Lead Embedded Systems Software Engineer

About the role

E-Space is bridging Earth and space to enable hyper-scaled deployments of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions and services. We are building a highly-advanced low Earth orbit (LEO) space system that will fundamentally change the design, economics, manufacturing, and service delivery associated with traditional satellite and terrestrial IoT systems. We’re looking for a Lead Embedded Software Engineer to own the full path from product requirements to working, tested firmware in a player-coach role—writing code daily while guiding a team of embedded engineers.

Responsibilities

• Architecture and Technical Leadership
  • Translate product requirements into clear system-level software architecture.
  • Define software interfaces, data flows, and module boundaries across the stack.
  • Make and own key technical decisions; document them clearly for the team.
  • Identify risks early and drive solutions before they become blockers.
  • Own firmware delivery from product requirements through production release, ensuring quality, schedule, and cross-functional alignment.
• Hands-on Development
  • Write, review, and maintain production firmware in C/C++ (and Rust where applicable).
  • Develop drivers, middleware, and application logic for sensor-rich embedded platforms.
  • Work with Zephyr RTOS across multiple MCU families (STM32, Nordic nRF, ESP32).
  • Debug firmware using JTAG, SWD, logic analyzers, and oscilloscopes.
  • Integrate and validate sensors including IMUs, accelerometers, and gyroscopes.
  • Implement and optimize networking stacks—BLE, Thread, and Wi-Fi.
  • Design and maintain backend communication protocols for edge-to-cloud data transfer.
• Test and Quality
  • Write automated unit and integration tests before or alongside feature code.
  • Build and maintain HIL (hardware-in-loop) & SIL (software-in-loop) frameworks.
  • Set team standards for test coverage, static analysis, and CI/CD pipelines.
  • Perform code reviews with a focus on correctness, safety, and long-term maintainability.
• Team Leadership
  • Lead a small team of embedded engineers: set clear goals, mitigate risks, and mentor through design reviews, pair programming, and direct feedback.
  • Collaborate with hardware, systems, and product teams to align on requirements.
  • Contribute to hiring—interview candidates and help define the team's technical bar.

Requirements

• Required
  • 5+ years of embedded software development experience in production systems.
  • Strong C/C++ skills in resource-constrained environments (bare-metal and RTOS).
  • Hands-on experience with Zephyr RTOS, including West build system and CMake.
  • Deep knowledge of at least one MCU family: STM32, Nordic nRF, or ESP32.
  • Experience integrating and characterizing inertial sensors (IMU, accelerometer, etc.).
  • Solid understanding of wireless protocols—BLE, Thread, & WiFi—including their stacks.
  • Experience designing and implementing backend communications (MQTT, CoAP, HTTP/REST, or similar).
  • Strong skills in writing automated tests for embedded code: unit tests, mocking, HIL/SIL.
  • Proficiency with hardware debug tooling: JTAG, SWD, logic analyzers, and oscilloscopes.
  • Solid Git workflows: branching strategy, code review process, and CI/CD integration.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead a technical team while remaining a hands-on contributor.
  • Clear communicator; able to explain complex technical decisions to stakeholders.
• Nice to Have
  • Experience with Rust in embedded contexts.
  • Familiarity with TinyML or edge ML frameworks (TFLite Micro, Edge Impulse, ONNX Runtime).
  • Background in aerospace, satellite, or other safety-critical systems.
  • Experience with model optimization techniques such as quantization and pruning.
  • Contributions to open-source embedded or RTOS projects.

Pay

$150,000 - $225,000 a year

Schedule

Full time, exempt position. On-site at our Saratoga office.

Benefits

• Competitive salaries
• Health and wellness care options
• Financial solutions for the future
• Optional legal services (US only)
• Paid holidays
• Paid time off
• Continuous learning and development

How We Work

• On-site, collaborative environment—presence matters as we build physical hardware.
• Small teams with high autonomy; you own your area end-to-end.
• Fast iteration cycles: prototype, test, and revise quickly.
• Direct feedback culture: candor and respect in equal measure.

First 90 Days & Six Month Goals

• First 90 Days
  • Map the current embedded software architecture.
  • Identify the highest-priority gaps.
  • Ship at least one meaningful feature end-to-end.
• Six Months
  • Establish a team testing standard.
  • Introduce measurable improvements to firmware reliability.
  • Build strong working relationships with hardware and systems engineering.