Embedded Firmware and Controls Engineer

Stealth Startup; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Stealth Startup in Austin, TX is seeking an Embedded Firmware and Controls Engineer to own the low-level firmware and motion control layer of our large-scale industrial equipment.

You will write embedded code, tune servo drives, implement trajectory planning, and ensure deterministic performance across a mixed PLC and custom electronics environment.

Join a fast-moving, distributed team, travel for vendor visits and on-site commissioning, and help scale our controls standards as we grow.

Qualifications

• Hands-on embedded firmware with hardware integration.
• Experience in motion control, servo tuning, and trajectory planning.
• Proficient with Structured Text and PLC programming.
• Familiarity with RTOS and deterministic control architectures.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain embedded firmware using modern languages for custom electronics integrated into industrial manufacturing equipment
• Design and implement motion control systems, including servo tuning, trajectory planning, and closed-loop control
• Write PLC control logic in Structured Text and integrate with machine electrical and mechanical systems
• Work within or alongside real-time operating environments, ensuring deterministic, reliable control at the machine level
• Troubleshoot control and firmware issues across hardware, software, and system boundaries — from logic analysis to live machine debug on the shop floor
• Generate and maintain firmware documentation, version control practices, and controls architecture documentation
• Work directly alongside build technicians, electrical engineers, and mechanical engineers — including remote teammates — to bring up and commission complete machine systems
• Contribute to controls engineering standards and documentation practices as the function scales

Skills

Embedded firmware

Controls engineering

RTOS concepts

IEC 61131-3

PLC programming

Tools

Beckhoff TwinCAT

Job description

We are a venture-backed manufacturing startup building the most advanced automated production facilities in the United States. We are on a mission to make American manufacturing economically viable — through intelligent machinery, automation, and a relentless focus on execution.

We are early, we are moving fast, and we are looking for exceptional people who want to build something that matters.

Role Summary

We're looking for an Embedded Firmware and Controls Engineer to join a small, fast-moving team building large-scale industrial manufacturing equipment. This role owns the low-level firmware and motion control layer of the machine — writing embedded code, developing control loops, and integrating software with hardware across a mixed PLC and custom electronics environment.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain embedded firmware using modern languages and toolchains for custom electronics integrated into industrial manufacturing equipment
• Design and implement motion control systems, including servo tuning, trajectory planning, and closed-loop control
• Write PLC control logic in Structured Text and integrate with machine electrical and mechanical systems
• Work within or alongside real-time operating environments, ensuring deterministic, reliable control at the machine level
• Troubleshoot control and firmware issues across hardware, software, and system boundaries — from logic analysis to live machine debug on the shop floor
• Generate and maintain firmware documentation, version control practices, and controls architecture documentation
• Work directly alongside build technicians, electrical engineers, and mechanical engineers — including remote teammates — to bring up and commission complete machine systems
• Contribute to controls engineering standards and documentation practices as the function scales

Preferred Experience

• 4+ years of embedded firmware or controls engineering experience in a hands‑on, build‑oriented environment
• Proficiency in modern embedded programming languages and toolchains appropriate for real-time, resource‑constrained systems
• Experience with motion control systems — servo drives, encoder feedback, closed‑loop tuning
• Familiarity with RTOS concepts and deterministic control architectures
• Experience writing PLC control logic in Structured Text or equivalent IEC 61131-3 languages
• Strong troubleshooting skills across firmware, controls, and hardware — comfortable diagnosing issues from the logic level down to the component level
• Effective communicator and collaborator in a distributed team environment — comfortable with async communication and remote‑first workflows
• Flexible with schedule and hours; thrives in a startup environment where priorities shift and urgency is real

Nice to Have

• Experience with Beckhoff TwinCAT PLC platform
• Experience at an early-stage hard tech or deep tech startup
• Prior experience on a small team where you wore multiple hats
• Exposure to high-speed or high-power industrial machinery
• Any prior team lead or mentorship experience

Additional

• Willingness to travel as needed for vendor visits, factory acceptance testing, and on‑site equipment commissioning
• Comfort with a startup pace — this role demands flexibility, self‑direction, and a bias toward getting things done over waiting for perfect conditions