Senior/Staff Firmware Engineer
About this role
Engineers who thrive in deep hardware-software integration will find a natural home tackling ultra-low power challenges at BrightAI Corporation. The engineering team builds an intelligent automation platform that processes visual, spatial, and temporal data from edge devices, mobile sensors, and cloud infrastructure to deliver real-time decisions about the physical world.
This senior-level team member will design, implement, and maintain embedded firmware with a specific focus on minimizing power consumption across resource-constrained microcontrollers. Daily work involves creating drivers, collaborating with hardware engineers on power budgets, and utilizing advanced tools like oscilloscopes and current probes to profile and debug energy usage.
The role exists to ensure that distributed edge sensors and wireless modules operate efficiently on battery power while maintaining robust communication protocols and reliable data exchange. Ideal candidates bring significant background in embedded C and low-power microcontroller architectures, enjoying the intersection of hardware constraints and clean software design.
What you will do
- Design and maintain embedded firmware with a strong focus on ultra-low power consumption for microcontrollers, sensors, and wireless modules.
- Collaborate directly with hardware engineers to establish power budgets and validate low-power design implementations.
- Execute power management techniques such as sleep modes, clock gating, and dynamic voltage scaling.
- Perform detailed power profiling and debugging using specialized hardware tools including oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and current probes.
- Optimize both code size and execution efficiency within resource-constrained environments.
- Integrate embedded communication protocols like I2C, SPI, and UART to ensure reliable data exchange across system components.
- Participate actively in design reviews, code reviews, and the creation of comprehensive technical documentation.
What you need
- Hold a Bachelor of Science or Master of Science degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
- Bring at least 7 years of professional experience in embedded software development with a heavy focus on low-power design.
- Demonstrate proficiency in C and C++ programming specifically for embedded systems.
- Possess hands-on experience working with low-power microcontrollers such as the ARM Cortex-M series, nRF52, Ambiq, or MSP430.
- Understand real-time operating system concepts and have practical experience with lightweight platforms like FreeRTOS or Zephyr.
- Maintain a deep understanding of hardware and software interactions alongside modern power management techniques.
- Demonstrate familiarity with source control workflows, specifically utilizing Git.
Nice to have
- Experience with wireless communication protocols including BLE, Zigbee, and LoRa
- Knowledge of PCB schematics and the ability to collaborate closely with hardware teams
- Experience with scripting languages like Python or Bash for test automation
- Prior work developing battery-operated or energy-harvesting devices
- Background in math-based programming, digital signal processing, or edge AI and machine learning frameworks
Skills and tech stack
Questions candidates ask
Where is the position located?
The role is based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
What kind of hardware and tools will I use?
You will work with low-power microcontrollers like ARM Cortex-M series, nRF52, Ambiq, and MSP430. Power profiling and debugging are performed using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, energy analyzers, and current probes.
What operating systems or environments are used?
The development environment supports working in a no-OS or lightweight RTOS environment, with experience utilizing platforms such as FreeRTOS or Zephyr.
What qualifications are required for this position?
Candidates must have a BS or MS degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field. Additionally, 7+ years of experience in embedded software development with a strong emphasis on low-power design is required.
The application is on the official BrightAI Corporation careers page.
Apply on company site