Sr. Firmware Engineer

Senior Firmware Engineer

Location:

Houston, Texas

Position status:
Permanent

Exempt Status:
Exempt

Company Profile:

CNPC USA is a subsidiary of China National Petroleum Company and serves as the North American headquarters. Our mission is to drive innovation through advanced research and development of next-generation technologies for oil and gas exploration and production.

Job Summary:

CNPC USA is seeking a highly experienced Senior Firmware Engineer to lead the architecture, design, and development of embedded firmware for MWD/LWD downhole tools, with a primary focus on high-speed mud pulse telemetry (MPT) and MWD system integration. This position is a key technical role responsible for end-to-end firmware architecture, real-time signal processing, telemetry encoding and decoding, sensor and measurement integration, power management, and system-level performance across the downhole-to-surface data chain.

Key Responsibilities:

• Define and own the firmware architecture for MWD/LWD tools — including high-speed mud pulse telemetry — from system requirements through implementation, qualification, and field release.
• Design and optimize high-speed mud pulse telemetry schemes, including pulser generation and control, modulation/encoding, power-efficiency optimization, and surface decoding algorithms.
• Develop, test, and debug embedded firmware in C/C++ for microcontroller, microprocessor, or DSP-based downhole measurement and telemetry systems. Architect firmware-to-hardware and firmware-to-sensor interfaces, defining data flow, timing, synchronization, and communication protocols across subsystems.
• Develop signal-processing and noise-mitigation algorithms for telemetry, vibration, and sensor data in harsh, high-noise downhole environments.
• Take a system-level view across firmware, electronics, mechanical, and surface software to ensure end-to-end tool performance, data integrity, and reliability. Work closely with electronics, mechanical, test, operations, and field teams to improve tool reliability and field performance.
• Lead firmware integration, troubleshooting, root-cause analysis, performance optimization, verification, qualification, and reliability testing of embedded telemetry systems, including hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and environmental testing
• Support field deployment and product sustainment by investigating and resolving firmware, telemetry, sensor, and electronics issues to ensure reliable system performance.
• Establish firmware development standards, coding practices, version control, and design documentation for the downhole engineering team.
• Mentor and provide technical guidance to less experienced firmware and electronics engineers.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Embedded Systems, or a related discipline;
  Master's degree or above is preferred.
• 8+ years of embedded firmware development experience, with demonstrated experience at a lead or principal level.
• Direct, hands-on experience developing high-speed mud pulse telemetry (MWD) systems and other MWD/LWD products.
• Strong system and architecture perspective, with a proven ability to define firmware architecture and interfaces spanning firmware, electronics, sensors, and surface software. Familiar with various electronic communication Bus systems and implementations.
• Expert-level embedded firmware development in C/C++ for MCU, MPU, or DSP-based real-time systems.
• Solid understanding of hardware-software integration, including sensor interfaces, communication interfaces, and timing/synchronization.
• Proficiency with laboratory and debug tools such as oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, emulators/debuggers, and automated or HIL test methods.
• Strong troubleshooting and root-cause analysis capability for mixed firmware/hardware systems.

Preferred Experience:

• Deep experience with mud-pulse telemetry (positive, negative, or continuous-wave/siren pulsers), especially, with high-data-rate downhole telemetry.
• Experience with EM telemetry, short-hop, directional drilling tools, downhole sensors, and MWD/LWD measurement systems.
• Strong background in real-time signal processing, digital communications/telemetry, modulation and…