Member of Technical Staff: Firmware, Embedded, and Functional Safety

About the Role

We are seeking an Embedded Software Engineer to develop the low-level software that powers our robotic systems. In this highly hands-on role, you will design, implement, debug, and optimize real-time embedded software for custom and COTS actuators, sensors, communication interfaces, and safety-critical subsystems. You will collaborate closely with electrical, mechanical, controls, and software teams to bring up new hardware, integrate embedded capabilities into the broader robot stack, and mature prototypes into reliable production systems.

Responsibilities

• Implement and maintain C/C++ embedded software and firmware for motor controllers, sensors, power management systems, and other robotic subsystems.
• Bring up new boards, write and test device drivers, validate peripherals, and debug hardware/software issues using lab equipment.
• Develop bare-metal and RTOS-based software for control loops, safety monitoring, timing-sensitive communication, and resource-constrained hardware.
• Implement and validate interfaces such as EtherCAT, Ethernet, CAN/CAN-FD, RS-485, SPI, I2C, and UART.
• Build diagnostics, logging, test utilities, and automated workflows that improve firmware reliability, observability, and development speed.
• Partner with electrical, mechanical, controls, and software engineers to define interfaces, troubleshoot system issues, and integrate new robotic capabilities.
• Contribute to design tradeoffs, code reviews, planning, and mentoring while remaining hands-on in implementation and debugging.

Requirements

• 3+ years of professional embedded software experience, including shipping robust robotics-related products.
• Strong C/C++ skills for bare-metal and RTOS-based embedded systems.
• Deep understanding of microcontrollers, onboard computers, sensors, cameras, actuators, motor controllers, and fieldbus communication.
• Experience with board bring-up, device drivers, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, debuggers, and hardware/software integration.
• Experience with control loops, timing-sensitive communication, fault handling, and safety monitoring.
• Ability to work effectively across hardware, controls, and software teams in a fast-moving engineering environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience with robotic systems, preferably humanoid robots, manipulation robots, mobile robots, or other complex mechatronic systems.
• Experience with designing and delivering software for functional safety.
• Familiarity with industrial safety standards such as IEC 61508.
• Experience with EtherCAT, Ethernet, CAN/CAN-FD, RS-485, or other industrial/robotics communication protocols.
• Experience with motor control, power systems, sensor integration, safety systems, or distributed embedded systems.
• Experience with firmware test infrastructure, CI/CD, diagnostics, logging, OTA updates, or production validation workflows.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and annual cash bonus.
• Company equity.
• Company-subsidized insurance programs.
• 401(k) with company match.
• Flexible PTO.
• Daily lunch.