Lead Firmware Engineer

Boston Engineering Corporation•Waltham, MA

7d•$150,000 - $175,000•Onsite

About The Position

This is a hands-on Lead Firmware Engineer role focused primarily on embedded and firmware development. The work involves RTOS-based systems, hardware bring-up, driver development, board-level debugging, and close collaboration with electrical and mechanical teams. While some upper-stack or tooling work may be involved, the core responsibility is commanding and controlling hardware. The Lead Firmware Engineer will own embedded software at both tactical and strategic levels, ensuring correct system architecture, early risk identification, and team support. This role involves setting technical direction, streamlining and documenting software processes, establishing best practices, and improving the overall embedded engineering standard across projects.

Requirements

Proven ability in leading the design, development, and optimization of embedded and firmware systems for robotics, autonomous, or maritime platforms
Proven ability in streamlining and documenting software processes to accelerate projects and ensure repeatability, while maintaining high-quality standards
Proven ability in architecting and implementing firmware tightly integrated with custom hardware, sensors, and control systems
Proven ability in writing and reviewing RTOS-based firmware (FreeRTOS, ROS2, Zephyr), including task design, synchronization, memory management, and timing analysis
Proven ability in reviewing schematics and PCB layouts to identify firmware impacts, integration risks, and potential design issues early in the development cycle
Proven ability in debugging complex system issues using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, protocol analyzers, and other bench tools, and determining root cause across software, firmware, and hardware
Proven ability in building and maintaining benchtop development setups (“roadkills”) to enable early firmware development prior to final hardware availability
Proven ability in ensuring firmware meets real-time performance, reliability, and mission-critical requirements
Proven ability in leading technical design reviews, architecture discussions, and roadmap planning with a focus on system-level risk and feasibility
Proven ability in clearly communicating technical concepts, tradeoffs, risks, and status to both engineering and non-engineering stakeholders
Proven ability in anticipating and addressing technical bottlenecks that span firmware, hardware, and system integration
Experience working in challenging, hands-on, and customer-driven engineering environments
Closely collaborating with electrical, mechanical, systems, and product teams
Demonstrating proficiency in standard embedded development tools, git version control, build systems, and debugging environments
Strong organizational skills and clear written and verbal communications
Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance
BS (acceptable) or MS (preferred) in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field
7+ years of experience in embedded/firmware development
3+ years in a senior or technical lead role
Fluency in C and C++ for embedded systems
Fluency in Python for tooling and testing
Hands-on experience with RTOS environments (FreeRTOS, ROS2, Zephyr, or similar)
Experience developing software on embedded targets such as STM32, ARM-based MCUs/SoCs, x86, PIC32, or similar
Experience with I2C, SPI, UART, Ethernet, GPIO, and low-level hardware interfaces
Familiarity with cloud and/or other networks/servers for data offload, analysis, and management
Experience authoring and reviewing software requirements, specifications, and design documentation, and leading effective design reviews
Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines for embedded systems

Nice To Haves

Experience debugging networking stacks and board-level communication issues is a strong plus
Familiarity with ISO 9001 and CMMI quality frameworks is desirable
Experience with maritime systems, robotics, uncrewed systems, or military platforms is highly desirable
Exposure to navigation, localization, sensor fusion, or autonomy systems is a plus
Experience contributing to proposal development, feasibility studies, or early technical concepts
Background or interest in machine learning, computer vision, or AI as applied to embedded or robotic systems
Familiarity with safety-critical or mission-critical software development practices
Understanding of Agile methodologies and practical DevOps workflows in embedded environments
Experience working on government or defense-related programs, including technical documentation and customer interaction
Experience working within or supporting quality management systems (QMS)

Responsibilities

Technical hands-on development (40%)
Systems design (30%)
Integration, manufacturing, and production support (15%)
Mentoring, code/design reviews, and process improvement (15%)
Leading the design, development, and optimization of embedded and firmware systems for robotics, autonomous, or maritime platforms
Streamlining and documenting software processes to accelerate projects and ensure repeatability, while maintaining high-quality standards
Architecting and implementing firmware tightly integrated with custom hardware, sensors, and control systems
Writing and reviewing RTOS-based firmware (FreeRTOS, ROS2, Zephyr), including task design, synchronization, memory management, and timing analysis
Reviewing schematics and PCB layouts to identify firmware impacts, integration risks, and potential design issues early in the development cycle
Debugging complex system issues using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, protocol analyzers, and other bench tools, and determining root cause across software, firmware, and hardware
Building and maintaining benchtop development setups (“roadkills”) to enable early firmware development prior to final hardware availability
Ensuring firmware meets real-time performance, reliability, and mission-critical requirements
Leading technical design reviews, architecture discussions, and roadmap planning with a focus on system-level risk and feasibility
Clearly communicating technical concepts, tradeoffs, risks, and status to both engineering and non-engineering stakeholders
Anticipating and addressing technical bottlenecks that span firmware, hardware, and system integration
Acting as the technical escalation point when embedded or system-level issues block progress
Mentoring and coaching engineers on embedded firmware architecture, debugging techniques, and best practices
Writing high-quality, maintainable, and well-documented firmware and low-level software
Developing and maintaining embedded system software, including firmware, device drivers, and communication stacks
Performing thorough testing and debugging to ensure system functionality, reliability, and safety
Proposing and implementing technical solutions that improve system robustness, debuggability, and performance
Breaking down ambiguous or novel problems into executable engineering plans, including scope, risk, and estimates
Supporting software configuration management and repeatable development workflows
Working across R&D and product environments with an understanding of long-term maintainability and transition to production
Contributing to proposal development, feasibility studies, or early technical concepts
Working on government or defense-related programs, including technical documentation and customer interaction
Working within or supporting quality management systems (QMS)