Senior Firmware Engineering Manager

About the role

Schneider Electric is seeking a strategic Senior Firmware Engineering Manager to lead the embedded firmware development for our next-generation products based out of Raleigh, North Carolina (relocation assistance available). You will drive technical excellence in firmware development while ensuring strong collaboration with electronics, systems engineering, test/validation, mechanical, and other functions to achieve seamless project execution and high-quality product delivery. This role supports Schneider Electric’s digital transformation through the EcoStruxure platform and aligns with North American market needs for safety, efficiency, and sustainability in data centers, industrial, commercial, and residential applications.

Leadership & Team Management

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of firmware and embedded software engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence, innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Conduct performance reviews, talent development, succession planning, and resource allocation to build and maintain a high-performing firmware team.
• Manage firmware-related budgets, development tools, test equipment, and licensing needs.

Firmware Development & Technical Strategy

• Own the embedded firmware development lifecycle for our Power Products portfolio—from requirements definition and architecture through design, implementation, code reviews, integration, testing, and maintenance.
• Define and execute the firmware technology roadmap including embedded architectures, software/firmware stack modernization, and edge AI/ML.
• Drive Agile or Stage-Gate processes for firmware deliverables, ensuring they meet cost, performance, reliability, safety, cybersecurity, and time-to-market targets.
• Lead firmware design reviews, technical risk assessments, code quality audits, and failure mode analysis specific to embedded systems.
• Coach and mentor a team to adopt AI development practices to improve quality and efficiency.
• Identify and incorporate emerging firmware technologies to enhance product differentiation and digital connectivity.

Collaboration & Project Execution

• Ensure strong, proactive collaboration with hardware engineering, systems engineering, test/validation, mechanical, and compliance teams to deliver fully integrated final distribution solutions.
• Work closely with cross-functional stakeholders (product management, manufacturing, quality, regulatory, supply chain, and marketing) to resolve firmware-related issues and support end-to-end product launches.
• Contribute to obsolescence management, component selection, and long-term support strategies for both new and products in the installed base.

Compliance, Quality & Sustainability

• Ensure all firmware designs comply with North American and international standards (UL, NEC, IEC, cybersecurity requirements).
• Support reliability, environmental, functional safety, and cybersecurity testing through close coordination with verification and validation resources.
• Champion sustainable firmware practices, such as optimized code for lower power consumption and extended product life in energy management applications.

Qualifications

• Required Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field (Master’s preferred).
• 10+ years of experience in embedded firmware development.
• 5+ years of direct people-management experience leading firmware/embedded software engineering teams in a regulated product development environment.
• Proven success delivering complex firmware from concept to production in safety-critical or power electronics applications.
• Deep expertise in C/C++ for embedded systems, real-time operating systems (RTOS such as FreeRTOS, ThreadX), bare-metal development, and microcontroller architectures (ARM Cortex-M, STM32 or equivalent).

Preferred

• Strong knowledge of relevant industry standards, safety certifications, communication protocols (Modbus, Ethernet/IP, BACnet, wireless), and cybersecurity best practices for connected devices.
• Background in smart/IoT-enabled power devices, digital energy management, or EcoStruxure-like platforms.
• Experience in matrix or cross-functional project environments where firmware must integrate tightly with hardware and systems teams.
• Six Sigma, Lean Product Development, Stage-Gate, or Agile/Scrum experience.

Technical Tools And Experience

• Embedded Development: C/C++, ARM-based toolchains (Keil, IAR, GCC), debuggers (JTAG, SWD), and logic analyzers/oscilloscopes for real-time debugging.
• RTOS & Protocols: Experience with real-time operating systems, device drivers, and industrial communication stacks.
• Testing & CI/CD: Automated testing frameworks, unit/integration testing, continuous integration tools for embedded systems.
• Simulation & Analysis: MATLAB/Simulink (for algorithm modeling), power system simulation, or equivalent.
• Project & Collaboration Tools: Jira, Git, Confluence, Microsoft Project or equivalent. Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and cross-functional collaboration platforms.

What Success Looks Like

• High-quality, on-time firmware deliverables that enable successful product launches and meet performance, reliability, and cybersecurity targets.
• Strong collaboration across hardware, systems, and test functions, resulting in integrated solutions with minimal integration or field issues.
• Effective team leadership with measurable improvements in firmware design efficiency, innovation, code quality, and talent development.
• Contributions to North American business goals in electrification, data center power distribution, grid resilience, energy efficiency, and sustainability.

For this U.S. based position, the expected pay range is USD 168,800 - USD 253,200 per year. This pay range includes base pay and short-term incentives. The compensation range for this full-time position applies to candidates located within the United States. Our pay ranges are determined by reviewing roles of similar responsibility and level. Within the pay range, individual pay is determined by several factors including performance, knowledge, job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.