Low level firmware engineer

Bermondsey Electronics Ltd.; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexitime

Sick pay

Work from home

Job summary

Bermondsey Electronics Ltd. is seeking an embedded software developer to join their contract electronics development team, based in Bermondsey, London.

The role welcomes graduates or early-career engineers with strong embedded C skills and a hands-on approach, ready to work across multiple platforms and test boards for clients. You'll be involved in peripheral and board bring-up, driver development, and debugging across varied platforms (STM32, iMX, RW6xx, etc.).

Qualifications

• Embedded C programming required.
• Familiar with Embedded Linux (Yocto/Buildroot).
• Experience with Python or Android build systems is a plus.
• Right to work in the UK is required.

Responsibilities

• Bring up PCBs and develop or debug drivers for peripheral interfaces.
• Test boards from clients and verify functionality across targets.
• Work hands-on with code and hardware, learning new platforms rapidly.
• Collaborate across projects, moving between different platforms as required.
• Assist with on-site hardware bring-up and debugging while supporting client goals.

Skills

Embedded C

Python

Android build system

Networking protocols

ISO13485

Education

Diploma of Higher Education

Tools

Makefiles

Job description

Bermondsey Electronics is a contract electronics development company looking for an embedded software developer to expand the team. The successful applicant will work on a wide variety of systems, with different targets and design goals, based at the office in Bermondsey.

This role is also open to motivated graduates or early-career engineers who have a good understanding of embedded C and are keen to develop their skills quickly. Candidates with limited professional experience are welcome, provided they are comfortable working hands-on with code and hardware, learning new platforms rapidly, and moving between different projects as required.

We need a new engineer to be involved in peripheral and board bring-up. This means testing PCBs coming in from clients. Clients have occasionally tested boards but not always, and usually not fully. They might not have the skills or might not know how a specific peripheral works. Our job is to prove the board fundamentally works, and develop or debug drivers as necessary. Higher level application code is usually done by those specialists and is not expected to be a fundamental part of this role. It's a useful skill if you have it, though.

In the last year, this has meant working with STM32, DA1453x, NXP iMX RT and RW6xx platforms, iMX 8M Plus and Nano. Software platforms range from bare metal to FreeRTOS to Zephyr, through Linux and all the way up to Android. At each stage, clients have either not been able to supply drivers, or a delivery from a supplier has had to be debugged or modified. With that done, the PCB is handed off to application developers, or the client will issue us another board to repeat the cycle. Suppliers usually deliver drivers in C. These are often of unknown quality. They may need configuration, and sometimes a device tree.

We ported TI's CC3351 driver to STM32 and brought up lwIP on FreeRTOS

We brought up a new iMX8MP Linux platform using LVDS and a bespoke RFID driver

We rewrote an ESP32 bootloader for a client to update partition tables OTA

We tested and verified RW610 power modes in Zephyr

We rewrote the STM32 Eclipse ThreadX USB Audio Host driver to support USB MIDI

We debugged an Infineon WiFi driver low power mode on Android on iMX8MP

This can mean writing and/or debugging drivers like SPI, DAC or LVDS. Typically test and measurement gear is needed, e.g. logic analyser, scope, bench power supply etc. There can be a lot of time configuring demo code to run in the mode the client requires, perhaps on a different target. When the code is running, we may need to capture signal traces to diagnose the fault. When we have the fault, we might need to change the code or the hardware, or both, for the client feature to work.

This role requires a practical, hands-on approach. Candidates are expected to actively write, debug, and test code, work directly with hardware, and spend time investigating issues in depth. Applicants who are not prepared to engage directly with low-level code, testing, and debugging, or who rely primarily on automated tools without deeper understanding, are unlikely to find this role suitable.

Please note this role is not to develop hardware. Clients supply us boards to bring up. If you want to design PCBs from scratch, this is not the job for you. If you enjoy bringing up software stacks on new hardware, this is the job for you!

Any knowledge of embedded OS is an advantage (FreeRTOS, Zephyr, Linux/Android, ThreadX).

Ability with a soldering iron is useful.

Familiarity with automated testing is useful but not required (e.g. hardware-in-the-loop).

If you thrive in responsive, hands-on work and enjoy solving difficult problems efficiently, this could be the right role for you!

Candidates must already have unrestricted permission to work in the UK.

We CANNOT provide visa sponsorship, cannot extend visas, and cannot consider candidates whose right to work is time-limited or dependent on future sponsorship, including Graduate visas. Please do not apply if you require visa sponsorship now or at any point in the future.

Candidates must know embedded C programming and any one of the following:

• Embedded Linux e.g. Yocto or Buildroot build system
• Python
• Android build system
• Networking and communication protocols
• ISO13485 / IEC61508

The ideal candidate will also have some familiarity with:

• Embedded OS use
• Makefiles / build configuration systems
• Basic soldering
• Unit testing

40 hours of full time effort are expected every week. Remote working is offered, although 2 days per week on site are required (5 days during probation). Flexitime is offered as standard, although all hours must be accountable. 25 days' vacation are offered, growing with tenure.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay (Based on experience): £40,00.00 - £55,000.00 per year

• Flexitime
• Sick pay
• Work from home

Schedule:

• Core hours 1000-1600
• Flexitime
• Overtime, when available

Education:

Diploma of Higher Education (preferred)

Experience:

C Programming: 1 year (preferred)

Software engineering: 1 year (required)

Right to work in the UK – important reminder:

Applications from candidates who do not already have unrestricted UK work authorisation will not be considered.

Work Location: Hybrid remote in London SE1 with 2 days per week on site near London Bridge.