Senior Embedded Software Engineer

About the Role

Key Responsibilities

• Design core technology in Gecko's embedded software platform, engaging with users in commercial and government applications and informing the vision and roadmap for shared technology within the platform.
• Take ownership of robotic software components and systems through the full development cycle (design, implementation, integration, maintenance).
• Work with hardware design engineers to implement and test microcontroller firmware for system control, monitoring, peripheral I/O, and motion control.
• Implement robust, modular, and maintainable embedded C/C++ code for bare-metal and Linux-based systems.
• Develop embedded Linux kernel drivers for integration with custom-designed hardware.
• Contribute to the custom Linux distro used by Gecko's field systems.
• Create a secure environment for field systems that meet DoD and other cybersecurity standards without sacrificing real-time performance.
• Architect and implement state machines and event-driven systems to ensure reliable robot operation.
• Debug complex embedded systems, systematically identifying root causes and implementing effective solutions.
• Work on time-sensitive distributed data systems between microcontroller and Linux compute domains to support data acquisition, time synchronization, and localization.
• Contribute to supporting tooling for system introspection, telemetry, deployment, and fleet configuration management.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams (hardware, software, autonomy, localization) to integrate embedded solutions into larger robotic systems.
• Advocate for technical improvements, mentor junior engineers, and contribute to a culture of continuous learning and quality.
• Ensure software safety, reliability, and maintainability through rigorous testing, validation, and documentation practices.
• Participate in code reviews, providing constructive feedback and maintaining high coding standards.
• Engage in system-level design decisions, balancing trade-offs between hardware, firmware, and software implementations.
• Contribute to the development of automated testing frameworks and tooling to improve software quality and deployment efficiency.

Requirements

• BS in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related technical field.
• Proficiency in embedded C programming, with experience writing structured, modular, and maintainable code.
• Experience developing and deploying embedded Linux systems including kernel and driver development.
• Strong debugging skills, with a systematic approach to identifying and resolving complex embedded software issues.
• Familiarity with bare-metal microcontroller-based embedded systems.
• Experience designing and implementing state machines and event-driven systems.
• Experience with common embedded communication protocols (I2C, SPI, CAN, UART, Ethernet).
• Ability to clearly document and communicate software designs and architectures.
• Ability to read and interpret PCBA schematics to develop and troubleshoot firmware.
• Ability to perform ad-hoc data analysis using tools such as Jupyter and Python.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
• Experience with software testing methodologies, including automated testing and validation.
• Strong understanding of software safety, reliability, and maintainability principles.
• Attention to detail shown through continuous improvements and reinforcing best practices within the team and throughout the organization.

Nice to Have

• Experience with distributed systems, multi-process parallel systems, and message-passing architectures.
• Detailed experience in Linux kernel development, troubleshooting, and tracing.
• Experience writing custom Linux kernel modules.
• Prior usage of Yocto (preferred) or Buildroot for delivering an embedded product.
• Experience hardening Linux systems using DoD Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs) and FIPS 140-2/3 cryptography modules.
• Experience mentoring junior engineers and advocating for technical improvements within a team.
• Experience with software tooling and infrastructure, including dependency management, build systems, and containerization.
• Experience developing scripts for build support, automation, and software testing in a common language such as Python.
• Experience with modern target-based CMake.
• Familiarity with real-time operating systems (RTOS) and real-time analysis.
• Familiarity with system-level integration, including hardware/software co-design and full-stack embedded system development.
• Familiarity with C++ or Rust.
• Familiarity with STM32 microcontrollers.
• Familiarity with the NVIDIA Jetson hardware platform and JetPack software ecosystem.
• Familiarity with IPC frameworks and middlewares such as ROS2, DDS, ZMQ, or Zenoh.
• Familiarity with Verilog or VHDL.
• Knowledge of low-power embedded design techniques.
• Experience with fleet management, configuration management, and post-release diagnostics.
• Ability to effectively communicate technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.