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Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Sophia Space

Embedded Firmware Engineer

Pasadena, CA · On-site

$112K - $153K/yr

Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer (Avionics / Platform Interface) Level: Engineer IV Location: In Person We are seeking a Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer to develop and integrate flight-critical ...

Eaton

Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer

Raleigh, NC · On-site

$94K - $138K/yr

Eaton's Electrical Critical Power Solutions Division is currently seeking a Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer to join our team in Raleigh, NC. Relocation benefits are available within the United ...

Brelle

Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer

Los Alamitos, CA · On-site

$165K - $225K/yr

About the Role As a Senior Firmware / Software Engineer, you will be a core technical owner of Brelle's embedded platform, building the software foundation that powers a vehicle embedded architecture ...

Locus Robotics

Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer

Nashua, NH · Hybrid

$140K - $185K/yr

We are seeking a Senior Embedded Software Engineer for its Advanced Products Group (APG). APG is a ... firmware for robotics research applications. This hybrid role is based in our Nashua, NH office ...

Simbex

Embedded Firmware Engineer

Lebanon, NH · On-site

$115K - $158K/yr

Simbex is seeking an Embedded Firmware Engineer to develop production firmware for next-generation IoT wearable devices. In this role, you will build embedded software for low-power connected systems ...

Simbex

Embedded Firmware Engineer

Lebanon, NH · On-site

$120K - $140K/yr

Simbex is seeking an Embedded Firmware Engineer to develop production firmware for next-generation IoT wearable devices. In this role, you will build embedded software for low-power connected systems ...

Simbex

Embedded Firmware Engineer

Lebanon, NH · On-site

Salary: $120,000 to $140,000 Simbex is seeking an Embedded Firmware Engineer to develop production firmware for next-generation IoT wearable devices. In this role, you will build embedded software ...

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Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer information

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$81K

$140.3K

$197K

How much do senior embedded firmware engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 11, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior embedded firmware engineer in the United States is $140,327.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $119,500.00 and $158,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer, and why are they important?

A Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer needs deep expertise in embedded systems design, C/C++ programming, microcontroller architectures, and typically a bachelor’s or master’s degree in electrical engineering or computer science. Familiarity with tools such as JTAG debuggers, oscilloscopes, version control systems (like Git), and real-time operating systems (RTOS) is crucial, along with experience in using relevant IDEs and communication protocols (e.g., SPI, I2C, UART). Strong problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, leadership, and clear technical communication help these engineers excel in cross-functional teams and complex projects. These competencies ensure reliable, efficient firmware development and successful product delivery in highly technical environments.

What is the difference between Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer vs Embedded Software Engineer?

AspectSenior Embedded Firmware EngineerEmbedded Software Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's or higher in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science; experience in firmware developmentBachelor's or higher in Computer Science or related field; programming skills in embedded systems
Work EnvironmentDesigning, developing, and testing firmware for embedded devicesDeveloping software for embedded systems, often in a team environment
Industry UsageElectronics, IoT, automotive, consumer devicesConsumer electronics, industrial automation, IoT

The main difference is that a Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer typically has more experience, takes on complex firmware projects, and may lead development efforts, whereas an Embedded Software Engineer focuses on developing embedded software, often at an entry to mid-level experience. Both roles require strong programming skills and knowledge of embedded systems, but the senior role emphasizes leadership and advanced technical expertise.

What are some typical challenges a Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer might face when working on cross-functional teams?

Senior Embedded Firmware Engineers often collaborate with hardware designers, software developers, and systems engineers to deliver integrated products. A common challenge is ensuring seamless communication between hardware and firmware, as design changes in one can significantly impact the other. Additionally, balancing project deadlines with the need for thorough testing and debugging of low-level code can be demanding. Successful engineers proactively coordinate with team members, participate in design reviews, and advocate for clear documentation to minimize miscommunication and ensure project alignment.

What does a Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer do?

A Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer designs, develops, and maintains low-level software (firmware) that runs on hardware devices such as microcontrollers and embedded systems. They are responsible for writing code that interfaces directly with electronic hardware, optimizing system performance, and ensuring reliability and security. In addition to technical development, they often lead projects, mentor junior engineers, and collaborate with hardware and software teams to deliver integrated products.
What cities are hiring for Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer jobs? Cities with the most Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Embedded Firmware Engineer jobs? The most popular types of Embedded Firmware Engineer jobs are:
What states have the most Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer jobs? States with the most job openings for Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer jobs include:
Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 92% Full Time, 5% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 85% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $140,327 per year, or $67.5 per hour.

Embedded Firmware Engineer

Sophia Space

Pasadena, CA • On-site

$112K - $153K/yr

Full-time

Posted 24 days ago

Job description

Sophia Space is a venture-backed deep technology company building high-performance, energy-efficient computing systems designed to operate in orbit. Our work sits at the intersection of aerospace systems, advanced computing, and applied physics, supporting early customers and partners across defense, intelligence, and commercial space markets.
We are currently at the Seed stage, scaling our engineering organization and lab infrastructure as we move from technical validation into early commercial deployments. The company is headquartered in California, with primary engineering and lab operations based in Southern California. Over the coming year, Sophia will continue expanding its team, maturing internal systems, and relocating to a new lab facility during the summer.
Team: Tile Development Team
Hiring Authority: VP of Engineering
Role / Title: Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer (Avionics / Platform Interface)
Level: Engineer IV
Location: In Person
Job Description
We are seeking a Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer to develop and integrate flight-critical embedded software for Sophia Space's avionics systems and Tile platform. This role requires deep hands-on experience with hardware bring-up, low-level firmware development, and close collaboration across avionics hardware, systems, and software teams.
This is a highly technical, execution-driven role in a fast-moving startup environment. You will be responsible for bringing new avionics hardware boards from first power-on through stable, flight-ready operation, while ensuring firmware interfaces and drivers integrate cleanly with Jetson-based compute nodes and higher-level platform software. The ideal candidate has extensive hands-on experience writing bootloaders, BSPs, and HALs; reading schematics; probing signals on the bench; and designing resilient embedded software that operates autonomously in constrained, mission-critical environments
Location & Eligibility
This position is primarily in-person in Pasadena, California, with occasional hybrid flexibility based on business needs.
U.S. Person status is required due to expected relevance of ITAR/EAR export-control regulations. U.S. Persons generally include U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and certain protected individuals as defined by applicable regulations.
Primary Responsibilities
  • Design and implement bootloaders, BSPs, HALs, and low-level device drivers tightly coupled to custom avionics hardware.
  • Bring up new ARM-based flight boards from first power-on through stable firmware operation, working directly from schematics and hardware documentation
  • Build firmware using bare-metal and/or RTOS architectures with deterministic timing and fault tolerance.
  • Develop low-level flight firmware as part of system fault tolerance to, including command and telemetry handling, health monitoring, FDIR, safe-mode behavior, and autonomous recovery.
  • Customize and integrate Jetson Linux platforms, including boot chain, device tree, kernel bring-up, and MCU to Jetson interfaces.
  • Debug and resolve hardware-software integration issues, collaborating closely with avionics and systems engineers through test and flight readiness.
  • Implement and validate power sequencing, reset handling, watchdogs, interrupt
  • handling, DMA, and linker configurations.
  • Customize and integrate Jetson Linux platforms, including boot chain configuration, device tree updates, kernel bring-up, and MCU-to-Jetson interfaces.
  • Debug and resolve hardware-software integration issues using JTAG/SWD, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and other bench tools.
  • Collaborate closely with avionics hardware, systems, and mission teams through integration testing, protoflight activities, and flight readiness reviews.
  • Develop and maintain MCU-side firmware supporting power, thermal, communications, and telemetry functions.
  • Support and evolve redundant communication paths (e.g., dual CAN) for coordination, monitoring, and fault tolerance. Define, document, and maintain stable firmware interfaces consumed by higher-level platform software.
  • Partner with software engineers to ensure firmware behavior aligns with system-level requirements and operational constraints.
  • Contribute to embedded build automation, reproducibility, and test infrastructure where appropriate.

Required Skills
  • 7+ years of hands-on embedded firmware development experience in the aerospace, robotics, automotive, or other safety- or mission-critical systems environments.
  • Expert-level proficiency in C/C++ for embedded systems.
  • Strong experience with ARM Cortex-M (M4/M5/M7 or similar) architectures.
  • Proven experience developing bootloaders, BSPs, HALs, and hardware-facing device drivers.
  • Demonstrated ability to bring up new hardware from schematics to working firmware.
  • Strong understanding of power sequencing, resets, watchdogs, interrupts, DMA, and linker scripts.
  • Hands-on debugging experience with JTAG/SWD, oscilloscopes, and logic analyzers.
  • Experience working with embedded Linux systems (Jetson or similar platforms)
  • Ability to operate independently and take full ownership in a startup environment

Desired Skills
  • Familiarity with flight software architectures and fault detection, isolation, and recovery (FDIR) concepts.
  • Experience with RTOS environments such as FreeRTOS, RTEMS, RTLinux, or Embassy
  • Experience with radiation-tolerant or space-grade MCUs
  • Familiarity with embedded communication protocols such as CAN, RS485, SPI, I2C, UART, SpaceWire, or CCSDS telemetry systems
  • Experience with secure boot, image signing, and in-field firmware update strategies
  • Experience to CI/CD pipeline or automated build environments for embedded systems
  • Experience with supporting protoflight or flight hardware and design reviews

Apply