Principal Firmware Engineer

Meril; Chennai District; On-site; INR 4,000,000 - 7,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Meril Life Science is seeking a Lead Firmware Developer to join our Medical Robotics R&D team, developing precision-controlled surgical robotic systems with embedded firmware for safety-critical devices.

You will work closely with hardware, control systems, and software teams to implement real-time control loops, motor control, and sensor integration while ensuring IEC 62304, IEC 60601, and ISO 14971 compliance during design, verification, and validation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electronics, Embedded Systems, Computer Engineering, or related field.
• 7+ years of embedded firmware development experience, preferably in medical, robotics, or automotive domains.
• Proficient in C/C++, RTOS-based development, and peripheral driver development.
• Hands-on experience with motor control, encoder interfaces, and real-time sensor data acquisition.
• Familiarity with safety-critical development processes (IEC 62304, ISO 13485, IEC 60601-1).

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain embedded firmware for microcontrollers (ARM Cortex-M, STM32) used in robotic actuators, encoders, and sensors.
• Implement real-time control loops (PID, torque control, trajectory following) for robotic arms.
• Write low-level drivers (SPI, I2C, UART, ADC, PWM, CAN, EtherCAT).
• Interface with FPGA, motor drivers, encoders, and force sensors.
• Perform in-system debugging using oscilloscopes and JTAG/SWD tools.
• Collaborate with hardware teams to bring up PCBs and validate communication and control blocks.
• Develop safety-related software features per IEC 62304 Class B/C and support ISO 14971 compliance.

Skills

Firmware

C++

EtherCAT

Microcontrollers

Motors

Encoders

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Electronics/Embedded Systems/Computer Engineering

Tools

Git

JIRA

GitLab

Job description

Position: Lead Firmware Developer – Surgical Robotic Systems

Company: Meril Life Science

Location: Chennai, TN, India

Department: Medical Robotics R&D – Embedded Systems Product Development

Reports To: GM (HOD)

Experience: 7-12 years

Job Type: Full-Time

Skills with Strong Experience: Firmware, C++, EtherCAT, Microcontrollers, Motors, Encoders

Notice Period: 30 Days

Working Days: Mon - Sat

Position Overview

Meril Life Science is looking for an innovative and detail-oriented Firmware Developer to join our cutting-edge team developing precision-controlled surgical robotic systems. This role involves working closely with hardware, control systems, and software teams to develop embedded firmware for safety-critical medical devices compliant with IEC 62304, IEC 60601, and ISO 14971 standards.

As a key member of the R&D team, you will develop firmware for motor control, sensor integration, safety subsystems, communication protocols, and real-time control loops in robotic applications.

Key Responsibilities

Firmware Development

• Develop and maintain embedded firmware for microcontrollers (ARM Cortex-M, STM32, etc.) used in robotic actuators, encoders, and sensors.
• Implement real-time control loops (PID, torque control, trajectory following) for robotic arms and haptic feedback mechanisms.
• Write low-level drivers (SPI, I2C, UART, ADC, PWM, CAN, EtherCAT).
• Interface with FPGA, motor drivers, absolute and incremental encoders, and force sensors.
• Perform in-system debugging using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and JTAG/SWD tools.
• Collaborate with hardware teams to bring up custom PCBs and validate communication and control blocks.

Safety & Compliance

• Develop safety-related software features (watchdogs, diagnostics, error handling) per IEC 62304 Class B/C.
• Support risk management documentation and design traceability to comply with ISO 14971.
• Work with QA teams on firmware verification, validation, and unit testing.
• Participate in design reviews, code walkthroughs, and system-level integration testing.
• Contribute to firmware architecture documents, flowcharts, and interface specifications.
• Use version control (Git) and task tracking tools (JIRA, GitLab, etc.).

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electronics, Embedded Systems, Computer Engineering, or related field.
• 7+ years of experience in embedded firmware development (preferably for medical, robotics, or automotive domains).
• Proficient in C/C++, RTOS-based development, and peripheral driver development.
• Hands-on experience with motor control, encoder interfaces, and real-time sensor data acquisition.
• Familiarity with safety-critical development processes (IEC 62304, ISO 13485, IEC 60601-1).

Preferred Skills

• Experience with STM32, TI C2000, or NXP microcontroller families.
• Exposure to EtherCAT, CANopen, or RS485 communication protocols.
• Familiarity with MATLAB/Simulink, model-based design, or control tuning.
• Knowledge of unit testing, static code analysis, and code coverage tools.
• Experience with motor types like BLDC, stepper, brushed DC, and high-resolution encoders (BiSS-C, SSI).
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
Passion for innovation in surgical robotics and medical devices.Good communication and documentation skills.Team player with a proactive and self-driven attitude.

What We Offer

• Opportunity to work on life-saving medical robotic technologies.
• A collaborative and innovation-driven work environment.
• Career growth through cross-disciplinary learning and training in medical safety and compliance.
• The chance to make a real impact in the healthcare space.