Lead Firmware Engineer

The Onset; Sydney; On-site; AUD 150,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

The Onset in Sydney is seeking a Lead Firmware Engineer to own the firmware architecture for a portfolio of connected products. You’ll still be close to code and hardware, guiding a multidisciplinary team and setting the technical direction.

With 8+ years in embedded software, you’ll design robust systems, work across Ethernet, Bluetooth, Wi‑Fi, and TCP/IP, and shape future remote device management initiatives. Onsite with flexible WFH options.

Qualifications

• Eight or more years of embedded software or firmware engineering experience.
• Strong commercial C/C++ development experience.
• Production experience with FreeRTOS or another RTOS.

Responsibilities

• Own the firmware architecture and technical roadmap across a family of connected products
• Develop embedded software in C/C++ on STM32 microcontrollers using FreeRTOS
• Make sound decisions around task structure, inter-task communication, semaphores, mutexes and system behaviour
• Build and maintain bootloaders, firmware update mechanisms and networked device functionality
• Work across Ethernet, TCP/IP, LWIP, Bluetooth, Wi‑Fi, USB and wired control protocols
• Develop embedded web interfaces and on‑device control experiences
• Work with colour‑control algorithms, high‑resolution dimming, special effects and camera synchronisation
• Debug the boundary between firmware and electronics using UART, I2C, SPI, logic analysers and oscilloscopes
• Read schematics, understand PCB designs and work closely with electronics and mechanical engineers
• Improve the structure, reliability and maintainability of an established embedded platform
• Help shape future work in remote device management, fleet visibility and connected asset tracking

Skills

Embedded C/C++

STM32 MCU

FreeRTOS

Networking basics

Bootloader development

Code architecture

Hardware-software interface

Debugging tools

System ownership

Job description

Lead Firmware Engineer

Sydney | $150,000-$170,000 + super

We’re working with an established Australian engineering business that designs high-end products for creative industries doing big things for the arts.

Its products combine embedded control, colour science, networking and rugged electronics. They’re designed in Sydney, manufactured at scale and used by professional crews across international markets.

The role

You’ll become the central technical owner of an established embedded software platform.

There is a mature codebase and an experienced multidisciplinary team around you. Your job is to give the firmware clear architectural direction while remaining close enough to the code and hardware to deliver.

• Own the firmware architecture and technical roadmap across a family of connected products
• Develop embedded software in C/C++ on STM32 microcontrollers using FreeRTOS
• Make sound decisions around task structure, inter-task communication, semaphores, mutexes and system behaviour
• Build and maintain bootloaders, firmware update mechanisms and networked device functionality
• Work across Ethernet, TCP/IP, LWIP, Bluetooth, Wi‑Fi, USB and wired control protocols
• Develop embedded web interfaces and on‑device control experiences
• Work with colour‑control algorithms, high‑resolution dimming, special effects and camera synchronisation
• Debug the boundary between firmware and electronics using UART, I2C, SPI, logic analysers and oscilloscopes
• Read schematics, understand PCB designs and work closely with electronics and mechanical engineers
• Improve the structure, reliability and maintainability of an established embedded platform
• Help shape future work in remote device management, fleet visibility and connected asset tracking

This is a hands‑on senior engineering role with genuine architectural authority and a pathway towards technical leadership.

What you’ll bring

Firmware is your core craft. You understand electronics, but your depth sits in building and owning embedded software systems.

You’ll likely have:

• Eight or more years of embedded software or firmware engineering experience
• Strong commercial C/C++ development experience
• Deep experience with STM32 or comparable 32‑bit ARM microcontrollers
• Production experience with FreeRTOS or another real‑time operating system
• A strong understanding of embedded networking and communicationsPractical bootloader and firmware update experience
• Evidence of owning substantial systems or codebases, rather than isolated components
• The ability to explain architectural decisions clearly and test your thinking with other engineers
• Enough hardware fluency to investigate problems across the firmware‑electronics boundary

Experience with embedded GUIs, web servers, AWS or Azure IoT, Python, C#, cellular connectivity, GPS or mobile applications would be useful. None of those outweighs strong firmware judgement.

How you’ll work

This is a small, practical engineering environment. People are expected to understand the wider product, ask why something is being built and spot the next problem without waiting for a detailed instruction.

You’ll suit the team if you’re:

• Curious about the complete system, not only your assigned component
• Comfortable taking ownership in an environment with fewer layers and less ceremony
• Decisive without becoming dogmatic
• Happy to challenge an approach, explain your reasoning and listen when someone has a better one
• Motivated by building a physical product whose performance is visible in the final result

The role is based primarily onsite in Sydney, where the products, electronics and test equipment live. There is sensible flexibility to work from home when focused work calls for it, along with onsite parking.

The interview process

The technical assessment reflects the actual work. There are no algorithm puzzles or performative coding exercises.

Expect practical conversations covering:

• FreeRTOS task communication and code structure
• System architecture through a whiteboard design exercise
• Hardware interfaces, schematics and firmware‑electronics troubleshooting

The team wants to understand how you think, what you’ve genuinely owned and how you’ll work alongside the engineers already there.

Interested?

Apply through this ad or contact Toby Tank at The Onset for a confidential conversation.

We’ll share the company’s identity and full product context directly with suitably aligned candidates. All applications and enquiries will be managed exclusively through The Onset.