Software Engineer- Embedded/Firmware

ORAU•Knoxville, TN

1d•Onsite

About The Position

ORAU is conducting the search on behalf of Type One Energy for a permanent, full-time Software Engineer (Embedded/Firmware) in Knoxville, Tennessee. Type One Energy Group is mission-driven to provide sustainable, affordable fusion power to the world. Established in 2019 and venture-backed in 2023, the company is led by a team of globally recognized fusion scientists with a strong track record of building state-of-the-art stellarator fusion machines, together with veteran business leaders experienced in scaling companies and commercializing energy technologies. Type One Energy applies proven advanced manufacturing methods, modern computational physics and high-field superconducting magnets to develop its optimized stellarator fusion energy system. Its FusionDirect development program pursues the lowest-risk, shortest-schedule path to a fusion power plant over the coming decade, using a partner-intensive and capital-efficient strategy. Type One Energy is committed to community engagement in the development and deployment of its clean energy technology.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, or a related field
Minimum 3 years of experience in embedded software or firmware development
Strong experience with PetaLinux and real-time Linux environments
FPGA development experience using VHDL and/or Verilog
Experience with standard embedded peripherals and communication protocols, including: ADC, DAC, I²C, SPI, Ethernet / TCP/IP, Serial interfaces and low-level hardware communication
Experience with version control and CI/CD tools (e.g., Jenkins, GitHub Actions)
Strong debugging and problem-solving skills across hardware and software domains
Ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary engineering environment

Nice To Haves

Experience with industrial automation or control systems
Familiarity with LabVIEW and National Instruments hardware platforms
Experience working in regulated industries such as medical devices, automotive, aerospace, nuclear, or energy
Knowledge of safety-critical or high-reliability embedded systems
Experience with system-level integration and testing of complex equipment

Responsibilities

Design and develop low-level software and firmware for instrumentation and control (I&C) systems supporting stellarator devices and associated equipment.
Focus on embedded platforms, FPGA-based systems, real-time operating environments, and hardware integration.
Work closely with electrical, controls, and systems engineers to enable reliable operation of safety-critical and high-performance hardware.
Develop low-level embedded software and firmware, including I&C device drivers.
Design and implement FPGA control software using hardware description languages.
Develop, customize, and maintain embedded operating systems such as real-time Linux and PetaLinux.
Support printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) development in collaboration with hardware teams.
Perform hardware bring-up, validation, and debugging of new embedded platforms.
Implement and maintain software build systems, testing, and CI/CD pipelines.
Integrate firmware with higher-level control systems and applications.
Troubleshoot complex hardware–software interactions.
Create technical documentation including design specifications, interface definitions, and test procedures.
Participate in system integration, verification, and commissioning activities.