Senior firmware ontwerper

VAEngineering; Wachtebeke; On-site; EUR 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

VAEngineering in Belgium is seeking a skilled Firmware Engineer to design, develop, and maintain embedded software across STM32 and ESP32 platforms. You will work on low-level firmware, RTOS-based applications (Zephyr), and Linux-based environments built with Yocto.

You will collaborate with hardware engineers, perform board bring-up, optimize performance and power, and write clean C/C++ code. Strong embedded C/C++ experience and hands-on MCU work are essential to deliver robust,

Qualifications

• Strong experience with embedded C/C++ development.
• Hands-on experience with STM32/ESP32 or similar ARM MCUs.
• Experience with RTOS concepts and Zephyr RTOS.
• Familiarity with debugging tools (JTAG, SWD, scopes).
• Experience with UART, SPI, I2C, CAN, BLE, Wi‑Fi.
• Experience with Yocto Project and embedded Linux is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain embedded firmware for MCU-based systems (STM32, ESP32, and similar MCUs)
• Design low-level drivers and interfaces (SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, GPIO, etc.)
• Work with Zephyr RTOS for real-time applications
• Integrate and debug peripherals, sensors, and communication stacks
• Optimize performance, memory usage, and power consumption
• Perform board bring-up, debugging, and hardware validation
• Collaborate with hardware engineers and system architects
• Write clean, maintainable, and well-documented C/C++ code

Skills

embedded C/C++

STM32

ESP32

RTOS concepts

Zephyr RTOS

low-level embedded

debugging tools

UART

SPI

I2C

CAN

BLE

Wi-Fi

Tools

JTAG/SWD

oscilloscopes

logic analyzers

Yocto Project

Job description

At VAEngineering, we design and develop high-tech electronic devices from concept to production. Our work spans the full product lifecycle, from system architecture and hardware design to firmware development, embedded Linux, and manufacturing support. We take pride in building robust, scalable, and production-ready solutions across a wide range of industries.

The ideal candidate is a proactive and collaborative engineer who combines creativity with strong technical problem-solving skills. You are able to think strategically across the full development lifecycle, from concept and architecture to implementation and production. You take ownership of your work, communicate effectively with cross-functional teams, and are equally comfortable working independently or as part of a team.

Role Overview

We are looking for a skilled Firmware Engineer to design, develop, and maintain embedded software for a range of hardware platforms, including STM32 and ESP32-based systems. You will work on low-level firmware, RTOS-based applications (Zephyr), and Linux-based embedded environments built with Yocto.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain embedded firmware for microcontroller-based systems (STM32, ESP32, and similar MCUs)
• Design low-level drivers and interfaces (SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, GPIO, etc.)
• Work with Zephyr RTOS for real-time applications
• Integrate and debug peripherals, sensors, and communication stacks
• Optimize performance, memory usage, and power consumption
• Perform board bring-up, debugging, and hardware validation
• Collaborate with hardware engineers and system architects
• Write clean, maintainable, and well-documented C/C++ code

Required Qualifications

• Strong experience with embedded C/C++ development
• Hands-on experience with STM32, ESP32, or similar ARM-based MCUs
• Experience with RTOS concepts (threads, scheduling, synchronization, interrupts)
• Practical experience with Zephyr RTOS
• Solid understanding of low-level embedded systems and hardware interaction
• Familiarity with debugging tools (JTAG, SWD, logic analyzers, oscilloscopes)
• Experience with communication protocols (UART, SPI, I2C, BLE, Wi‑Fi, CAN)

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with embedded Linux systems
• Hands‑on experience with Yocto Project for building custom Linux distributions
• Knowledge of device trees, kernel configuration, and driver development
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines for firmware
• Experience with OTA updates and secure boot
• Exposure to power optimization techniques in embedded systems