Senior Embedded Systems, Firmware Engineer

Jobtailor; Delft; On-site; EUR 70,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

Van Essen Instruments in Delft seeks an experienced embedded engineer to own firmware design across our connected device portfolio, including bootloaders, data acquisition, telemetry, and OTA updates, ensuring security and regulatory compliance.

You will lead hardware–firmware integration, perform board bring-up, review schematics, coordinate with international teams, and drive production transitions while meeting RED/NIS2 requirements.

Qualifications

• 5+ years hands-on embedded firmware and hardware product development.
• Strong understanding of how firmware interacts with hardware, mechanical, and cloud/software.
• Experience with secure firmware: bootloaders, OTA updates, cryptographic integration (AES, ECC).
• Ability to review hardware and mechanical designs and make system-level trade-offs.
• Familiarity with European cybersecurity/radio compliance (RED, NIS2) or similar regulation.
• Clear communicator who works well with distributed, international teams.

Responsibilities

• Own firmware design, implementation, and maintenance across connected devices.
• Conduct board bring-up, debugging, and hardware validation for products.
• Integrate cryptographic mechanisms and evaluate TLS/mTLS for end-to-end security.
• Review schematics and mechanical designs for system-wide coherence.
• Lead design reviews and resolve cross-disciplinary engineering issues.
• Build, test, and debug prototypes during development.
• Support transition from prototype to production with contract manufacturers.
• Provide sustaining engineering for in-production or fielded products.
• Ensure designs meet RED/NIS2 and lead product certification efforts.

Skills

Embedded firmware

Hardware integration

Cryptography AES ECC

RED/NIS2 compliance

System-level design

Cross-functional collaboration

Job description

Responsibilities

• Own firmware design, implementation, and maintenance across our connected device portfolio — bootloaders, data acquisition, telemetry interfaces, and OTA update mechanisms
• Conduct board bring-up, debugging, and hardware validation for new and existing products
• Integrate cryptographic mechanisms (AES, ECC) and evaluate the transition to certificate‑based authentication and mutual TLS (mTLS) for end‑to‑end device security
• Review electrical schematics and mechanical designs, providing system‑level input so hardware, firmware, and cloud connectivity work together correctly in the finished product
• Guide products from concept through design, testing, and production, determining the engineering work needed and coordinating it across disciplines
• Build, test, and debug prototypes during product development
• Support the transition from prototype to production and help resolve manufacturing issues, working directly with contract manufacturers and production partners
• Provide sustaining engineering support for products already in production or in the field
• Lead technical design reviews and help resolve engineering issues across hardware, firmware, and mechanical design
• Ensure firmware and product designs meet European cybersecurity and radio regulations, including RED (2014/53/EU) and NIS2
• Lead the technical work required for product certification, working with internal regulatory experts and external certification bodies
• Act as the primary technical point of contact between Van Essen Instruments (Delft) and Lambrecht Meteo (Göttingen) on hardware, testing, security, and certification alignment

Requirements

• 5+ years of hands‑on experience developing embedded firmware and hardware products from concept through production
• Strong understanding of embedded firmware and how it interacts with hardware, mechanical design, and cloud/software layers
• Experience with secure firmware practices: bootloaders, OTA update mechanisms, and cryptographic integration (AES, ECC)
• Comfortable reviewing hardware and mechanical designs and engaging in system‑level design trade‑offs
• Familiarity with European cybersecurity/radio compliance (RED, NIS2) or a comparable regulatory framework (e.g., medical, automotive, industrial functional safety) — direct RED/NIS2 experience is a plus, not a requirement
• A practical, clear communicator who works well with distributed and international teams.

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in firmware design, implementation, and maintenance for connected devices, with a strong focus on security practices and compliance with European regulations. Capable of leading cross‑disciplinary engineering efforts from concept through production while ensuring effective communication and collaboration.