Senior Embedded Software Engineer

Optics11; Amsterdam; On-site; EUR 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Optics11 is seeking a Senior Embedded Software Engineer in Amsterdam to develop embedded software across the product lifecycle. You will translate requirements into robust, maintainable software for sensing interrogator platforms, integrating with hardware interfaces, APIs, diagnostics, and data acquisition components.

You’ll lead significant software workstreams, contribute to architecture, implement CI/CD pipelines, test, and collaborate with architects, electronics, FPGA, and verification

Qualifications

• BSc or MSc in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Embedded Systems, or related technical discipline.
• 5+ years of embedded Linux software development (userspace and/or BSP).
• Strong experience developing software for embedded products throughout the product development lifecycle.
• Strong C++ and/or Python development skills for Linux userspace applications and services.
• Strong understanding of embedded Linux, Linux application development, and hardware/software interaction.
• Experience with software architecture, interfaces, APIs, multithreading, IPC, and hardware abstraction.
• Experience building and maintaining embedded Linux BSPs/images using PetaLinux, Yocto, or similar.
• Ability to debug and patch Linux kernel drivers, device tree, and boot/integration issues.
• Experience with Git, CMake, unit testing, code reviews, and modern software development practices.
• Experience developing automated tests and contributing to CI/CD environments; familiarity with Docker in embedded development.
• Experience with Python for automation, testing, analysis, or tooling.
• Strong analytical skills and experience applying structured problem-solving and root-cause analysis methods.
• Experience debugging complex issues across software and hardware boundaries.
• Strong communication skills in English and a collaborative working style.
• Eligible for required EU/NATO/security screening or clearance.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain embedded software solutions throughout the product development lifecycle.
• Translate product and subsystem requirements into reliable, maintainable, testable, and scalable software designs.
• Design, develop, and integrate embedded Linux applications, hardware interfaces, internal APIs, system control, calibration, diagnostics, and related software components.
• Take ownership of significant software workstreams and mature existing software stacks into reliable product-level solutions.
• Develop and maintain software testing, automation, CI/CD, diagnostics, and repeatable release processes.
• Support prototype development, system integration, verification, qualification, industrialisation, and product release.
• Analyze system and software performance and troubleshoot complex issues across software, electronics, FPGA, photonics, and system interfaces.
• Identify technical risks, evaluate design alternatives, and contribute to architecture, design, and code reviews.
• Ensure software quality, reliability, security, and suitability for manufacturing, deployment, and long-term product support.
• Plan and deliver assigned work against agreed priorities and milestones, proactively communicating risks, dependencies, and technical debt.
• Collaborate across multidisciplinary engineering teams and provide technical guidance within your area of expertise.
• Share knowledge, lessons learned, and software best practices to strengthen team capability and continuously improve engineering ways of working.

Skills

Embedded Linux

C++

Python

Linux kernel

Git

CMake

CI/CD

Docker

Yocto

PetaLinux

Multithreading

IPC

Hardware abstraction

English communication

Education

BSc or MSc in CS / Software Eng / Embedded Systems

Tools

Git

CMake

Docker

Yocto

PetaLinux

Job description

As a Senior Embedded Software Engineer at Optics11, you are responsible for the development and engineering realization of embedded software solutions throughout the product development lifecycle. You translate allocated product and subsystem requirements into robust software solutions that deliver reliable system functionality while supporting maintainability, testability, scalability, product integration, and long-term product reliability.

The embedded software subsystem comprises the software running on our sensing interrogator platforms, including embedded Linux applications, hardware interfaces, internal APIs, system control, calibration functionality, diagnostics, data acquisition interfaces, and supporting software infrastructure. You apply specialist embedded software expertise to develop, improve, and mature subsystem solutions that contribute to successful product realization as part of multidisciplinary engineering teams.

You work closely with Architects, Photonics, Electronics, FPGA development, Product Integration, Verification & Validation, Lifecycle Engineering, application/software teams, manufacturing, and other subsystem development teams to ensure embedded software solutions are successfully developed and realized as part of the overall product.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and maintain embedded software solutions throughout the product development lifecycle.

• Translate product and subsystem requirements into reliable, maintainable, testable, and scalable software designs.

• Design, develop, and integrate embedded Linux applications, hardware interfaces, internal APIs, system control, calibration, diagnostics, and related software components.

• Take ownership of significant software workstreams and mature existing software stacks into reliable product-level solutions.

• Develop and maintain software testing, automation, CI/CD, diagnostics, and repeatable release processes.

• Support prototype development, system integration, verification, qualification, industrialisation, and product release.

• Analyze system and software performance and troubleshoot complex issues across software, electronics, FPGA, photonics, and system interfaces.

• Identify technical risks, evaluate design alternatives, and contribute to architecture, design, and code reviews.

• Ensure software quality, reliability, security, and suitability for manufacturing, deployment, and long-term product support.

• Plan and deliver assigned work against agreed priorities and milestones, proactively communicating risks, dependencies, and technical debt.

• Collaborate across multidisciplinary engineering teams and provide technical guidance within your area of expertise.

• Share knowledge, lessons learned, and software best practices to strengthen team capability and continuously improve engineering ways of working.

Why Join Us?

• Join one of Europe’s most promising deep-tech scale-ups.

• Shape the future of a rapidly growing multidisciplinary R&D organization.

• Competitive salary and benefits package.

• Enjoy regular team activities and company events.

• Fresh team lunches provided every day.

Qualifications:

• BSc or MSc in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Embedded Systems, or related technical discipline.

• 5+ years of relevant experience in embedded Linux software development (userspace and/or BSP).

• Strong experience developing software for embedded products throughout the product development lifecycle.

• Strong C++ and/or Python development skills for Linux userspace applications and services.

• Strong understanding of embedded Linux, Linux application development, and hardware/software interaction.

• Experience with software architecture, interfaces, APIs, multithreading, inter-process communication, and hardware abstraction.

• Experience building and maintaining embedded Linux BSPs and images using PetaLinux, Yocto, or similar.

• Ability to debug and patch existing Linux kernel drivers, device tree, and boot/integration issues.

• Experience with Git, CMake, unit testing, code reviews, and modern software development practices.

• Experience developing automated tests and contributing to CI/CD environments; familiarity with Docker in embedded development.

• Experience with Python for automation, testing, analysis, or tooling.

• Strong analytical skills and experience applying structured problem-solving and root-cause analysis methods.

• Experience debugging complex issues across software and hardware boundaries.

• Strong communication skills in English and a collaborative working style.

• Eligible for required EU/NATO/security screening or clearance, where applicable to the role.

Nice to have:

• Experience with Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+, heterogeneous SoCs, or comparable embedded Linux platforms.

• Experience interfacing Linux software with FPGA-based systems.

• Experience with real-time or high-throughput data acquisition and signal-processing systems.

• Hands-on Linux kernel work beyond fixes.

• Experience in multidisciplinary product development environments involving software, firmware, electronics, FPGA, or photonics.

• Experience supporting prototype development, manufacturing transfer, product releases, or industrialization activities.

• Familiarity with systems engineering, product verification, configuration management, and product lifecycle management processes.

You’ll be working with clients in the defense and security sectors, obtaining a Certificate of No Objection issued by the AIVD (Dutch General Intelligence and Security Service) is mandatory. This means you will need to undergo a security screening. For more information, please refer to details on security screening.