Embedded Software Engineer

Sigma Design; Bellevue (WA); Hybrid; USD 132,000 - 188,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance options

Dental insurance options

401(k) with company match

PTO 15 days + 9 holidays

Quarterly bonus program

Voluntary benefits: vision, LTD, life

Job summary

Sigma Design is seeking an Embedded Firmware Engineer for a contract-to-hire role in Bellevue, WA. You will develop and debug firmware for ARM Cortex-M MCUs, integrate peripherals via I2C/SPI/UART, and drive hardware bring-up from power-on to production-ready code.

The position is hybrid with a strong emphasis on hands-on debugging and cross-functional collaboration. Requirements include a Bachelor's degree and 5 years of embedded firmware experience, plus strengths in USB-C/PD, debugging tools,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or an equivalent technical discipline required.
• 5 years of relevant embedded firmware experience preferred.
• Strong embedded C for 32-bit MCUs with interrupts and register-level programming.
• Experience with USB-C and USB Power Delivery concepts.
• Experience with I2C, SPI, UART interfaces and debugging.
• Hands-on hardware bring-up from power-on to functional firmware.
• Ability to interpret schematics and datasheets for debugging.
• Proficient with Git or similar VCS.
• Familiar with MCU SDKs, IDEs, middleware, BSP development.
• Experience with firmware update mechanisms and bootloaders.
• Power-path/regulator firmware experience desired.
• USB subsystems and related peripherals knowledge.
• Embedded software CI/build automation exposure.

Responsibilities

• Bring up and validate firmware on new hardware and peripherals.
• Develop and debug embedded C firmware for 32-bit ARM Cortex-M MCUs.
• Configure devices via I2C, SPI, UART and other interfaces.
• Develop USB-C/USB PD functionality including negotiation and roles.
• Bench debug with oscilloscopes, multimeters, analyzers, SWD/JTAG, and UART logs.
• Collaborate with hardware teams to resolve firmware issues during bring-up.
• Develop and maintain board support packages and configurations.
• Support firmware updates and bootloader functionality.
• Develop power-management firmware for monitoring, fault recovery and sequencing.
• Document configurations, debugging and design decisions for maintenance.
• Use version control and CI practices to enable collaborative development.
• Support verification of firmware across the product lifecycle.
• Work with cross-functional teams to identify issues and implement solutions.

Skills

Embedded C development

ARM Cortex-M

I2C SPI UART

USB-C USB PD

Hardware bring-up

Debugging

Git version control

Firmware update/bootloader

Board bring-up

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent

Tools

Git

Oscilloscopes

Logic/protocol analyzers

SWD/JTAG debuggers

USB-C/PD debugging tools

Job description

Embedded Firmware Engineer (Contract-to-hire)

Sigma Design has collaborated with a leading defense technology company seeking an experienced Embedded Firmware Engineer to join their facility in Bellevue, WA. This company specializes in autonomous systems and next-generation defense technologies. This position is contract to hire and hybrid.

While on contract you are eligible for:

• Multiple options for medical insurance and dental insurance including some with FSA and HSA
• 401(k) with up to 4% company match
• 15-days of accrued PTO and 9 company paid holidays
• Quarterly bonus program
• Voluntary benefits: vision, long-term disability, and life insurance
• Monday - Friday, day shift (hybrid, 3 days onsite)
• $116.00 an hour. The hourly range for this role is an estimate based on multiple factors, including experience, education, training, skills, and business considerations. Actual compensation may vary based on the candidate’s qualifications and alignment with the role

Primary Function:

The Embedded Firmware Engineer is responsible for developing, debugging, and supporting embedded firmware for new hardware products throughout the product development lifecycle. This role focuses on hardware bring-up, embedded C development, peripheral and device integration, and hands-on debugging of firmware running on microcontroller-based systems. The Embedded Firmware Engineer works closely with hardware and cross-functional engineering teams to bring new designs from initial power-on through production-ready firmware.

Essential Job Functions - Responsibilities:

• Bring up and validate firmware on new hardware, including verifying power and clock operation, connecting and configuring debug interfaces, enabling peripherals, and establishing initial firmware functionality
• Develop, integrate, and debug embedded C firmware for 32-bit ARM Cortex-M-class microcontrollers and similar architectures
• Configure and communicate with companion integrated circuits and peripherals using I2C, SPI, UART, and other standard communication interfaces
• Develop and debug USB-C and USB Power Delivery functionality, including power negotiation, source/sink roles, and fault handling
• Perform hands-on bench-level debugging using oscilloscopes, multimeters, logic/protocol analyzers, SWD/JTAG debuggers, and UART logging
• Analyze schematics, datasheets, register maps, and technical documentation to configure hardware devices and troubleshoot system-level issuesCollaborate closely with hardware engineers to isolate and resolve hardware versus firmware issues during board bring-up and product development
• Develop and maintain board support packages, peripheral configurations, and firmware integrations as required
• Support firmware update and bootloader functionality, including development and deployment of firmware update images
• Develop or support firmware for power-path and regulator control, including voltage monitoring, fault detection and recovery, enable sequencing, and related power-management functions
• Document firmware configurations, implementation details, debugging activities, and design decisions to support product development and ongoing maintenance
• Use version control and established software development practices to maintain firmware source code and support collaborative development
• Support firmware integration, testing, troubleshooting, and verification throughout the product development lifecycle
• Collaborate with engineering and cross-functional teams to identify technical issues, develop solutions, and support successful product development and production
• Follow Business Technology policies to protect sensitive data and reduce information security occurrences

Education and Experience: (Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities)

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or an equivalent technical discipline required
• 5 years of relevant experience developing embedded firmware or equivalent engineering experience preferred
• Strong proficiency in embedded C development for 32-bit microcontrollers, including interrupts, register-level peripheral programming, and development within flash and RAM constraints
• Working knowledge of USB-C and USB Power Delivery concepts, including source/sink/dual-role behavior and power contract negotiation
• Experience with I2C, SPI, UART, and other embedded communication interfaces, including device configuration and debugging
• Hands-on experience with hardware bring-up, including taking new boards from initial power-on through functional firmware or debugging firmware against physical hardware
• Strong ability to interpret schematics, datasheets, register tables, and hardware specifications to configure and troubleshoot embedded devices
• Proficiency using standard embedded hardware debugging tools, including oscilloscopes, logic/protocol analyzers, multimeters, and SWD/JTAG debuggers
• Experience using Git or similar version-control systems
• Experience with microcontroller SDKs, IDEs, middleware, and board support package development preferred
• Experience with firmware update mechanisms and bootloaders, including DFU or equivalent processes, preferred
• Experience with power-path, regulator, or power-management firmware, including voltage monitoring, fault detection/recovery, and sequencing preferred
• Experience with USB subsystems and related technologies such as hubs, alternate modes, signal conditioning devices, or related USB peripherals preferred
• Experience with embedded software CI/build automation preferred
• Familiarity with USB-IF requirements, USB-C specifications, or USB Power Delivery compliance testing preferred
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, problem-solving, communication, and collaboration skills
• Ability to work effectively in a hands-on engineering environment and collaborate closely with hardware and firmware engineers
• Compliance (background check, ITAR, vaccine, etc.)
• ITAR - Permanent resident of the United States ("U.S. person" as defined by ITAR)
• Background - Pass a post-offer background verification

Work Environment

Standard office environment with normal amounts of office related conditions. Occasionally may be required to work in environmental conditions that emulate typical user environments in order to facilitate design testing and validation. Occasionally may be required to travel as required to other facilities, clients, or suppliers.

Sigma Design is an Equal Opportunity Employer