Associate Embedded Firmware Engineer

GROUNDUP.AI PTE. LTD.; Singapore; On-site; SGD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading technology firm in Singapore is seeking an Associate Embedded Firmware Engineer to design and optimize industrial AI hardware solutions. You will take ownership of the firmware development lifecycle and collaborate closely with hardware and software teams. Ideal candidates will have experience with C/C++, electronic design, and strong communication skills in English. This role offers competitive benefits including stock options and career development opportunities.

Benefits

Competitive salary and Employee Stock Options

Flexible work arrangements

Professional coaching and mentorship programs

Qualifications

• Strong verbal and written communication skills in English.
• Proficient in embedded firmware development with emphasis on industrial applications.

Responsibilities

• Support hardware teams in developing industrial AI hardware.
• Own the firmware development lifecycle from architecture to deployment.
• Troubleshoot and debug hardware and firmware issues.

Skills

C/C++ proficiency

Electronic circuit design

PCB layout

Communication protocols

Wireless Communication technologies

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field

Tools

ARM Cortex-M

Zigbee protocol stack

LoRa

Job description

Groundup.ai aims to empower every workplace to be an AI-driven company. We envision that our clients will be using our AI tools as a foundation in their everyday operations. As we continue bringing our innovative approach to fast-growing companies across manufacturing, aerospace, logistics, and maritime, we are looking for an Associate Embedded Firmware Engineer to join us on this exciting journey.

This role is critical in designing, developing, and optimizing cutting-edge industrial AI hardware, including sensors, gateways, and edge devices. You will be involved in the end-to-end embedded hardware and firmware development, ensuring that our solutions are robust, scalable, and reliable in real-world industrial environments.

As part of our Hardware R&D team, you will work in a fast-paced environment with a talented, international team to build and iterate the next generation of smart devices that power cognitive maintenance, machine health monitoring, and industrial automation.

We value team members who take ownership, move fast, and are hungry to build impactful solutions. We’ve secured strategic partnerships and government recognition for our work—now we’re scaling further, and we want you on board.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the Hardware R&D team to ensure development excellence in hardware design, including analog, digital signal processing, and embedded firmware.
• Work collaboratively with industry experts to ensure our hardware devices are EMI/EMC compliant and hazardous area certified.
• Work in close coordination with software development, product engineering, supply chain, and manufacturing to align design objectives and deliver cohesive, production-ready solutions
• Actively own the firmware development lifecycle—from architecture, coding (primarily in C/C++), testing, and documentation to final deployment.
• Design and review schematics and PCB layouts for rugged industrial hardware.
• Contribute to developing and implementing test plans to ensure system reliability and performance in harsh environments.
• Integrate industrial communication protocols such as CAN, Modbus (RTU / TCP), IO-Link, Profinet, Profibus, EtherCAT, and Ethernet/IP.
• Troubleshoot and debug both hardware and firmware issues on real industrial systems, including oil & gas machinery.
• Ensure seamless data acquisition, transmission, and sensor performance in the field.
• Maintain accurate documentation and track bugs, updates, and design changes.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• Strong professional written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Strong technical background in electronic circuit design, PCB layout, and product testing.
• Strong proficiency in C/C++ for microcontrollers and working knowledge in either Rust or Python
• Experience with industrial communication protocols and their relevant functional safety standards
• Experience with Low-speed / Local Communication (Between MCU and sensors/peripherals) such as UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitter), SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface), I2C, 1-Wire
• Professional experience with Wireless Communication technologies such as Bluetooth / BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), Zigbee, LoRa, Wi-Fi
• Proficient in ARM Cortex-M microcontroller development, including startup code, interrupt handling, low-power modes, and peripheral drivers.
• Experience integrating wireless LoRa and Zigbee devices with edge gateways (e.g., Linux-based systems, MQTT, Modbus TCP, or cloud APIs).
• Expertise in ultra-low power design, including sleep mode optimization and current profiling for battery-powered Zigbee devices.
• Experience with Zigbee protocol stack (e.g., Zigbee 3.0), mesh network architecture, and integration of Zigbee sensors and gateways
• Hands-on experience with analog and digital sensors for temperature, vibration, and sound acquisition and calibration.
• Familiarity with hardware design, schematic capture, embedded systems, and mechanical design integration.

Qualifications that set you apart

• Familiarity with industrial automation systems.
• Proven projects that demonstrate hands-on embedded firmware development.
• Exposure to hardware cybersecurity concepts.
• Strong communication skills in an additional language such as Mandarin, Bahasa Indonesia, Korean, or Arabic.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and Employee Stock Options.
• Guaranteed work on high-visibility projects
• Flexible work arrangements for selected roles.
• Professional coaching and mentorship programs.
• Accelerated career progression and development opportunities.
• Performance benchmarked bonuses (not based on years of experience).
• Career accelerator fund and tuition reimbursement for relevant post-graduate degrees, education, and courses.