Senior Embedded Firmware Manager, Propulsion and Battery

ALSO • Palo Alto, CA

5d

About The Position

ALSO is an electric mobility company originally conceived as a part of Rivian. We’re a passionate team of builders, dreamers, doers and innovators, focused on creating entirely new (not to mention, innovative and delightful) vertically integrated, small EVs designed to meet the global mobility challenges of today and tomorrow. Our mission is to inspire everyone to ride ALSO—replacing many local car, truck and SUV miles with ones on vehicles that are more affordable, more enjoyable and 10-50x more efficient. We are seeking a hands-on Technical Lead Manager to lead Also's Propulsion & Battery Firmware team. In this role, you will be both hands on writing and reviewing production firmware and leading a team of talented embedded engineers who build the software that powers our electric vehicles' drivetrains, battery management systems, and related safety-critical subsystems. You will own the full software development lifecycle for your team - from architecture and requirements through validation, CI/CD, and production support - while partnering closely with Electrical, Mechanical, Controls, and Test Engineering to deliver safe, high-performance vehicle experiences.

Requirements

• 10+ years of embedded software and firmware development, with a significant portion in a technical lead or engineering management role; 4+ years of direct people management.
• B.S. or M.S. in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• Deep, hands-on experience with propulsion systems, motor control firmware, battery management systems (BMS), or equivalent safety-critical embedded domains in automotive, e-mobility, robotics, or industrial applications.
• Expert in C; proficient in C++, Python, and bash scripting. Comfortable contributing production-quality code alongside your team.
• Proven experience delivering firmware in safety-critical, time-sensitive, and resource-constrained environments; familiarity with functional safety concepts (e.g., MISRA, ISO 26262, or equivalent).
• Strong understanding of control systems and vehicle system integration; familiarity with electric drivetrains, battery technology, and common vehicle communication protocols and peripherals (e.g., CAN, ADC, IMU, force sensors).
• Experience with low-level firmware development including drivers, bootloaders, and hardware bring-up; proficiency with real-time operating systems in safety-critical applications.
• Hands-on experience debugging in real-world environments using embedded diagnostics tools such as oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and JTAG.
• Experience with CI/CD and test automation applied to consumer-facing, SW-enabled hardware products; familiarity with static analysis and linting tools.
• Demonstrated ability to build, grow, and develop fast-paced embedded software teams; excellent communication, mentorship, and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with MATLAB/Simulink or similar model-based design and code-generation toolchains is a plus. Our team partners with the Controls team who uses this workflow.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and grow a team of embedded firmware engineers focused on propulsion, motor control, and battery management systems, fostering a collaborative and high-ownership engineering culture.
• Stay hands-on: actively contribute to firmware architecture, code reviews, and key implementation work alongside your team.
• Drive the architectural design, development, and testing of firmware across multiple vehicle programs, running on safety-critical ECUs in a distributed embedded system, with a focus on correctness, performance, and low-power operation.
• Lead high-impact vehicle integration workstreams involving complex, distributed feature implementation across multiple microcontrollers and vehicle subsystems.
• Collaborate with Electrical, Mechanical, Controls, and Test Engineering to design and document the SW integration workflow for various ECUs, including ECU handshaking, feature implementation, and root cause analysis.
• Oversee the entire software development lifecycle for propulsion firmware and related controls: requirements gathering, design, implementation, debugging, validation, and production support.
• Champion best practices in embedded firmware development - code reviews, version control, static analysis, linting, and continuous integration.
• Manage project priorities, resource allocation, and timelines effectively; communicate risks and status clearly to leadership.
• Engage with third-party vendors and contract engineering firms by delivering clear specifications and managing execution.

Benefits

• Robust health coverage - excellent health, dental, and vision insurance covered up to 100% by Also, with FSA & HSA options
• One Medical membership and dedicated insurance advocates
• Rich fertility and family-building benefits with Progyny
• Flexible time off
• 401(k) match

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior