Embedded Software Engineer, Firmware

Meta; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 154,000 - 217,000; Full time

Job summary

Meta seeks an Embedded Software Engineer to design, develop, and optimize firmware for AR/VR devices, spanning kernel, drivers, and low-level systems. You’ll work on constrained environments, high data throughput, and power/performance optimization.

Collaborating with silicon architects, hardware designers, OS teams, and ML researchers, you’ll advance real-time capabilities, computer vision, and sensor/actuator integration across Meta’s product lines.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience in CS/CE or related field.
• 5+ years of software development experience; 3+ years embedded software experience.
• Experience with large-scale C/C++ code bases.
• Proven ability to work across disciplines to drive optimal solutions.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement software components at all layers of the system, including kernel, synchronization primitives, resource allocators, memory management, security, I/O systems, persistence.
• Develop drivers and services for constrained environments with high data throughput and low latency.
• Lead hardware bring-up, peripheral drivers, silicon integration, and power/performance optimization.
• Debug complex, system-level issues spanning kernel to application.
• Profile performance and drive optimizations across the software stack.
• Develop firmware for devices including sensing/imaging, haptics, and audio prototypes.
• Collaborate with silicon architects, hardware designers, OS team, and ML teams.
• Implement power-management, boot loaders, scheduling, IPC, and RTOS/bare-metal interfaces.
• Design and architect models/infrastructure for Virtual Platforms and vendor IP models.

Skills

5+ years experience

3+ years embedded

C/C++ large codebase

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/CE or equivalent

Tools

UART

SPI

CSI-2

I2C

GPIO

USB

Job description

At Meta, we're building innovative products that make it easier for people to connect with each other and enjoy immersive experiences. Our team of experienced engineers is developing and shipping products at the intersection of hardware, software, and content, pushing the future of computing platforms and redefining the way people work, play, and connect. As an Embedded Software Engineer, you'll have the opportunity to design, develop, and optimize embedded firmware systems for our AR, VR, and wearable devices, working on low-level systems software, device drivers, and connectivity protocols such as Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth, and Core Android networking. You'll collaborate with cross‑functional teams to solve complex problems and drive innovation in areas such as computer vision, machine learning, and graphics, helping to shape the future of technology and create new experiences for augmented reality, virtual reality, and social/family products.

Embedded Software Engineer, Firmware Responsibilities

• Design and implement software components at all layers of the system, including kernel, synchronization primitives, resource allocators, memory management, security, I/O systems, persistence, etc
• Develop drivers and services that operate efficiently in constrained environments and deliver large volumes of data with low‑latency and high‑bandwidth
• Lead hardware bring‑up, peripheral drivers and communication, silicon integration, and power and performance management and optimization efforts
• Debug complex, system‑level, multi‑component issues that span multiple layers from kernel to application
• Profile performance problems and drive optimizations across the entire software stack
• Analyze, design, develop, and debug firmware for a wide variety of devices, including novel sensing and imaging systems, haptic devices, and audio prototypes
• Collaborate closely with cross‑functional teams, including silicon architects, hardware designers, OS team, and algorithm and model development teams
• Understand and implement power‑management, boot loaders, scheduling, inter‑processor communication, computer vision, and firmware/system interfaces on RTOS and/or bare‑metal environments
• Design, develop, and architect models and infrastructure building blocks of Virtual Platforms, integrating internal models and vendor IP models

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, relevant technical field, or equivalent practical experience
• 5+ years software development experience in industry settings or PhD with 2+ years of experience
• 3+ years embedded software development experience in industry settings
• Experience in large-scale C/C++ code base
• Demonstrated experience working across disciplines to drive optimal solutions

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands‑on coding experience with peripherals such as UART, SPI, CSI-2, i2c, GPIO, USB
• Experience with silicon, device manufacturing, and low‑power SoCs
• Experience working with embedded hardware platforms and exposure to concepts such as clock‑level issues, interrupts, and polling
• Experience across topics including computer graphics, computer vision, or machine learning
• Experience developing with modern Real Time Operating Systems
• Experience with wireless and wired communication protocols, TCP/IP, Ethernet, Bluetooth and 802.11
• Experience adhering to and implementing responsible, ethical AI practices (e.g., risk assessment, bias mitigation, quality and accuracy reviews)
• Experience with prototyping or pre‑silicon environments (FPGAs, simulation, or emulation)
• Demonstrated ability to integrate AI tools to optimize/redesign workflows and drive measurable impact (e.g., efficiency gains, quality improvements)
• Experience with lab instrumentation such as oscilloscopes, logic/protocol analyzers for debugging embedded systems at HW level
• Demonstrated ongoing AI skill development (e.g., prompt/context engineering, agent orchestration) and staying current with emerging AI technologies
• Experience with compression, camera and video pipelines, or encoding technologies such as H.264
• Experience with embedded microcontrollers, DSP, CPU, and GPU architectures
• Experience with time synchronization methods at protocol and electrical levels
• e.g. PTP, NTP, IRIG‑B, LTC/SMPTE
• Experience with active power management or power optimizations

About Meta

Meta builds technologies that help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses. When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect. Apps like Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp further empowered billions around the world. Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology. People who choose to build their careers by building with us at Meta help shape a future that will take us beyond what digital connection makes possible today—beyond the constraints of screens, the limits of distance, and even the rules of physics.

Meta is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and affirmative action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, or sexual stereotypes, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. Meta participates in the E‑Verify program in certain locations, as required by law. Please note that Meta may leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies in connection with applications for employment.

Meta is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance or accommodations due to a disability, please let us know at [e-mail].

$154,000/year to $217,000/year + bonus + equity + benefits

Individual compensation is determined by skills, qualifications, experience, and location. Compensation details listed in this posting reflect the base hourly rate, monthly rate, or annual salary only, and do not include bonus, equity or sales incentives, if applicable. In addition to base compensation, Meta offers benefits. Learn more about benefits at Meta.