Embedded Firmware/Software Engineer

Apera; California; On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Apera builds advanced hardware for national security customers. Engineers own problems end to end, from bench to field, with ownership across hardware and software boundaries.

The team collaborates across electrical, controls, mechanical and systems disciplines to enable rapid flight readiness and field testing of rugged embedded platforms.

Qualifications

• Background in embedded firmware or low-level software on custom electronics.
• Proficient in C/C++ or Rust, with Python for scripting and tests.
• Experience with embedded Linux, drivers, DMA and RT/low-latency design.

Responsibilities

• Develop low-level firmware and board support for flight computers and sensors.
• Build data paths from sensor capture to onboard processing using CUDA and TensorRT where needed.
• Implement hardware diagnostics, telemetry and bench tests using Rust and Python.
• Integrate actuator and motor control electronics with embedded software and controls engineers.
• Diagnose timing, jitter, interrupt, DMA, power and signal integrity across firmware and hardware.
• Collaborate with electrical, controls and systems engineers for flight readiness.

Skills

Embedded firmware

C/C++

Rust

Python scripting

Embedded Linux

Driver development

GPU/AI compute exposure

System integration

Communication in fast-paced teams

Benchmark/diagnostics

Tools

CUDA

TensorRT

NVIDIA Jetson

Device trees

DMA

Bench testing

Scopes/logic analyzers

Job description

A fast growing US defence technology company is building advanced hardware for national security customers. The team is small, mission-driven and moves quickly, with engineers owning problems end to end rather than passing work through layers of handoffs. They want people who care about the mission and can apply experience from aerospace, defence, automotive or robotics to a problem that matters. If you want to build real hardware and see your work tested in the field within weeks rather than years, this is the place for it.

About

The team owns the electronics on the platform: compute boards, power conversion, sensor interfaces, wiring, and the embedded firmware that ties it all together. The same engineers design the boards, write the firmware and bring them up at the bench, so there is no handoff layer between hardware and software.

Engineers here get a lot of ownership, work closely with electrical, controls, mechanical and systems colleagues, and see their work go from the bench to the field quickly.

What you’ll do

• Develop low level firmware, drivers and board support software for flight computers, GPU modules, sensors and vehicle peripherals.
• Build and debug data paths from sensor capture through DMA and shared memory to onboard processing, working with CUDA and TensorRT pipelines on GPU based platforms where needed.
• Implement hardware configuration, diagnostics, telemetry and automated bench tests using Rust and Python.
• Integrate actuator and motor control electronics with embedded software, including current and position. Feedback, commutation interfaces and bench tuning with controls engineers.
• Diagnose timing, jitter, interrupt, DMA, power and signal integrity issues using logs and lab instruments, tracing failures across firmware and hardware.
• Work with electrical, controls, mechanical and systems engineers on board bring up, interface requirements, verification and flight readiness.

What we’re looking for

• Background in embedded firmware or low level software, ideally on products built around custom electronics.
• Solid command of C/C++ or Rust, with Python for scripting, diagnostics and test automation.
• Hands on experience with embedded Linux, including drivers, device trees, sensor setup, interrupts and DMA, and a good grasp of real time or low latency design.
• Comfortable debugging at the bench with scopes, logic analysers and custom test rigs, and happy to chase problems across the software and electrical boundary.
• Exposure to embedded GPU or AI compute platforms such as NVIDIA Jetson or similar; knowledge of CUDA, TensorRT or zero-copy data handling is a plus.
• Strong communicator who works well in a fast paced team spanning several engineering disciplines.
• Time spent in aerospace, robotics, electric vehicles or other high reliability environments.
• Knowledge of power electronics, motor drives, actuator systems, EMI/EMC or environmental testing.
• A track record of taking embedded products from prototype to production, including building repeatable test infrastructure.
• Regular use of AI coding assistants in your day to day workflow.