Firmware Engineer @San Diego, CA
**Must be local and open to a hybrid/onsite work arrangement
**Must be open to 1099 contracts
The Role: We are looking for a Firmware Engineer who can bridge the gap between silicon and application software. You will be responsible for developing the low-level code that brings our custom hardware to life, optimizing for extreme battery life, and ensuring reliable communication with satellite constellations.
What You’ll Do:
● Help us build an AI-first firmware organization that builds best-in-class application and modem firmware and robust location technology such as GPS processing, GEO and LEO multilateration, and peer multilateration
● Architect and Develop: Design and implement robust firmware for embedded microcontrollers (ARM Cortex-M) in C, as well as C++ and Rust
● Hardware Bring-up: Collaborate closely with hardware engineers to bring up new boards, verify peripheral interfaces (SPI, I2C, UART), and debug hardware/software interactions
● Power Optimization: Implement aggressive power-management strategies to ensure multi-year battery life on energy-constrained devices
● Comms & Protocols: Develop and optimize drivers for satellite modems and proprietary RF transceivers
● Software Infrastructure: Build bootloaders, over-the-air (OTA) update mechanisms, and manufacturing test suites
● Design the 'Intelligence at the Edge': Develop algorithms for on-device asset state detection (motion, environment, geofencing) to minimize satellite airtime.
● Testing & Validation: Use logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, and JTAG/SWD debuggers to troubleshoot complex timing issues and race conditions
● Ownership: Lead the firmware release process, from local testing to field deployments Required
Qualifications:
● Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or equivalent
● 2–10+ years of embedded firmware development experience (leveling is flexible based on experience; we are building a full firmware team, so candidates of all seniorities are invited to apply)
● Strong proficiency in C and/or C++/Rust in resource-constrained environments
● Proven track record of shipping firmware for physical hardware products
● Confidence working independently in a fast-paced, "build-it-from-scratch" environment
Nice-to-Haves:
● Experience with RTOS (FreeRTOS, Zephyr) or bare-metal development
● Knowledge of digital signal processing (DSP) or software-defined radio (SDR)
● Experience with low-power wide-area networks (LPWAN) or satellite communication protocols
● Python proficiency for automation, scripting, and tooling
● Understanding of embedded security best practices (secure boot, encryption)
Best Regards.
Sara RG,
DRS IT Solutions, Inc
(C) 248-440-7600 EXT -4
sara@drsitsolutions.com
Interested?
Applications are handled on LinkedIn. You can also send your résumé straight to kumar@drsitsolutions.com if you would rather not apply there.