Embedded Software Engineer

Xenon Innovations, Inc.; Fairfax (VA); On-site; USD 135,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Xenon Innovations, Inc. is seeking an experienced embedded software engineer to design platform software that moves high-rate data from RF front ends to downstream systems on Linux and RTOS targets.

You will write kernel and userspace drivers, implement DMA management, and ensure reliability with fault tolerance, remote diagnostics, and safe update mechanisms. TS/SCI clearance is required.

Qualifications

• BS in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related
• 5+ years developing embedded C/C++ on Linux or RTOS platforms
• Direct experience with DMA, interrupt-driven I/O, and high-rate streaming data
• Working knowledge of build systems, cross-compilation, and embedded toolchains
• Demonstrated experience debugging problems that only appear on target hardware
• Ability to obtain a TS/SCI clearance

Responsibilities

• Develop embedded C/C++ applications on Linux and RTOS targets
• Implement control and configuration paths for RF front ends, digitizers, and FPGA subsystems
• Build the data movement layer for high-rate streaming data
• Write and maintain kernel drivers, userspace drivers, and hardware abstraction layers
• Design health monitoring, watchdog, and fault recovery into the system
• Profile and tune for latency, jitter, throughput, and memory footprint

Skills

Embedded C/C++

Linux/RTOS

DMA

Interrupt handling

Kernel drivers

Cross-compilation

Build systems

Target hardware debugging

Education

BS in Computer Science/Engineering

Tools

Yocto

Buildroot

Embedded toolchains

PREEMPT_RT

ActiveMQ

DDS/ZeroMQ

Zynq/RFSoC

Job description

Description

This is the software that sits between the signal acquisition hardware and everything above it. This is the layer responsible for moving high-rate data without dropping it, configuring hardware without breaking it, and staying up on a platform where nobody is going to walk over and reboot the chassis.

You will develop embedded C/C++ on Linux and RTOS targets, write the drivers and abstraction layers that expose RF front ends and FPGA processing to the rest of the system, and own the reliability characteristics of software that ships and then operates unattended for a long time.

What you will do

Platform software

• Develop embedded C/C++ applications on Linux and RTOS targets, including SoC-based processing platforms
• Implement control and configuration paths for RF front ends, digitizers, and FPGA subsystems
• Build the data movement layer that carries high-rate streaming data from hardware to downstream consumers without loss

Drivers and hardware abstraction

• Write and maintain kernel drivers, userspace drivers, and hardware abstraction layers
• Implement DMA management, interrupt handling, and memory-mapped register access
• Own the interface contract with the firmware team and keep it documented and stable across baselines

Reliability and fault tolerance

• Design health monitoring, watchdog, and fault recovery behavior into the system from the start
• Implement remote diagnostics, logging, and telemetry appropriate to a platform with limited operator access
• Build safe update and rollback mechanisms for fielded baselines

Performance

• Profile and tune for latency, jitter, throughput, and memory footprint
• Analyze and eliminate sources of nondeterminism in the real-time path
• Make and document tradeoffs where mission requirements and platform constraints conflict

Requirements

Minimum qualifications

• BS in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related
• 5+ years developing embedded C/C++ on Linux or RTOS platforms
• Direct experience with DMA, interrupt-driven I/O, and high-rate streaming data
• Working knowledge of build systems, cross-compilation, and embedded toolchains
• Demonstrated experience debugging problems that only appear on target hardware
• Ability to obtain a TS/SCI clearance

Preferred qualifications

• Yocto or Buildroot experience constructing embedded Linux distributions
• PREEMPT_RT or hard real-time scheduling experience
• Familiarity with ActiveMQ, DDS, ZeroMQ, or comparable middleware in a real-time context
• Experience with Zynq/RFSoC-class platforms and the PS/PL boundary
• Exposure to secure boot, signed images, and hardened embedded baselines
• Experience with DMA, interrupt handling, and high-rate streaming data
• Active TS/SCI

Estimated Salary Range: $135,000-$280,000 per year

The salary range noted is intended as a general guide. Actual base salary offers from Xenon Innovations are determined based on several factors, including the position's scope and responsibilities, along with the candidate's experience, education, skill set, and prevailing market conditions.

Xenon Innovations, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or protected veteran status.