Embedded Systems Design Engineer

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) seeks an Embedded Systems Design Engineer to develop mission-critical hardware/software solutions for national security, space, and health applications. In this role, you will design, implement, and test embedded software, firmware, and interfaces for real-time, high-reliability systems, collaborating with experts in systems, hardware, and algorithms. You'll prototype and debug in lab and field settings, contribute to research and proposals, and continuously grow through APL's strong support for learning, advanced degrees, and innovation in a mission-driven, collaborative culture.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement embedded software and firmware for mission-critical systems.
• Develop and integrate hardware-software interfaces for sensors, processors, and communication modules.
• Perform requirements analysis, architecture design, and system-level trade studies.
• Prototype, test, and debug embedded systems in lab and field environments.
• Optimize performance, reliability, and power consumption for real-time applications.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams across hardware, software, and systems engineering.
• Document designs, test plans, and results according to quality and security standards.
• Contribute to research, proposals, and innovative concepts in national security, space, and health.
• Support verification, validation, and troubleshooting of deployed systems.
• Mentor junior engineers and share best practices in embedded systems design.

Required Skills

• Embedded C/C++ programming
• Real-time operating systems (RTOS)
• Embedded Linux development
• Microcontroller and microprocessor architecture
• FPGA/So
• C development and HDL familiarity
• Hardware/software integration and debugging
• Digital and analog electronics fundamentals
• Communication protocols (SPI, I2
• C, UART, CAN, Ethernet)
• Requirements analysis and systems engineering
• Lab instrumentation and test automation