Principal Embedded Firmware Engineer
About The Position
Synchron’s vision is to build non-surgical brain–computer interfaces at global scale that protect the fundamental human rights of freedom of expression and autonomy. Our first mission is to develop motor decoders that restore the ability of 15 million people with paralysis to interact with the digital world. Our second mission is to develop whole-brain cognitive decoders that enable hundreds of millions of people with cognitive decline to preserve and expand their agency as cognition changes over time. In pursuing these goals, we aim not only to help humans flourish, but also to drive fundamental discoveries in human intelligence. Our team operates at the intersection of healthcare and technology, translating breakthrough research into real-world, safety-critical systems. Synchron is developing the first commercially scalable endovascular brain–computer interface (BCI). Our Stentrode™ platform enables individuals with paralysis to control digital devices using neural signals, without open brain surgery. We are advancing toward pivotal trials and commercialization. We are seeking a principal embedded software engineer to assume technical ownership of firmware and system architecture for our implantable neuroelectronics platform. This individual will serve as the engineering authority for the Implantable Recording & Transmission Unit (IRTU), with end-to-end accountability across neural acquisition, power management, wireless telemetry, safety architecture, and real-time embedded performance. This is a hands-on role with visibility across the organization. The successful candidate must be capable of debugging low-level firmware directly while defining architectural direction required to scale toward pivotal trial and commercialization.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience in electrical/computer engineering, computer science or related technical field
- 8–15+ years of embedded systems experience
- Deep expertise in low-power microcontrollers and real-time systems
- Strong C/C++ & python firmware development experience
- Experience with wireless telemetry (BLE or custom RF systems)
- Demonstrated ownership of complex hardware–software systems
Nice To Haves
- Implantable medical device experience
- Neural recording, stimulation, or bioelectronic medicine background
- ASIC integration experience
- Long-lived battery-powered system design
- Experience in regulated or safety-critical environments (medical device, aerospace, or equivalent)
- Experience leading firmware through regulatory submission
Responsibilities
- Define and own firmware architecture across implantable and external neuroelectronic systems
- Architect deterministic, low-latency neural acquisition pipelines under strict power and thermal constraints
- Lead hardware–software co-design across analog front end, analog to digital conversion, ASIC, RF communication, and battery subsystems
- Design and validate safe boot, watchdog, fault-handling, and firmware update mechanisms suitable for implantable devices
- Establish system-level performance budgets (power, latency, memory, RF throughput)
- Maintain end-to-end accountability for the neural signal chain from electrode interface through digital command output
- Lead structured root-cause analysis across electrical, firmware, RF, and mechanical domains
- Define verification and validation strategies for safety-critical firmware
- Identify and prioritize technical risks ahead of pivotal trial milestones
- Serve as firmware technical lead within design controls framework (IEC 62304, ISO 13485, 21 CFR 820)
- Ensure traceability between system requirements, firmware architecture, and verification evidence
- Partner with Regulatory and Quality to support audit readiness and pivotal trial submissions
- Help to build and mentor a high-performance embedded engineering team
- Establish coding standards, CI/CD pipelines, version control discipline, and automated testing infrastructure
- Eliminate single-point-of-failure technical knowledge risk across the platform
Benefits
- Subsidized medical and dental insurance coverage for you and your dependent(s)
- Life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability
- 401k
- Discretionary unlimited PTO
- Flexible Spending Account for you and your dependent(s), with eligible plan elections
- Commuter benefits for NY employees
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Principal
