Senior Embedded Software Engineer

Matternet•Mountain View, CA

9h•$190,000 - $240,000•Onsite

About The Position

Matternet is building the future of delivery with autonomous drone networks that move critical goods faster, cleaner, and at lower cost. We work with partners across healthcare, logistics, food, and retail to deliver everything from medical items to everyday essentials, safely and reliably. We’re seeking a Senior Embedded Software Engineer to develop the firmware and embedded software layer that sits between our aircraft and ground asset hardware and the higher-level software stack. Working across microcontrollers, embedded Linux, and the buses and peripherals that connect them, you'll bring up new hardware, own the drivers and firmware that make sensors and actuators reliable, and harden the embedded systems our delivery ecosystem depends on for every flight. This is a senior individual-contributor role with real ownership: you'll own embedded subsystems end-to-end, from board bring-up through flight test and regulated change control, working closely with Electrical, Mechanical, and Onboard Software teams.

Requirements

6+ years of production embedded software/firmware engineering
Strong C/C++ design and programming skills, with solid software engineering practice across the hardware/software/network development lifecycle (code review, source control, build systems, test-driven development, static analysis)
Proficiency with embedded Linux for ARM (kernel, device drivers, board support) as well as bare-metal/RTOS firmware development
Deep functional knowledge of communication protocols (CAN, SPI, I2C, UART, BLE) and experience selecting the right protocol and hardware for a given application
Experience selecting microcontrollers and bringing up new peripherals, sensors, and actuators (motors, encoders, and similar)
Comfortable reading board-level schematics and datasheets, and debugging at the signal level using oscilloscopes and/or logic analyzers
Proficiency with version control and peer code review workflows (e.g., Git)
Excellent technical communication and strong cross-disciplinary teamwork in a fast-paced environment

Nice To Haves

UAV, autonomous robotics, aerospace, or other safety-critical regulated experience
Experience with Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS)
Familiarity with an autopilot stack such as ArduPilot or PX4, and UAV/avionics technologies (ADS-B, GPS/GNSS, LIDAR, perception sensors)
Experience with build systems such as CMake, Make, or Waf, and containerized build/test environments (Docker)
Experience optimizing C/C++ algorithms for high data throughput
Experience with battery management systems or smart battery ICs
Experience using AI coding assistants to accelerate development
Relevant mechanical, aerospace, or electrical engineering experience

Responsibilities

Design, build, test, and maintain firmware and embedded software for Matternet's aircraft and station embedded systems, spanning microcontroller firmware and embedded Linux on ARM
Own the hardware/software boundary: bring up new boards and peripherals, write and debug device drivers, and integrate sensors and peripherals (e.g. encoders, motors, IMUs, LIDAR/RADAR, and similar)
Select and integrate microcontrollers, communication buses (CAN, SPI, I2C, UART, BLE), and peripherals appropriate for new features and hardware revisions
Drive embedded software verification and release, from bench and simulation testing through flight test and deployment across production fleets
Debug at the hardware/software boundary when needed, including hands-on use of oscilloscopes and logic analyzers, and reviewing board-level schematics and datasheets with Electrical Engineering
Provide senior technical support, triaging and resolving field and flight-test issues tied to embedded subsystems
Collaborate with stakeholders across Electrical, Mechanical, Onboard Software, Operations, Safety, and Production