Staff Embedded Linux Engineer

LineVision•Boston, MA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

LineVision is seeking a Staff Embedded Linux Engineer to own and advance the Linux platform beneath its field-deployed grid-monitoring sensors. The sensors are ruggedized and solar-powered, mounted on poles near transmission lines, and pair a Linux compute module with a companion microcontroller. They connect over cellular and must operate securely and reliably for years without a site visit. The role has broad autonomy over Linux kernel and bootloader maintenance, security patching, board bring-up, system software improvements, and device security, including secure boot. The engineer will bridge a hardware-focused embedded team with Data Science and Computer Vision, helping move algorithms onto devices and shape the architecture of future-generation products. The position is full-time and in person at LineVision’s Boston, Massachusetts headquarters, and reports to the Senior Manager of Embedded Software Engineering. In the first three months, the engineer will assume day-to-day responsibility for kernel, driver, and bootloader work; document a security patching process; establish performance baselines; and present a prioritized technical roadmap. Within six months, the engineer will ship system software improvements and define the device security architecture and roadmap with partner teams. Within the first year, the engineer will lead embedded software architecture for the next-generation sensor, establish a workflow for bringing models and algorithms onto devices, and grow the team’s embedded Linux expertise. Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. This position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship.

Requirements

Linux kernel and device driver development in C, including device trees and common bus and camera interfaces.
Bootloader development using U-Boot or similar, and board bring-up of new SoCs or modules.
Embedded Linux security patching and maintenance over a multi-year product life, including CVE triage and kernel upgrades.
Software engineering background with strong working knowledge of hardware, including reading schematics and datasheets and debugging with JTAG, oscilloscopes, and logic analyzers.
Scripting experience in Python and Bash.
Track record of technical leadership, including setting direction for a platform or subsystem and raising the bar for other engineers.
Currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis; employment visa sponsorship is not available.

Nice To Haves

Hardware-level device security experience, including secure boot, chain of trust, key management, and secure factory provisioning.
Experience optimizing embedded Linux for boot time, power, and reliability.
Experience running workloads on NPUs or GPUs.
Experience with OTA update systems for deployed fleets, including A/B partitioning and rollback.
Yocto/OpenEmbedded, FreeRTOS, or Rust experience.
Upstream Linux kernel contributions or cybersecurity compliance experience such as EU RED / EN 18031.

Responsibilities

Maintain the Linux kernel and bootloader on LineVision devices, including security patching, driver development, and operating system improvements.
Lead board bring-up on new hardware platforms, from first boot through production.
Improve device-platform software, including performance, power efficiency, and reliability.
Design hardware-level device security, including secure boot and factory-signed software, in collaboration with hardware and manufacturing teams.
Work with Data Science and Computer Vision to adapt algorithms for low-footprint, on-device execution, using the NPU, GPU, and other hardware blocks where beneficial.
Own the Linux BSP and build system, including device trees, OS image releases, and kernel and bootloader upgrade strategy.
Lead root-cause analysis of cross-layer issues such as kernel crashes, power and thermal behavior, and field or manufacturing failures.
Influence SoC, module, and peripheral selection for future hardware, considering Linux support, vendor BSP quality, maintainability, and security features.
Set embedded Linux technical standards through design reviews, code review, and mentoring, and serve as a technical resource across hardware, firmware, and cloud application software.
Within the first three months, take day-to-day responsibility for kernel, driver, and bootloader work; document security patching; baseline performance; and present a prioritized technical roadmap.
Within six months, ship production system software improvements with measurable gains and define the device security architecture and roadmap, including secure boot and chain of trust, signed software and updates, key management and factory provisioning, interface protection, data protection, and applicable regulatory cybersecurity requirements.
Within the first year, lead embedded software architecture for the next-generation sensor and document decisions for the wider team.
Establish a repeatable workflow with Data Science and Computer Vision for moving models and algorithms onto devices.
Coach engineers and develop the team’s embedded Linux depth through design reviews, code review, and mentoring.