Embedded Software Engineer– Technical Lead
Boston Engineering Corporation1 month ago
Waltham, MA, USAStaff+
Base Salary
$150k - $175k/yr
Responsibilities
- Lead the design, development, optimization, and architecture of embedded and firmware systems for robotics, autonomous, maritime, and related platforms.
- Develop and maintain firmware, device drivers, communication stacks, and low-level embedded software.
- Write and review RTOS-based firmware, including task design, synchronization, memory management, and timing analysis.
- Architect and implement firmware integrated with custom hardware, sensors, and control systems.
- Perform hardware bring-up, board-level debugging, system integration, testing, and root-cause analysis across software, firmware, and hardware.
- Review schematics and PCB layouts to identify firmware impacts, integration risks, and design issues.
- Use oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, protocol analyzers, and other bench tools to debug complex system issues.
- Build and maintain benchtop development setups to support firmware development before final hardware is available.
- Lead technical design reviews, architecture discussions, roadmap planning, and system-level risk assessments.
- Act as the technical escalation point, unblock engineering teams, and anticipate technical bottlenecks.
- Mentor and coach engineers on firmware architecture, debugging techniques, and best practices.
- Establish technical direction, document software processes, and improve development workflows, robustness, debuggability, reliability, and performance.
- Communicate technical concepts, tradeoffs, risks, and status to engineering and non-engineering stakeholders.
- Support software configuration management, requirements, specifications, design documentation, quality practices, and transition to production.
- Collaborate with electrical, mechanical, systems, product, R&D, and customer teams.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field; a master’s degree is preferred.
- 7+ years of embedded or firmware development experience, including 3+ years in a senior or technical lead role.
- Fluency in C and C++ for embedded systems and Python for tooling and testing.
- Hands-on experience with RTOS environments such as FreeRTOS, ROS2, or Zephyr.
- Experience developing on embedded targets such as STM32, ARM-based MCUs/SoCs, x86, PIC32, or similar.
- Experience with I2C, SPI, UART, Ethernet, GPIO, and other low-level hardware interfaces.
- Experience with standard embedded development tools, Git version control, build systems, and debugging environments.
- Familiarity with cloud or other networks and servers for data offload, analysis, and management.
- Experience debugging networking stacks and board-level communication issues is a strong plus.
- Experience authoring and reviewing software requirements, specifications, and design documentation and leading design reviews.
- Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines for embedded systems.
- Familiarity with ISO 9001 and CMMI quality frameworks is desirable.
- Experience with maritime systems, robotics, uncrewed systems, or military platforms is highly desirable.
- Exposure to navigation, localization, sensor fusion, or autonomy systems is a plus.
- Experience with proposal development, feasibility studies, or early technical concepts is a bonus.
- Background or interest in machine learning, computer vision, or AI applied to embedded or robotic systems is a bonus.
- Familiarity with safety-critical or mission-critical software practices, Agile methodologies, and practical DevOps workflows is a bonus.
- Experience with government or defense programs, technical documentation, customer interaction, or quality management systems is a bonus.
- Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.
- Strong organizational, written, verbal communication, mentoring, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
- US-person status is required because of access to export-controlled technology, with proof required before employment.
- A writing sample must be submitted for the application to be complete.
Benefits
- Base salary range is $150,000 to $175,000 annually.
- Comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, 401(k) match, and paid time off.
- Full-time, office-based role in Waltham, Massachusetts.
- Minimal travel is expected.
- Relocation is not available at this time.
About Boston Engineering Corporation
Boston Engineering Corporation provides product design and engineering consulting, taking hardware and software products from concept through connected, production-ready systems for defense, medical device, robotics, and commercial clients. Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Waltham, MA, the privately held firm is certified to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 13485:2016. Engagements span embedded software, electromechanical systems, and UUV/robotics programs, including early prototyping, system integration, and transfer to manufacturing.