Lead Firmware Engineer

Robotics Jobs UK; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

30+ paid days off

Private healthcare

Pension 8%

Free breakfast & lunch

Job summary

Humanoid in London is seeking a Lead Firmware Engineer to drive firmware development for our humanoid platform. You will lead hands-on work at the intersection of robotics, embedded systems, and real-time control, coordinating with hardware and systems teams to deliver robust motion and interaction capabilities.

You will mentor engineers, design real-time algorithms, and ensure secure, reliable firmware across platforms, with a focus on high performance and power efficiency.

Qualifications

• 10+ years embedded systems experience, preferably in robotics.
• Strong C/C++ skills for microcontrollers, with RTOS experience.
• Hands-on ARM Cortex/STM32 familiarity.
• Knowledge of UART/SPI/I2C/CAN/Ethernet protocols.
• Ability to lead and mentor engineering teammates.
• Experience debugging with oscilloscopes/logic analyzers.
• Working knowledge of Git, CI/CD, and Agile methods.
• Solid grasp of control systems, kinematics and motion algorithms.
• Interest in Rust for embedded systems.

Responsibilities

• Develop and debug firmware for humanoid robots focusing on motion control.
• Collaborate with hardware teams to integrate MCUs and peripherals.
• Design and implement drivers for motors, sensors, and comms.
• Optimize firmware for performance, reliability and power efficiency.
• Develop and test real-time control algorithms for movement and balance.
• Lead and mentor junior engineers, performing code reviews.
• Ensure robust security and fail-safe in embedded systems.
• Maintain documentation and manage version control of firmware.

Skills

Embedded systems

C/C++

RTOS (FreeRTOS/Zephyr)

ARM Cortex / STM32

Serial communication

Git / CI/CD

Real-time control

Mentoring

Tools

Oscilloscopes

Logic analyzers

Job description

Here at Humanoid, we believe in a future where robots amplify human potential. That’s why we’ve set out on a mission to build the world’s most capable, commercially-scalable, and safe humanoid robots. We’re bringing that mission to life with HMND‑01 Alpha - our rapidly developed humanoid platform now running in real industrial pilots - and we’re growing the team to take it even further.

About The Role

As a Lead Firmware Engineer on the Hardware team based in London, you will play a critical role in developing the firmware that powers our next generation of humanoid robots. This is a hands‑on technical leadership role at the intersection of robotics, embedded systems, and real‑time control, building the software that enables advanced motion, balance, and interaction with complex environments. You’ll collaborate closely with hardware and systems teams to integrate microcontrollers, sensors, and actuators, while designing robust, high‑performance firmware and real‑time algorithms.

What You'll Do

• Develop and debug firmware for humanoid robots, focusing on motion control, stabilization, sensor integration and ethernet‑based communication.
• Collaborate with hardware teams to design seamless integration of microcontrollers and peripherals.
• Design and implement drivers for motors, sensors, and communication protocols.
• Optimize firmware for performance, reliability, and power efficiency.
• Develop and test real‑time control algorithms for robotic movement and balance.
• Lead and mentor junior engineers, conducting code reviews and promoting best practices.
• Ensure robust security and fail‑safe mechanisms in embedded systems.
• Maintain technical documentation and manage version control of firmware.

What We’re Looking For

• 10+ years of experience in embedded systems development, preferably in robotics.
• Strong C and C++ skills aimed at microcontrollers, with experience in various RTOS environments ("e.g., FreeRTOS, Zephyr") as well as bare‑metal systems.
• Hands‑on experience with ARM Cortex, STM32, or similar platforms.
• Familiarity with communication protocols such as UART, SPI, I2C, CAN, and Ethernet.
• The ability to lead and mentor other engineering team members.
• Experience with debugging tools like oscilloscopes and logic analyzers.
• Working knowledge of Git, CI/CD, and Agile methodologies.
• Strong understanding of control systems, kinematics, and motion algorithms.
• Experience with and/or an interest in using Rust for embedded systems

What We Offer

• Competitive equity: stock options with meaningful upside as we scale.
• 30+ paid days off, including 23 days of annual leave, all UK bank holidays, and additional company closure days (including Christmas–New Year shutdown).
• Private healthcare, including virtual and in‑person care.
• Pension scheme with 8% total contribution (5% employee, 3% employer) on full earnings.
• Free daily breakfast, catered lunch, and snacks in‑office.
• Work at the frontier - collaborate daily with world‑class engineers, researchers, and product experts building the next generation of AI and humanoid robotics.
• Real ownership - direct access to founding leadership, meaningful input on product direction, and the ability to drive key initiatives from day one.