Senior Firmware Engineer

Senior Firmware Engineer | Tucson Agile Release Team

We are looking for a Senior Firmware Engineer to join our team in Tucson. In this role, you will use your expertise in C/C++ to design and build robust embedded solutions that sit at the intersection of hardware and software. You’ll be a critical part of a cross‑functional team, taking features from low‑level drivers to final system integration, ensuring our code is performant, memory‑efficient, and rock‑solid.

• Embedded Design:
  Architect and implement firmware features using C/C++, ensuring designs are optimized for constrained environments (CPU, memory, and power).
• Hardware‑Software Integration:
  Develop low‑level drivers and middleware to interface with sensors, actuators, and communication peripherals.
• Automated Hardware Validation:
  Build and maintain automated testing frameworks—primarily using Python—for Hardware‑in‑the‑Loop (HIL) testing and system validation.
• Agile Execution:
  During PI and iteration planning, break down complex hardware‑software features into manageable tasks, accounting for hardware dependencies and lead times.
• Technical Governance:
  Lead deep‑dive code reviews and technical spikes to ensure firmware aligns with safety standards and system‑level architecture.

• Synchronized Development:
  Participate in technical discussions during Program Increment (PI) planning, specifically addressing hardware/firmware dependencies.
• Backlog Refinement:
  Organize and prioritize the team backlog, managing technical debt and balancing feature velocity with system stability.
• Cross‑Functional Bridge:
  Work closely with Electrical and Mechanical Engineering teams to translate hardware requirements into technical firmware reality.
• System Demos:
  Demonstrate firmware progress on target hardware to stakeholders, explaining technical logic and timing constraints clearly.

• C/C++ Mastery:
  Extensive professional experience in embedded C/C++ development for microcontrollers (ARM Cortex‑M, ESP
  32, etc.) or RTOS‑based systems.
• System Architecture:
  Ability to design maintainable, scalable firmware architectures including interrupt handling, memory management, and state machines.
• Low‑Level Protocols:
  Hands‑on experience with communication interfaces like I2C, SPI, UART, CAN, or USB.
• Debugging:
  Proficiency using JTAG/SWD debuggers, logic analyzers, and oscilloscopes to troubleshoot hardware‑software interactions.

• Python for Tools:
  Experience using Python for scripting, data analysis, or building test harnesses.
• RTOS & Bare Metal:
  Familiarity with FreeRTOS, Zephyr, or similar real‑time operating systems.
• Agile Proficiency:
  Experience working within the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) or similar iterative environments for hardware development.
• Mentorship: A track record of leading firmware projects or guiding junior engineers through complex system integrations.

• Technical Articulation:
  The ability to explain complex timing issues or register‑level bugs to non‑technical stakeholders.
• Relentless Troubleshooting: A methodical, "detective‑like" approach to solving intermittent hardware/software issues.
• Reliability Mindset: A commitment to writing code where "it works on my machine" isn't enough—it has to work on the silicon every single time.