Staff Firmware Engineer

About Us

Established in 1972, Particle Measuring Systems is a global leader in micro-contamination monitoring equipment, improving the performance of clean manufacturers in the semiconductor and pharmaceutical industries. We’re a growing technology company in Niwot, Colorado, offering an exceptional and rewarding work environment in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. Our employees enjoy challenging projects in the development and manufacture of light scattering particle counters and diverse technologies and applications.

Your Impact

We are looking for a Staff Firmware Engineer who will contribute to the success of the R&D Team by applying expertise in firmware engineering to support team and company goals and deliver innovative, reliable solutions. In this role, you will collaborate with colleagues and cross-functional teams, demonstrate strong problem-solving and decision-making skills, and maintain a commitment to professional excellence, quality, and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Lead and/or participate in an Agile Scrum team, completing firmware work items in areas including communications interfaces, GUI interfaces, and particle counting code.
• Drive requirements discovery and decision-making, partnering with internal and external stakeholders to capture, clarify, and prioritize business, customer, and technical needs; develop design and engineering reference documentation.
• Manage, interpret, refine, and prioritize complex user stories in the backlog; interface with the team and management stakeholders to understand customer and technical needs and implement appropriate resolutions.
• Architect complex reusable solutions using object-oriented design in C++ or Rust.
• Continuously improve firmware development processes and tools, identifying gaps, proposing solutions, and driving adoption to increase quality and efficiency across the team.
• Provide expert technical leadership for the firmware team, mentoring engineers through structured feedback, design reviews, training, and hands-on collaboration.
• Serve as a cross-functional technical leader, proactively interfacing across engineering, marketing, manufacturing, and service to ensure firmware solutions meet product requirements.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Computer Science.
• Ten or more years of embedded firmware development experience.
• Ten or more years of experience as a technical lead or similar role.
• Experience serving as Scrum Master or Product Owner in an Agile environment.
• Experience gathering and authoring requirements.
• Demonstrated track record of process and tool improvement within an engineering environment.
• Strong C++ or Rust programming language skills.
• Object-oriented design skills.
• Development experience with Embedded Linux at the Application level.
• Experience implementing software version control and bug tracking systems.
• Ability to read and understand schematic diagrams.
• Experience in cyber security.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor and develop engineers.
• Excellent communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Scrum Master or Product Owner.
• C programming language experience.
• Expertise in Git, Jira, DevSuite, Jama, or similar tools.
• Strong experience with QT, Linux Kernel, and driver development.
• ARM-based SoC firmware design.
• Experience with TCP/IP, WiFi, and Bluetooth protocol development.
• AI and ML algorithm selection and application.

Work Environment & Physical Requirements

This role primarily operates in an office/lab/manufacturing environment. Must be able to sit, stand, and use a computer for extended periods. This is a hybrid position, “in-office” approximately 50% of the time. Occasional lifting of up to 20 lbs. may be required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this role.

Pay

Competitive base salary range: $150,000 - $165,000. Our compensation philosophy offers competitive pay based on market data, including local, national, and industry benchmarks. For new hires, offers are generally within the established min- to mid-point of the range for the role, with flexibility to recognize experience, skills, and education.

Benefits

• Health coverage: medical, dental, vision, FSA, onsite clinic (CO employees), life insurance.
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match.
• Vacation, holiday, and leave policies.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Employee recognition programs.
• Employee assistance programs.