Embedded Systems Engineer IV, R&D

Socket.dev; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Short-Term Disability

Long-Term Disability

Life Insurance

Dental

Vision

PTO and holidays

Employee Stock Purchase Program

401(k)

Job summary

ACV Auctions is hiring an Engineer IV, Embedded Systems in our R&D team. You will design, develop, and optimize high-performance software for embedded platforms ranging from Raspberry Pi to NVIDIA Jetson and custom ARM SOMs.

This role blends rapid prototyping with production-grade engineering, owning software lifecycle from hardware interface to cloud integration, and collaborating across hardware, mechanical, and cloud backend teams.

Qualifications

• BS degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field (or equivalent practical experience).
• 6+ years of professional embedded software development shipping hardware products.
• Expert-level proficiency in C and C++; strong scripting in Python or Bash for testing/automation.

Responsibilities

• Architect, implement, and maintain embedded software from prototypes to production code.
• Develop firmware and middleware on Raspberry Pi, NVIDIA Jetson, and ARM SOMs.
• Write low-level drivers and interfaces for peripherals (I2C, SPI, UART, USB, PCIe).
• Optimize software on edge devices with hardware acceleration (CUDA, TensorRT).
• Design robust fault-detection and OTA update systems for field stability.
• Collaborate with hardware, mechanical, and cloud teams to define interfaces.
• Mentor engineers and enforce code quality through reviews and tests.

Skills

C/C++

Embedded Linux

Git

Docker

CMake

Python scripting

CI/CD

Jetson/NVIDIA

Education

BS in CS/CE/EE or equivalent

Tools

Yocto/Buildroot

Linux kernel development

ROS/RTOS

Job description

If you are looking for a career at a dynamic company with a people-first mindset and a deep culture of growth and autonomy, ACV is the right place for you! Competitive compensation packages and learning and development opportunities, ACV has what you need to advance to the next level in your career. We will continue to raise the bar every day by investing in our people and technology to help our customers succeed. We hire people who share our passion, bring innovative ideas to the table, and enjoy a collaborative atmosphere.

Who we are:

ACV is a technology company that has revolutionized how dealers buy and sell cars online. We are transforming the automotive industry. ACV Auctions Inc. (ACV), has applied innovation and user-designed, data driven applications and solutions. We are building the most trusted and efficient digital marketplace with data solutions for sourcing, selling and managing used vehicles with transparency and comprehensive insights that were once unimaginable. We are disruptors of the industry and we want you to join us on our journey. Our network of brands include ACV Auctions, ACV Transportation, ClearCar, MAX Digital and ACV Capital within its Marketplace Products, as well as, True360 and Data Services.

At ACV we focus on the Health, Physical, Financial, Social and Emotional Wellness of our Teammates and, to support this, we offer:

• Multiple medical plans including a high deductible, low cost health plan
• Company-sponsored (paid) Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, and Life Insurance
• Comprehensive optional benefits such as Dental, Vision, Supplemental Life/AD&D, Legal/ID Protection, and Accident and Critical Illness Insurance
• Generous paid time off options, including uncapped vacation days, the greater of 3 paid sick days or in accordance with the applicable state or local paid sick leave law, 6 paid company holidays, 2 floating holidays, parental leave, bereavement leave, jury duty leave, voting leave, and other forms of paid leave as required by applicable law or regulation
• Employee Stock Purchase Program with additional opportunities to earn stock in the Company
• Retirement planning through the Company’s 401(k)

Who we are looking for:

As an Engineer IV, Embedded Systems within the R&D team, you will serve as a technical anchor for our next-generation hardware platforms. You will design, develop, and optimize high-performance software running on a variety of embedded systems—ranging from single-board computers and edge AI compute modules to custom ARM architecture.

This role requires a unique blend of scrappy, proof-of-concept rapid prototyping and disciplined, production-grade software engineering. You will own the software lifecycle for new devices, ensuring seamless integration between low-level hardware, sensors, edge computing frameworks, and our enterprise cloud infrastructure.

What you will do:

• End-to-End Development: Architect, implement, and maintain embedded software from initial conceptual prototypes to ruggedized, scalable, enterprise-level production code.
• Platform Ownership: Develop and optimize firmware and middleware on platforms including Raspberry Pi, NVIDIA Jetson, and ARM-based System-on-Modules (SOMs).
• Sensor & Peripheral Integration: Write and debug low-level drivers and interfaces for a diverse ecosystem of peripherals, cameras, and environmental sensors via protocols such as I2C, SPI, UART, USB, and PCIe.
• Edge Intelligence & Compute: Optimize software on compute-constrained edge devices, including leveraging hardware acceleration (e.g., CUDA, TensorRT on Jetson platforms) for real-time data processing and computer vision pipelines.
• System Stability & Lifecycle: Design robust fault-detection, automated recovery mechanisms, and secure over-the-air (OTA) firmware update systems to ensure maximum field stability.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with hardware/electrical engineers, mechanical designers, and cloud backend teams to define system architectures and interfaces.
• Mentorship & Standards: Drive code quality through rigorous code reviews, automated testing, and comprehensive documentation. Mentor junior and mid-level engineers on the team.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

What you will need:

• Ability to read, write, speak and understand English.
• BS degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field (or equivalent practical experience).

• 6+ years’ Professional experience in embedded software development, with a proven track record of shipping commercial or industrial hardware products
• Expert-level proficiency in C and C++; strong scripting skills in Python or Bash for testing and automation.
• OS Expertise: Deep experience developing within Embedded Linux environments (including kernel configuration, device tree modification, and custom driver development).
• Hands-on experience building applications on Raspberry Pi (Linux/Debian) and NVIDIA Jetson (JetPack ecosystem).
• Solid understanding of hardware communication protocols: SPI, I2C, UART, CAN bus, USB.
• Experience interfacing with high-resolution image sensors, cameras, or specialized sensors.
• Proficiency with modern software engineering tools: Git, CMake, Docker, and CI/CD pipelines tailored for embedded targets.
• Familiarity with networking stacks and IoT communication protocols (TCP/IP, UDP, MQTT, gRPC).
• Comfortable utilizing lab equipment like oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and multimeters to debug hardware/software boundary issues.
• Expert in version control systems including trunk-based development, multiple release planning, cherry picking, and rebase.

Nice to Have Technical Competencies

• Experience with custom Linux distribution builders like Yocto Project or Buildroot.
• Familiarity with real-time operating systems (RTOS) or bare-metal ARM development.
• Experience deploying or optimizing machine learning models at the edge.

#LI-AM3

Our Values

Trust & Transparency | People First | Positive Experiences | Calm Persistence | Never Settling

At ACV, we are committed to an inclusive culture in which every individual is welcomed and empowered to celebrate their true selves. We achieve this by fostering a work environment of acceptance and understanding that is free from discrimination. ACV is committed to being an equal opportunity employer regardless of sex, race, creed, color, religion, marital status, national origin, age, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, disability, military status, status as a veteran, or any other protected characteristic. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you have a disability or special need that requires reasonable accommodation, please let us know.

For information on our collection and use of your personal information, please see our Privacy Notice.

No immigration or work visa sponsorship provided for this position.

Compensation

The compensation range for this position is listed in the "Job Details" section at the bottom of this posting. Please note that final compensation will be determined based upon the applicant's relevant experience, skill set, location, business needs, market demands, and other factors as permitted by law.