Embedded Software Engineer II

FORT Robotics, Inc.; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Fort Robotics, Inc. in Philadelphia designs safe, secure control systems for autonomous machines. As an Embedded Software Engineer II, you will own components of the embedded stack, working close to the hardware on real-time firmware that safety devices rely on.

Expect work across Zephyr/FreeRTOS and bare-metal targets, with integration into Embedded Linux. You will build core firmware, implement RTOS scheduling, write low-level drivers, and ensure reliable communication across RTOS and Linux

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of hands-on embedded software development, focusing on RTOS or bare-metal targets.
• Proficient in C; working knowledge of C++.
• Experience with Zephyr, FreeRTOS, or similar RTOS, including scheduling and ISR design.
• Familiarity with Embedded Linux user-space and kernel boundaries.
• Proficient with debugging tools (JTAG, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers) and hardware bring-up.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement robust C/C++ firmware for safety-critical embedded devices.
• Develop RTOS-based firmware and bare-metal drivers; bring up new silicon.
• Interface RTOS devices with Embedded Linux applications for reliable communication.
• Contribute to CI/CD pipelines and hardware-in-the-loop testing.
• Optimize latency, power, and memory footprint; collaborate on safety standards IEC 61508.

Skills

Embedded C/C++

RTOS (Zephyr/FreeRTOS)

Bare-metal development

MCU peripherals debugging

Embedded Linux user-space

Python scripting

Education

B.S. in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or Computer Science

Tools

GDB

JTAG

GitLab CI

Job description

In today's dynamic worksites, seamless collaboration between people and machines is essential. FORT's platform ensures safe, secure, and dynamic control that surpasses legacy systems and next-generation AI capabilities.

While autonomous machines offer significant advantages, they also introduce new safety challenges. FORT addresses these concerns by providing solutions such as the Wireless E-Stop, which allows operators to instantly stop any machine from a safe distance, enhancing safety during emergencies.

Additionally, FORT's Safe Remote Control enables operators to manage heavy machinery remotely, reducing the risk of accidents and improving visibility.

By ensuring communications integrity across any network, FORT empowers customers to protect their most valuable assets - people, data, and machines - ensuring they remain safe and secure.

As an Embedded Software Engineer II, you will own specific components of our embedded stack, working close to the hardware on the real-time firmware that our safety devices depend on. Most of your time will be spent in RTOS environments (Zephyr and FreeRTOS) and on bare-metal targets, architecting safety-critical systems where reliability is a hard requirement. You will also work with our Embedded Linux platforms where the two worlds meet, so you will be comfortable moving between constrained real-time targets and richer application environments.

What You'll Do

• Build the Core: Design and implement robust C/C++ firmware for safety-critical embedded devices.
• Real-Time Architecture: Architect and implement RTOS-based firmware on Zephyr and FreeRTOS, including task and scheduling design, ISR handling, inter-task communication, memory and stack budgeting, and deterministic timing analysis.
• Bare-Metal and Drivers: Write low-level peripheral drivers and board support code, and bring up new silicon from reset vector through to a running application.
• Platform Integration: Interface RTOS devices with our Embedded Linux user-space applications, ensuring reliable communication and consistent behavior across the product.
• Pipeline & Quality: Maintain and improve CI/CD pipelines (GitLab) to automate testing, including on-target and hardware-in-the-loop test execution.
• Hardware Integration: Bring up new hardware, debug complex issues using JTAG/GDB, and optimize for latency, power, and memory footprint.
• Safety Compliance: Collaborate with the safety team to ensure code adheres to rigorous standards (IEC 61508) while maintaining development velocity.

What You Bring

• Experience: 3-5 years of hands-on embedded software development, with a substantial portion on RTOS or bare-metal targets.
• Core Languages: Strong proficiency in C, along with working proficiency in C++.
• RTOS Knowledge: Solid production experience with an RTOS such as Zephyr, FreeRTOS, ThreadX, or similar, including scheduling, synchronization primitives, and interrupt-driven design.
• Microcontroller Fluency: Comfort working directly with MCU peripherals, datasheets, reference manuals, linker scripts, and startup code.
• Linux Exposure: Familiarity with Embedded Linux user-space development, sufficient to integrate and debug across the RTOS and Linux boundary.
• Connectivity: Familiarity with IP networking protocols and standard interfaces (UART, SPI, I2C, USB, CAN).
• Tooling: Experience with Python for scripting/automation and familiarity with CI/CD workflows.
• Debugging: Comfort using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, JTAG, and GDB to troubleshoot hard-to-find bugs.
• Education: B.S. in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent experience.

Bonus Points

• Experience with Zephyr specifically, including devicetree, Kconfig, and west-based workflows.
• Experience with wireless stacks (BLE, ISM, Wi-Fi) on constrained devices.
• Background in Functional Safety (FuSa) or working in regulated industries (Medical, Automotive, Aerospace).
• Low-level Linux knowledge of Board Support Packages (BSP) and device drivers.
• Familiarity with static analysis, MISRA C, or other coding standards used in safety-critical development.

Base Compensation can range from $125,000 to $150,000 based on experience & location.