Hiring Embedded Systems Engineers: The Complete Guide

# Embedded Systems Engineer

**Location:** San Jose, CA (On-site) · **Employment Type:** Full-time · **Level:** Senior

## About [Company]

[Company] builds smart IoT devices that connect industrial equipment to the cloud, enabling predictive maintenance and real-time monitoring for manufacturing facilities.

We have over 50,000 sensors deployed across 200+ factories worldwide, processing 2 million data points per minute. Our devices run 24/7 in harsh industrial environments—reliability is everything.

**Why join [Company]?**

- Work at the hardware-software boundary on devices that ship to real factories
- Join a 60-person team with a dedicated 8-person Firmware Engineering group
- Series B funded ($38M from Andreessen Horowitz, NEA)
- Full hardware lab with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and prototyping equipment

## The Role

We're hiring a Senior Embedded Systems Engineer to design and develop firmware for our next-generation IoT sensor platform. This role sits at the critical intersection of hardware and software—you'll work directly with electrical engineers on hardware bring-up while architecting firmware that runs reliably for years.

Unlike software engineering roles with abundant resources, you'll work within strict constraints: 256KB flash, 64KB RAM, and battery life requirements measured in years. Every byte and every milliamp matters.

**The firmware you'll own:**

- ARM Cortex-M4 based sensor platform running FreeRTOS
- Wireless connectivity via LoRaWAN and Bluetooth Low Energy
- Real-time data acquisition from industrial sensors (vibration, temperature, pressure)
- Over-the-air firmware update system with fail-safe rollback
- Power management achieving 5+ year battery life

## Objectives of This Role

- Lead firmware development for our next-generation sensor platform launching in Q3
- Design power management architecture targeting 50% improvement in battery life
- Implement secure over-the-air update system with cryptographic signing
- Build automated hardware-in-the-loop testing infrastructure
- Establish firmware coding standards and review processes for the team

## Responsibilities

- Design and implement firmware for ARM Cortex-M microcontrollers in C/C++
- Develop device drivers for sensors, wireless modules, and peripheral interfaces
- Debug hardware-software integration issues using oscilloscopes and logic analyzers
- Optimize firmware for memory usage, power consumption, and real-time performance
- Implement communication protocols including UART, SPI, I2C, and wireless (BLE, LoRaWAN)
- Design interrupt handlers and task scheduling for real-time responsiveness
- Collaborate with hardware engineers on schematic reviews and hardware bring-up
- Create bootloaders and over-the-air firmware update mechanisms
- Write unit tests and develop hardware-in-the-loop test fixtures
- Document firmware architecture and maintain technical specifications

## Required Skills and Qualifications

- 5+ years of embedded systems development experience
- Strong C/C++ programming for resource-constrained systems
- Experience with ARM Cortex-M microcontrollers and embedded toolchains
- Proficiency with real-time operating systems (FreeRTOS, Zephyr, or similar)
- Hardware debugging skills using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and JTAG debuggers
- Understanding of common interfaces: UART, SPI, I2C, GPIO, ADC
- Experience with interrupt handling and real-time constraints
- Knowledge of memory management and optimization in embedded systems
- Ability to read and understand electrical schematics

## Preferred Skills and Qualifications

- Experience with wireless protocols: Bluetooth Low Energy, LoRaWAN, Wi-Fi
- Background in IoT device development and cloud connectivity
- Knowledge of embedded Linux for higher-powered devices
- Experience with power optimization and battery-powered devices
- Familiarity with automotive protocols (CAN bus) or industrial protocols (Modbus)
- Experience with safety-critical systems or regulatory compliance (FCC, CE)
- Understanding of cryptography and secure boot implementations
- Experience with continuous integration for embedded systems

## Tech Stack

- **Microcontrollers:** ARM Cortex-M4, ESP32, Nordic nRF52
- **Languages:** C (primary), C++ (selective use), Python (tooling)
- **RTOS:** FreeRTOS with custom HAL layer
- **Protocols:** UART, SPI, I2C, BLE, LoRaWAN, MQTT
- **Tools:** ARM GCC, Segger J-Link, VS Code with Cortex-Debug
- **Hardware Tools:** Keysight oscilloscopes, Saleae logic analyzers
- **Version Control:** Git with hardware-in-the-loop CI/CD
- **Testing:** Unity test framework, custom HIL fixtures

## Compensation and Benefits

**Salary:** $140,000 - $180,000 (based on experience)

**Equity:** 0.03% - 0.08% (4-year vest, 1-year cliff)

**Benefits:**

- Medical, dental, and vision insurance (100% covered for employees)
- Unlimited PTO with 15-day minimum encouraged
- $3,000 annual learning budget (conferences, certifications, courses)
- $1,500 home office equipment allowance
- 401(k) with 4% company match
- 12 weeks paid parental leave
- Full access to on-site hardware lab
- Conference attendance (Embedded World, ARM DevSummit)

**Location:** San Jose, CA (On-site required). Hardware lab access is essential for this role—we provide all the tools you need.

## Interview Process

Our interview process typically takes 2-3 weeks. We focus on practical embedded skills and problem-solving, not memorizing register maps.

- **Step 1: Recruiter Screen** (30 min) - Background, interests, and role expectations.

- **Step 2: Technical Screen** (60 min) - C/C++ fundamentals, embedded concepts, and your past firmware projects.

- **Step 3: Firmware Design** (90 min) - Design firmware for a battery-powered IoT device. We'll discuss architecture, power optimization, and real-time constraints.

- **Step 4: Hardware Debugging** (45 min) - Walk through debugging a hardware-software integration issue. We may use a real oscilloscope capture.

- **Step 5: Team & Culture** (45 min) - Meet 2 team members including a hardware engineer you'd collaborate with.

- **Step 6: Hiring Manager** (30 min) - Career goals, offer details, and final questions.

You'll receive feedback within 3 business days of each round.

## How to Apply

Submit your resume and optionally include links to GitHub, personal projects, or open-source firmware contributions. We especially love seeing real hardware projects—even hobby work on Arduinos or Raspberry Pis tells us you're passionate about embedded systems.

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*[Company] is an equal opportunity employer. We're committed to building a diverse team and inclusive culture. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.*

*Embedded engineering benefits from diverse perspectives. If you're excited about this role but don't meet every qualification, we encourage you to apply. If you need accommodations during the interview process, let us know and we'll make it work.*