Principal Enginer – Firmware

FHLB Des Moines; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 107,000 - 157,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Restricted stock units

Quarterly bonus payments

Health benefits from day one

Retirement savings plans

IESPP program with a 6-month look back

Job summary

Microchip Technology Inc. is seeking a Principal Enginer – Firmware to join the Ottawa-based Timing Firmware team.

You will collaborate with Marketing, Systems Architecture, Hardware, and Validation to develop innovative, state‑of‑the‑art SoC‑based timing solutions and related tools. The role requires an MSc/PhD in Electrical Engineering or related field, 6+ years in DSP/embedded software, strong C/C++, unit testing, Python and TCL, RTOS knowledge, and excellent cross‑functional communication.

Qualifications

• MSc or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field.
• Minimum of 6 years of experience in DSP algorithm development, embedded software development, or a mix of both.
• Extensive experience and deep expertise in C/C++ programming.
• Experience developing unit tests for code quality validation.
• Hands-on experience with scripting languages such as Python and TCL.
• Knowledge of embedded general-purpose processors and/or embedded DSP architectures and programming.
• Knowledge of RTOS and hardware/software interactions.
• Strong problem-solving and debugging skills with laboratory equipment.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Marketing to define firmware requirements and feasibility.
• Design collaboration with hardware designers and test engineers; write design specs.
• Implement algorithms, functions, and hardware drivers per design specifications.
• Write integration test plans and develop automated regression test scripts.
• Perform root-cause analysis and drive issue resolution.
• Develop tools to support firmware development, debugging, and testing.
• Assist with system-level integration and debugging.
• Document designs, code, and development processes.

Skills

C/C++ programming

Unit testing

Python

Tcl

RTOS

Education

MSc or PhD in Electrical Engineering/related field

Tools

Jira

Git

Confluence

Job description

Are you looking for a unique opportunity to be a part of something great? Want to join a 17,000-member team that works on the technology that powers the world around us? Looking for an atmosphere of trust, empowerment, respect, diversity, and communication? How about an opportunity to own a piece of a multi‑billion dollar (with a B!) global organization? We offer all that and more at Microchip Technology Inc. People come to work at Microchip because we help design the technology that runs the world. They stay because our culture supports their growth and stability. They are challenged and driven by an incredible array of products and solutions with unlimited career potential. Microchip's nationally‑recognised Leadership Passage Programs support career growth where we proudly enroll over a thousand people annually. We take pride in our commitment to employee development, values‑based decision making, and strong sense of community, driven by our Vision, Mission, and 11 Guiding Values; we affectionately refer to it as the Aggregate System and it's won us countless awards for diversity and workplace excellence. Our company is built by dedicated team players who love to challenge the status quo; we did not achieve record revenue and over 30 years of quarterly profitability without a great team dedicated to empowering innovation. People like you.

Job Description

The Microchip Timing and Synchronization Team is dedicated to developing world‑class network synchronization products. We are at the forefront of creating new timing technologies, including ultra‑low‑jitter PLLs, IEEE 1588, and Synchronous Ethernet PLLs, that address synchronization challenges in optical, electrical, and packet networks. Our timing solutions are used in diverse applications such as 5G, autonomous vehicles, stock markets, wireless communications, the cable industry, and the Internet of Things (IoT). We have an exciting opportunity for a highly skilled Principal Enginer – Firmware to join our Ottawa‑based Timing Firmware team in Canada. In this role, you will collaborate closely with the Marketing, Systems Architecture, Hardware, and Validation teams to develop innovative, state‑of‑the‑art SoC‑based timing solutions and related tools.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Marketing: Define firmware requirements and provide feedback on the feasibility and limitations of proposed product features.
• Design Collaboration: Work closely with hardware designers and test engineers to contribute to firmware architecture design and write detailed design specifications.
• Implementation: Implement algorithms, functions, and hardware drivers according to design specifications.
• Testing: Write integration test plans and develop automated regression test scripts to verify design features.
• Problem Solving: Tackle complex technical challenges, perform root‑cause analysis, and drive the resolution of critical issues.
• Tool Development: Develop tools to support firmware development, debugging, and testing.
• System Integration: Assist with system‑level integration and debugging.
• Documentation: Ensure thorough documentation of designs, code, and development processes.

Requirements and Qualifications

• MSc or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• Minimum of 6 years of experience in DSP algorithm development, embedded software development, or a combination of both.
• Extensive experience and deep expertise in C/C++ programming.
• Experience developing unit tests for code quality validation.
• Hands‑on experience with scripting languages such as Python and TCL.
• Knowledge of embedded general‑purpose processors and/or embedded DSP architectures and programming.
• Knowledge of embedded software or firmware, real‑time operating systems (RTOS), and hardware/software interactions.
• Strong problem‑solving and debugging skills, with the ability to work comfortably with laboratory equipment.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with architecture, validation, manufacturing, and other cross‑functional teams.

Nice to Have

• Strong theoretical background in digital signal processing algorithms and analysis.
• Experience with low‑level embedded software development and verification.
• Experience with SoC development and integration.
• Knowledge of timing standards.
• Familiarity with Agile methodologies and related tools such as Jira, Git, and Confluence.

Travel Time: 0% - 25%

Pay Range

We offer a total compensation package that ranks among the best in the industry. It consists of competitive base pay, restricted stock units, and quarterly bonus payments. In addition to these components, our package includes health benefits that begin day one, retirement savings plans, and an industry leading IESPP program with a 6‑month look back feature.

Benefits of working at Microchip

The annual base salary range for this position is $107,000 - $157,000.* *Range is dependent on numerous factors including job location, skills and experience.

Ontario Accommodation

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At Microchip, employees are our greatest strength. As one of the top performing semiconductor companies in the world, we are led by a set of guiding values and a mission to empower innovation to enhance the human experience. We work tirelessly to create a company culture that highlights how important every employee is to our mission.