Firmware Development Engineer

Kairos Power•Alameda, CA

8d•$92,454 - $108,769•Onsite

About The Position

Kairos Power is seeking an entry-level firmware engineer to join its Plant Instrumentation, Control & Electrical (IC&E) systems design team. Under the technical guidance of the Reactor Protection System (RPS) Lead Engineer and experienced team members, the engineer will develop, test, and document firmware for reactor protection and related plant systems supporting KP-FHR reactor technology. The role provides hands-on experience with embedded systems, hardware integration, and disciplined development practices for safety-related applications. The engineer will work with an integrated design team on firmware for safety-related reactor protection systems and related plant investment protection, non-safety control, or test systems. Work includes embedded implementation and debugging, requirements and design documentation, testing and verification support, laboratory hardware integration, configuration management, and collaboration with hardware, controls, systems, and test engineers. The employee will learn and follow applicable nuclear quality assurance, software lifecycle, and cybersecurity procedures. Kairos Power is a nuclear energy technology and engineering company focused on commercializing fluoride-salt-cooled, high-temperature reactor (FHR) technology to support the transition to clean energy. The position is located at the company's Alameda, California headquarters. The stated salary range is $92,454 to $108,769 for employees working onsite; actual compensation may vary based on factors including education, experience, skills, and work location.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
Entry-level position suitable for recent graduates or candidates with 0–2 years of relevant experience; coursework, laboratory work, capstone projects, internships, and personal projects are acceptable.
Foundational programming skills in C or C++, with experience developing and debugging software for a microcontroller, embedded processor, or comparable project platform.
Understanding of digital logic and basic embedded concepts such as memory, interrupts, timers, state machines, and real-time behavior.
Ability to read technical documentation and basic schematics, troubleshoot methodically, and clearly document designs, test results, and issues.
Familiarity with version control, such as Git, and basic software testing practices; willingness to work within a documented engineering development process.
Strong attention to detail, clear communication, and ability to work collaboratively, ask questions, and learn from technical reviews.
Interest in nuclear energy and safety-critical engineering.
Must be authorized by the Department of Energy to access Part 810-controlled information to work in the facility. Foreign nationals who are citizens of countries not on the Department of Energy's general authorization list may not work there unless the Department issues the company an export control license.

Nice To Haves

Coursework or project exposure to VHDL/Verilog and FPGA tools.
Coursework or project exposure to Python test automation.
Coursework or project exposure to laboratory instruments.
Coursework or project exposure to interfaces such as SPI, I2C, and UART.
Familiarity with requirements traceability, verification and validation, or quality assurance.

Responsibilities

Support firmware development for plant instrumentation and control systems, including safety-related reactor protection systems with signal acquisition, protection logic, diagnostics, and equipment interfaces.
Support related plant investment protection and non-safety control or test systems as required.
Implement and debug embedded firmware in C/C++ and support FPGA logic development as applicable to the selected platform, following approved requirements, designs, and coding practices.
Assist with firmware requirements, interface definitions, design descriptions, and traceability between requirements, implementation, and verification evidence.
Develop and execute unit, integration, and regression tests; record results, investigate anomalies, and support independent verification and validation activities.
Support laboratory hardware bring-up and firmware integration using schematics, component datasheets, debuggers, oscilloscopes, and logic analyzers under appropriate supervision.
Use version control, configuration management, code reviews, and change control to maintain reproducible builds and documented firmware releases.
Collaborate with hardware, controls, systems, and test engineers to resolve interface issues and support assigned system testing and commissioning activities.
Learn and follow applicable nuclear quality assurance, software lifecycle, and cybersecurity procedures; promptly raise technical concerns and incorporate review feedback.