Senior Firmware Engineer

Dinan & Associates is recruiting a firmware engineer for a client located in San Francisco, CA. This is a full-time position with the client and includes a base salary ($200-$230k), equity, and benefits.

Responsibilities

• Architect, develop, and test production-grade firmware in C/C++ for low-memory, resource-constrained embedded systems.
• Build automated client and test tooling using Python or Node.js to accelerate validation and continuous integration.
• Implement and optimize low-level peripheral drivers and communication protocols, including UART, I2C, SPI, USB, and DMA.
• Lead hardware bring-up, signal analysis, and hardware-software debugging using schematics, data sheets, logic analyzers, and oscilloscopes.
• Oversee fleet-wide device operations, including health telemetry monitoring, field diagnostics, and secure over-the-air (OTA) updates.
• Collaborate with cross-functional product teams and international manufacturing partners, including regular travel to overseas facilities for bring-up and validation support.

Required Qualifications

• Experience: 4+ years of professional software engineering experience with a dedicated focus on embedded firmware in C/C++.
• Tooling & Scripting: Demonstrated proficiency in Python or Node.js for tooling, automation, or client-side utilities.
• Low-Level Development: Proven ability to develop reliable code for compute-constrained and memory-limited architectures.
• Protocols & Peripherals: Deep working knowledge of hardware communication buses (UART, I2C, SPI, USB) and DMA configuration.
• Hardware Debugging: Hands-on ability to read schematics, evaluate component specifications, and use bench equipment (oscilloscopes, logic analyzers) during hardware bring-up.
• Fleet Scale: Direct experience shipping and maintaining fleets of connected devices in production, including OTA pipelines and telemetry analysis.
• Travel Flexibility: Willingness and ability to travel internationally (including regular travel to China) to support hardware integration and engineering operations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience programming on bare-metal systems and implementing custom task management without a commercial RTOS.
• Working knowledge of wireless communication standards and stacks (e.g., BLE, Wi-Fi).
• Practical understanding of embedded security, hardware root of trust, and secure boot implementations.
• Background in automated testing, test-bench design, and distributed hardware observability.