering or a related field. Familiarity with RTOS platforms (such as FreeRTOS, VxWorks, or QNX), debugging tools, and hardware interfaces is commonly required. Attention to detail, problem-solving, and effective communication are essential soft skills for successful collaboration and troubleshooting. These skills are crucial for designing reliable, efficient embedded systems that meet precise timing and performance requirements in industries like automotive, aerospace, and IoT.

What are some common challenges RTOS engineers face when integrating real-time operating systems with hardware platforms?

RTOS Engineers often encounter challenges related to timing constraints and resource management when integrating real-time operating systems with hardware. Ensuring that tasks meet strict deadlines, minimizing latency, and managing limited memory or processing power require close collaboration with hardware engineers. Debugging timing-related issues and optimizing software to work efficiently with various microcontrollers or processors are also common. Effective communication with cross-functional teams is essential to resolve hardware-software integration issues and deliver reliable embedded solutions.

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

AspectRtos EngineerEmbedded Software Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's in Electrical, Computer Engineering or related; knowledge of RTOSBachelor's in Electrical, Computer Engineering or related; programming skills
Work EnvironmentEmbedded systems development, real-time applicationsEmbedded systems, firmware, device drivers
Industry UsageAutomotive, aerospace, industrial automationConsumer electronics, medical devices, automotive

Rtos Engineers focus specifically on real-time operating systems, ensuring timely task execution, while Embedded Software Engineers develop broader embedded applications, including device drivers and firmware. Both roles often overlap but differ in scope and specialization.

What job categories do people searching Rtos Engineer jobs in Washington look for?

The top searched job categories for Rtos Engineer jobs in Washington are:

Firmware Emulation Engineer (RTOS/Embedded) APPLIED AI RE RTOS/EMBEDDED QEMU STYX Washington, D[...]

Zealot Labs, Inc.

Washington, DC โ€ข On-site

$100 - $195/hr

Other

Posted yesterday

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Job description

Firmware Emulation Engineer (RTOS/Embedded)

Zealot is deploying AI systems at the center of western cyber operations , backed by tier-1 US VCs and industry leaders. Our team includes alumni of Anthropic, xAI, and Anduril. Soon live with close U.S. allies abroad.

APPLIED AI RE RTOS/EMBEDDED QEMU STYX

Compensation 100K-195K + skin in the game equity

Location Washington, DC On Site

Stage Early-stage startup backed by tier 1 investors. Small, growing team with exceptionally high ownership.

  • + Build the agentic systems that let Zealot automatically understand and emulate non-Linux embedded targets, the weird stuff nobody else touches.
  • + Reverse and rehost firmware from niche, obscure, and unconventional devices: printers, industrial controllers, point-of-sale terminals, calculators, Russian DSPs, smart appliances, and anything else with a chip and a pulse.
  • + Design workflows that can map boot logic, runtime dependencies, and peripheral stubs for proprietary RTOS and bare-metal environments with little or no documentation.
  • + Turn the manual art of cracking open strange devices into scalable, AI-driven capability.
  • + Hands-on reverse engineering experience with non-Linux embedded firmware, VxWorks, ThreadX, FreeRTOS, Nucleus, eCos, QNX, or proprietary/bare-metal environments.
  • + You've popped open devices most people would never think to look at, and you enjoyed it.
  • + Strong understanding of embedded boot flows, memory layouts, and peripheral interfaces across diverse architectures.
  • + Strong C/C++ or Rust skills for low-level systems work.
  • + Ability to work from zero documentation and rapidly build understanding from raw firmware dumps and runtime behavior.
Nice to Have
  • + Experience with QEMU, Unicorn, or custom emulation harnesses for non-Linux targets.
  • + Proficiency with tools such as Ghidra, IDA, Binwalk, GDB, and JTAG/SWD debuggers.
  • + Experience patching firmware and building shims to stub out missing hardware dependencies.
  • + Familiarity with ARM, MIPS, AArch64, PowerPC, Xtensa, RISC-V, or other embedded architectures.
  • + Experience with niche device ecosystems, printers (HP, Lexmark, Brother), POS systems, Russian DSPs, building automation, medical devices, or similar.
  • + Experience building with LLMs and AI agents.
  • + The kind of person who buys random hardware at a thrift store just to take it apart.
  • + Genuinely excited about the weird corners of embedded, the stranger the device, the more interested you are.
  • + Clearly interested in stepping away from purely manual research and moving toward the development of AI systems.
  • + Building something massive matters more to you than comfort, titles, or predictability.
  • + You want to be early at a company that will change an industry, and you're ready to do what that actually takes.

Note to recruiting firms: We want the person who lights up when they encounter a device running a proprietary RTOS nobody has documented. Strong RE fundamentals are the baseline, what sets candidates apart is breadth across weird, non-standard embedded targets and genuine curiosity about niche hardware.

Ready?

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