Embedded Firmware Engineer

Utilidata•Ann Arbor, MI

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Utilidata is a fast-growing NVIDIA-backed AI company enabling AI data centers to dynamically orchestrate power and unlock more compute capacity from existing energy infrastructure. For over a decade, we have applied AI to the electric grid — bringing real-time visibility and power-flow control to complex energy infrastructure. Our Karman platform, built on a custom NVIDIA module, brings that same capability to AI data centers, giving operators a way to better use the power already available to them. We are seeking an Embedded Firmware Engineer to develop production-grade firmware for power grid edge computing platforms. You will work alongside a diverse team of experts across hardware, cloud infrastructure, and AI/algorithms to design, implement, and deploy embedded systems running on mission-critical power infrastructure. This role requires hands-on development across multiple hardware variants: establishing firmware standards, implementing security features, supporting high quality infrastructure, and collaborating closely with cross-functional teams. We are looking for team members who are mission-driven, collaborative, and adaptive—someone who balances production rigor with the pace of innovation required in our distributed energy future. This position is based onsite at our company headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with flexibility for occasional remote work. Candidates will be expected to collaborate cross-functionally with remote teams based across the country.

Requirements

7+ years developing and delivering production firmware for embedded systems
Expert proficiency in C/C++ with real-time operating systems (RTOS) and bare-metal programming
Strong understanding of embedded system architecture, hardware interfaces, and communication protocols (SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, USB, Ethernet)
Experience with IoT devices utilizing microcontrollers, communication modules (LTE, Bluetooth, WiFi), and edge computing
Hands-on experience with hardware bring-up and working directly with hardware teams during development
Knowledge of debugging tools, such as oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and JTAG debuggers
Proven experience implementing CI/CD pipelines, automated testing frameworks, and version control systems (Git)
Strong communication skills and collaborative work style with cross-functional teams

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field
HDL design and delivery experience (Verilog/VHDL/Chisel/SpinalHDL); familiarity with Xilinx Vivado, AMD Vitis, or Lattice toolchains
Experience shipping firmware in high-reliability industries (medical, automotive, aerospace, industrial control, grid)
Working knowledge of cryptographic primitives in embedded contexts (AES, HMAC, ECDSA, KDF), hardware roots of trust, and OTP-based key provisioning
Familiarity with industrial cybersecurity standards (IEC 62443, UL 2900) or equivalent
Experience with high-throughput data paths: RDMA, RoCE, PCIe, or custom Ethernet protocols
ARM TrustZone-M, PSA Certified, Arm TF-M, or vendor secure-element experience
STM32H5 or similar Cortex-M33-class secure MCU experience
Familiarity with ML, IoT, and AI SOMs (e.g., NVIDIA Jetson, AMD/XILINX Kria)
Understanding of the physics, mathematics, and hardware components which underlie the U.S. electricity grid and evolving power systems
Experience mentoring more junior engineers
Experience with Rust or modern embedded programming languages
Expertise in Agile development methodologies and firmware design patterns

Responsibilities

Design, develop, and deploy production-grade firmware across multiple hardware platforms, architecting scalable, fault-tolerant components
Support hardware bring-up efforts and collaborate directly with hardware engineering teams during development cycles
Develop and optimize real-time embedded software using C/C++, RTOS, and bare-metal programming for resource-constrained microcontrollers
Implement and debug communication protocols (SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, Ethernet, LTE, WiFi) for IoT device connectivity
Establish and enforce firmware engineering standards, including coding conventions, testing protocols, and documentation requirements
Architect and implement embedded security across our platforms, including secure boot, signed-image pipelines, key management, debug-interface lockdown, and authenticated communication protocols
Build and maintain CI/CD pipelines with automated testing, static analysis, and version-controlled release processes
Utilize FPGA-based platforms to establish interfaces between FPGAs, MCUs, and SoMs using HDL (Verilog/VHDL)
Collaborate cross-functionally with external contractors, cloud infrastructure, AI/algorithms, and product teams to deliver integrated solutions