Senior Real-Time & Application Software Developer

Emerson•Round Rock, TX

6d•Onsite

About The Position

Emerson is seeking a software engineer excited by the challenge of building both embedded firmware and user-facing applications that power industrial automation systems. This role involves working across the full software stack, from real-time controller firmware running on Linux and VxWorks RTOS to workstation applications used by engineers to configure, program, visualize, and manage industrial automation systems. The position is based in Austin, Texas, and will involve contributing to the development of Emerson's PACSystems technologies, which are trusted by leading companies across discrete and hybrid manufacturing industries. Responsibilities include contributing to both the embedded controller platform and the engineering software tools that interact with PACSystems controllers, potentially involving PLC programming capabilities, deterministic control execution, industrial communications, diagnostics, configuration, visualization, and management workflows. The role will contribute to the design and development of next-generation PACSystems software capabilities across embedded and workstation layers, involving C and C++ software development, real-time distributed computing, Linux and VxWorks RTOS environments, workstation application development, and systems where timing, reliability, usability, and predictable behavior are critical. The team embraces modern development practices, including automated testing, AI-assisted development, and spec-driven methods. The organization is led by committed leaders focused on technical excellence, Agile principles, mentorship, and fostering an environment for engineers to do their best work.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related STEM discipline plus 5+ years of experience; or Master's degree plus 3+ years of experience.
Strong knowledge of embedded software development using C/C++, C#, or RUST
Knowledge of Linux and/or VxWorks RTOS concepts, including real-time execution, concurrency, memory management, and debugging
Strong problem-solving skills and a genuine desire to understand complex, distributed control systems
Legal authorization to work in the United States without sponsorship now and in the future

Nice To Haves

Experience developing embedded firmware for Linux, VxWorks, or other RTOS platforms
Experience developing desktop or workstation applications used for configuration, programming, diagnostics, monitoring, or system management
Familiarity with PLCs, industrial controllers, industrial automation, process control, or discrete and hybrid manufacturing environments
Exposure to real-time distributed computing, deterministic scheduling, time-critical communications, or high-reliability control systems
Familiarity with industrial Ethernet and industrial internet protocols such as EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, Modbus TCP, OPC UA, MQTT, or related technologies
Experience with AI-assisted and spec-driven development workflows, including the use of structured specification languages such as OpenAPI, Protobuf, GraphQL schemas, or JSON Schema to drive code generation, validation, and AI-assisted implementation
Experience with distributed systems, edge computing, or industrial IoT solutions
Familiarity with version control systems such as Git
Exposure to automated testing, CI pipelines, hardware-in-the-loop testing, or system-level validation
Any experience with Agile or structured development processes

Responsibilities

Collaborate with a creative team, participate in code reviews, and actively engage in Agile activities such as sprint planning and retrospectives.
Take part in Hackathons, Tech Talks, and Communities of Practice with like-minded engineers.
Learn from experienced engineers, product managers, and subject matter experts in industrial automation.
Support the authoring and review of structured software specifications, gaining hands-on experience with spec-driven development practices and AI-assisted development workflows.
Write software using modern tools, frameworks, and AI-enabled development practices.
Learn to apply spec-driven methodologies to improve quality, reduce ambiguity, and accelerate delivery.
Write automated unit tests and contribute to system-level testing to support a healthy automation pipeline and a release-ready product.
Actively participate in team retrospectives and bring ideas for how the team can improve its processes and ways of working.
Stay curious about emerging technologies, AI development tooling, and spec-driven methodologies, and look for opportunities to apply new skills to real problems.
Ask questions, challenge assumptions, and take time to understand the problem before diving into solutions.
Treat every task as a learning opportunity.
Engage openly with teammates, actively seek feedback, and commit to continuous improvement in both work and craft.