Sr Embedded DSP Engineer - High Performance Signal Processing

About the role

As the Sr Embedded DSP Engineer - High Performance Signal Processing, you will play a key role in developing advanced RF sensing capabilities for Mach’s autonomous defense platforms. Working on the DART team, you will focus directly on next-generation counter-UAV radar systems and RF seekers. You will design radar signal-processing algorithms and implement them as high-performance, low-latency embedded software on high performance processors. You will own capabilities across the full development lifecycle—from mathematical modeling and algorithm prototyping to implementation on high performance processing cores, performance optimization, hardware integration, and system-level validation.

This role involves close collaboration with RF, FPGA, hardware, and GNC engineers to ensure the successful development of high-performance, low-latency radar systems that meet mission-critical requirements. Success in this role requires strong technical execution, adaptability, and expertise in signal processing theory, low-level C, and hands-on experience optimizing real-time processing pipelines in a fast-paced, iterative, startup environment.

Responsibilities

• Build next-generation counter-UAV defense systems to defend human lives, critical infrastructure, and high-value assets for the United States and its allies.
• Develop high-performance radar and RF sensing signal processing software, including FFT processing, beamforming, and detection on high-performance embedded systems, to detect and track targets with high accuracy/resolution while meeting strict latency, memory, power constraints, and update rate requirements.
• Develop radar models and simulation tools to prototype candidate algorithms and simulate the performance of the radar system, generating test vectors to validate accuracy.
• Write highly efficient, well-tested production code in C/C++ across platforms ranging from lower-power MCUs to high-performance multi-core processors.
• Develop unit, functional, and lab tests to validate the numerical accuracy and real-time performance of individual software modules and the end-to-end signal processing chain.
• Work with hardware engineers on component selection and optimal hardware-software trade-offs (performance, power, form factor, and cost).
• Develop automated calibration methods and software for measuring, storing, and applying RF signal-chain corrections, maximizing end-to-end sensor performance.
• Own embedded software quality, reliability, and signal processing chain performance by proactively identifying, documenting, tracking, and fixing issues.
• Contribute to project planning, including communicating risks/blockers and managing engineering trade-offs.
• Author clear software specifications, architecture designs, and testing procedures to support manufacturing and scalability.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Software Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, System Engineering, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience developing production signal processing software for radar, RF sensing, EW signal processing, wireless, or similarly demanding real-time systems.
• Strong knowledge of digital signal processing, statistical signal processing, estimation, detection theory, or related disciplines.
• Ability to identify and translate mathematical models into implementable algorithms that meet system requirements and performance.
• Proficiency with Python, MATLAB, or similar tools for algorithm development, simulation, recorded-data analysis, visualization, and test-vector generation.
• Proficiency in low-level C/C++ for embedded systems, with the ability to write clean, well-tested, and efficient code.
• Proven experience developing for one or more embedded processing architectures, such as microcontrollers, DSPs, SIMD/vector processors, or heterogeneous multicore SoCs.
• Ability to profile and optimize the performance of signal processing algorithms to meet real-time software constraints and achieve optimal radar system performance.
• Ability to read schematics and bring up new boards and processors, including peripherals/drivers and embedded code from scratch.
• Experience using standard device-to-device protocols (SPI, I2C) and GPIO to control/calibrate RF signal chains and interface with customer platforms.
• Ability to debug, test, and validate embedded software using functional tests, logic/protocol analyzers, and lab tests.
• Strong grasp of the full software development lifecycle and ability to execute and thrive in a fast-paced, high-iteration environment, delivering frequent software updates with speed and precision.
• Ability to work 100% on-site at our headquarters in Huntington Beach, CA.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience developing signal processing pipelines for pulse-Doppler radar, phased-array radar, active electronically scanned array systems, radar seekers, counter-UAV sensors, or other RF sensing products.
• Experience with SIMD/vector programming, multicore processing, hardware accelerators, DMA-based data movement, cache optimization, or heterogeneous processing architectures.
• Experience with real-time operating systems, bare-metal development, device drivers, board bring-up, and interfaces such as SPI, I2C, GPIO, Ethernet, or CSI-2.
• Proficiency in Python or other high-level languages for data collection, analysis, and presentation of system performance.
• Experience using lab test equipment to test the performance of radar and RF sensing systems.
• Knowledge of military, aerospace, or safety-critical software standards (e.g., DO-178C, MISRA C, ASIL).

Disclosures

This position may require access to information protected under U.S. export control laws and regulations, including the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Any offer for employment may be conditioned on authorization to receive software or technology controlled under these U.S. export control laws and regulations without sponsorship for an export license.

Mach participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.

Pay

The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offers may vary based on work experience, education and training, critical skills, and business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in most offers and are considered part of Mach’s total compensation package.

Benefits

Mach offers benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and opportunities for professional development.