Embedded Software Engineer - Medical Devices

Medela; McHenry (IL); Hybrid; USD 95,000 - 116,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Comprehensive benefits plan

401K with match

Money Purchase Retirement Plan

Paid Parental Leave

Generous PTO

Paid holidays

Great place to work

Job summary

Medela is seeking an Embedded Software Engineer to design and develop firmware for microcontroller-based medical devices in McHenry, IL. The role is hybrid (3 days onsite) and offers a starting salary with bonus potential.

You will collaborate with electrical, systems, manufacturing, quality, and regulatory teams to deliver safe, compliant software throughout the lifecycle. Prior medical device or regulated industry experience is highly valued.

Qualifications

• Embedded firmware development in a regulated product environment.
• Experience with embedded microcontrollers and Embedded C/C++.
• Familiarity with development tools, debuggers, and version control.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, test, and maintain embedded firmware in C/C++.
• Develop firmware for microcontroller-based connected medical devices.
• Create drivers, HALs, bootloaders, diagnostics, and production test software.
• Support board bring-up, hardware/software integration, and debugging.
• Work with RTOS and/or bare-metal systems; use UART/SPI/I2C/CAN/BLE/Wi‑Fi/MQTT.
• Participate in software architecture, requirements, verification, and traceability.

Skills

Embedded firmware

Embedded C/C++

Microcontroller programming

Git/Azure DevOps/Jira

UART/SPI/I2C/CAN/BLE/Wi-Fi/MQTT

RTOS

Debugging hardware

Education

Bachelor's degree in EE/CE/CS or related

Tools

Git

Azure DevOps

Jira

Job description

Embedded Software Engineer - Medical Devices

Location: McHenry, IL (Hybrid - 3 days onsite)

Salary starting at $105,000 with bonus potential

Build software that helps improve the lives of mothers and babies.

About Medela

At Medela, our mission is to turn science into care by developing innovative medical technology that supports families around the world. We're looking for an Embedded Software Engineer with experience developing firmware for embedded hardware in a regulated product development environment.

This is NOT an application, web, or enterprise software development position.

We are specifically seeking engineers with embedded firmware development experience and medical device (preferred) or other highly regulated industry experience.

What You'll Do

As an Embedded Software Engineer, you'll design and develop firmware for microcontroller-based medical devices while working closely with electrical, systems, manufacturing, quality, and regulatory engineering teams.

• Design, develop, test, and maintain embedded firmware in Embedded C/C++
• Develop firmware for microcontroller-based connected medical devices
• Create and maintain device drivers, hardware abstraction layers (HAL), bootloaders, diagnostics, and production test software
• Support board bring-up, hardware/software integration, debugging, and troubleshooting
• Work with RTOS and/or bare-metal embedded systems
• Develop communication interfaces using protocols such as UART, SPI, I2C, CAN, BLE, Wi-Fi, MQTT, or similar
• Participate in software architecture, requirements development, verification, risk controls, and traceability
• Execute unit, integration, regression, and system testing
• Support manufacturing, design transfer, production ramp-up, and post-market product maintenance
• Ensure compliance with quality and regulatory requirements throughout the software development lifecycle

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Embedded Systems Engineering, or a related technical discipline
• 3+ years of embedded firmware development experience
• Strong programming experience in Embedded C/C++
• Experience developing firmware for embedded microcontrollers
• Experience using embedded development tools, debuggers, and version control systems (Git, Azure DevOps, Jira, etc.)
• Experience with communication protocols such as UART, SPI, I2C, CAN, BLE, Wi-Fi, or MQTT
• Experience debugging embedded systems using JTAG/SWD debuggers, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, or similar lab equipment
• Experience working with RTOS or bare-metal embedded systems
• Strong understanding of software lifecycle processes, testing, verification, and documentation

Important Candidate Requirements

• Embedded firmware development (not application or web software)
• Embedded C/C++
• Microcontroller-based products
• Hardware/software integration and debugging
• 3+ years of embedded software engineering experience

What Makes Someone Successful

• Hands‑on embedded engineer who enjoys working close to the hardware
• Comfortable collaborating with electrical, systems, manufacturing, quality, and regulatory engineers
• Detail‑oriented with strong documentation skills
• Passionate about building reliable, safety-focused products
• Able to balance innovation with quality and regulatory compliance

Strongly Preferred

• Medical device experience OR experience developing products in another regulated industry (aerospace, industrial controls, automotive safety systems, etc.)

Preferred Qualifications

• Medical device software development
• Other highly regulated industries such as aerospace, automotive safety systems, industrial controls, or life sciences
• IEC 62304 , ISO 13485, ISO 14971
• Software traceability and Design History Files (DHF)
• Secure firmware development and cybersecurity for connected devices

Why Join Medela?

You will work on products that directly improve patient care while collaborating with a multidisciplinary engineering team dedicated to innovation, quality, and regulatory excellence. This is an opportunity to develop technology that makes a meaningful difference in the lives of families around the world.

• Competitive Salary Starting Salary of $105,000 plus bonus
• Comprehensive benefits plan
• 401K with match
• Money Purchase Retirement Plan
• 16-week Paid Parental Leave
• Generous PTO package
• 14 paid holidays
• A great place to work!

At Medela, you will be joining a global community of colleagues, united by the purpose that drives our business: helping people. Medela exists to advance human health and well-being through knowledge-based and innovative human milk and medical vacuum solutions.