Senior Embedded Software Engineer, Kernel

Flock

2d•$172,000 - $190,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Flock Safety is seeking a Senior Kernel Engineer to join our Device OS Team to solve one of our most critical engineering challenges: building an ultra-stable, rapid-deployment operating system foundation for our expanding next-generation device fleet. Our solar-powered LPR and live-video cameras (including our Picard, PTZ, and Puffin programs) operate in demanding, real-world conditions where firmware stability directly impacts public safety. In this pivotal role, you will eliminate system vulnerabilities and accelerate hardware execution by driving low-level Qualcomm Android BSP bring-up, devicetree modifications, and pSIM framework implementations. Collaborating across electrical engineering and application teams, you will bridge the gap between complex hardware architectures and cloud-connected software to ensure our life-saving devices never drop a frame.

Requirements

Bachelors, Masters, or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field with 8+ years experience
Proven track record of working with a large fleet of connected devices, a good understanding of different phases of their lifecycle and related challenges
Development experience within embedded systems/firmware design at multiple stages of the product life cycle (prototyping, pre-production engineering validation, release and scaling)
Experience with chipset bring-up within Linux or Android ecosystems
Experience with Android system architecture (HAL, Android Linux Kernel, Android Build System, etc)
Mastery of C and C++
Experience in bootloader development and customization, including familiarity with XBL (eXtensible Boot Loader) and ABL (Android Boot Loader) concepts and implementation
Proven ability to develop and debug firmware for Application Digital Signal Processors (ADSP), understanding their architecture and software development lifecycle
Comfortable working in a Linux-based development environment, including custom tooling, containers, Gerrit/Git, etc
Comfortable providing onsite support for new projects at the Coop once or twice a year as priorities come up
Familiar with AI-assisted engineering practices, including the strategic, concurrent use of multiple AI agents (Claude, Copilot, Codex) to optimize development velocity

Nice To Haves

Strong knowledge of Linux internals (memory management, power management, IRQ handling, synchronization, networking, storage, subsystem architecture)
Experience bringing up Linux Kernel drivers for common peripheral bus technologies including SPI, I2C, UART, is a big plus
Experience with Kotlin and Android apps development
Experience with Qualcomm chipset devices is a plus
Experience with customizing “Qualcomm Proprietary” subsystems(BP) is a big plus!
Experience with battery-powered/power constrained devices is a plus
Experience with ARM Cortex Microcontroller (NRF5x, STM32x, etc.) is a plus

Responsibilities

Drive low-level Qualcomm Android BSP bring-up, devicetree modifications, and pSIM framework implementations.
Eliminate system vulnerabilities and accelerate hardware execution.
Bridge the gap between complex hardware architectures and cloud-connected software.
Contribute to the stability, debug workflow, and triage of active camera programs running in the field.
Identify, analyze, and optimize latency or performance bottlenecks between low-level hardware layers and cloud-connected applications.
Ensure that Flock's embedded OS architecture scales gracefully as the company rapidly expands its physical product portfolio.

Benefits

Stock options
Flexible PTO
11 company holidays
Fully-paid health benefits plan for employees: including Medical, Dental, and Vision
HSA match
12 weeks of 100% paid parental leave
Additional 6-8 weeks of physical recovery time for birthing parents
$50,000-lifetime maximum benefit related to eligible adoption, surrogacy, or fertility expenses
Mental health benefits: including therapy, coaching, medication management, and digital tools
Caregiver support
1:1 sessions with Equity Tax Advisors
Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)
$150 per month WFH Stipend
$300 per year Productivity Stipend
$750 Home Office Stipend