Embedded Systems Engineer; Firmware & Electronics

80%-100%, Zurich, fixed-term

At the Rehabilitation Engineering Laboratory (RELab) of ETH Zurich, we are developing ax|ReCover, a modular smartphone-based rehabilitation platform that aims to turn everyday smartphones into intelligent therapy devices for people with upper-limb impairments following neurological or traumatic injuries. Our unique solution combines modular hardware, embedded electronics, physiological and biomechanical sensing, and mobile software to make rehabilitation more accessible, engaging and personalised.

We are looking for a new team member who wants to develop products that directly improve people's lives.

In the context of an Innosuisse funded project, we are looking for an Embedded Systems Engineer with a strong electronics background to lead the development and improvement of the embedded sensing platform of ax|ReCover. The funding for this specific position is limited to 16 months, and linked to specific work packages within that Innosuisse project. Working closely with our research team, you will be responsible for the embedded firmware and electronics that power our modular rehabilitation system, with the objective of transforming research prototypes into a robust, manufacturable product.

This is a highly hands-on role spanning embedded software, electronics, sensors, prototyping and product development, in the field of neurorehabilitation technologies.

• Develop embedded firmware for our modular rehabilitation platform ax|ReCover.
• Design, implement and validate reliable sensor acquisition pipelines
• Integrate biomechanical and physiological sensors into embedded systems
• Develop Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication between ax|ReCover and the smartphone
• Implement synchronised sensor acquisition and data streaming
• Design and iterate electronic schematics and PCBs for new hardware revisions
• Select electronic components and contribute to electronics architecture decisions
• Bring up and validate custom PCBs
• Develop low-level drivers for sensors and communication peripherals
• Collaborate closely with the research team on electronics integration and prototype development
• Use oscilloscopes, logic analysers, mustimeters and other laboratory equipment to diagnose hardware and firmware issues
• Optimise power consumption, communication reliability and embedded system performance
• Support electronics testing, validation and design verification
• Help establish engineering processes and documentation for future regulatory development

• An MSc or BSc in Electrical Engineering, Embedded Systems, Computer Engineering, Robotics or a related discipline
• Strong C/C++ programming skills
• Experience developing and testing firmware for ARM Cortex-M or similar microcontrollers
• Experience with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)
• Experience with SPI, I²C, UART, ADCs, DMA, interrupts and timers
• Experience designing or iterating custom embedded electronics, including schematic capture and PCB design using KiCad, Altium Designer or similar EDA software
• Experience bringing up and debugging custom PCBs
• Strong electronics experience, including reading and understanding electronic schematics, digital and basic analogue electronics, sensor integration, component selection, power management fundamentals, and hardware bring-up and validation
• Comfort using oscilloscopes, logic analysers, multimeters and other laboratory equipment
• Strong debugging and troubleshooting skills across both hardware and firmware
• Experience integrating sensors into embedded systems
• Willingness to work closely with a small, multidisciplinary research team, and a strong interest in digital health and neurorehabilitation
• Independence and a get-things-done mentality, with a self-starter attitude and comfort developing and testing novel ideas
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with first-rate written and spoken English and solid German skills.

• Experience with Nordic nRF
  52/nRF
  54 or STM
  32 development, Zephyr RTOS or FreeRTOS, NFC or USB, low-power embedded design would be advantages
• Experience with battery-powered medical or wearable devices
• Familiarity with medical device development and regulations,…