Engineer II - Software Engineering (Firmware) Signaling Division

Federal Signal Corporation; University Park (IL); On-site; USD 68,731 - 98,187; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Life insurance

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Paid holidays

Paid vacation

401(k) matching

Tuition reimbursement

Smoke-free workplace

Drug-free workplace

Job summary

Federal Signal Corporation in Illinois is seeking an experienced firmware engineer to design, develop, and test low-level software for embedded hardware. You will work with C/C++ on RTOS-based platforms, ensuring real-time performance and robust interaction with microcontrollers and peripherals.

You will collaborate with hardware engineers across the product lifecycle, document designs, and contribute to field-ready firmware updates. Travel to field or trade shows may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or equivalent from an accredited university.
• 5–7 years of experience in embedded firmware development.
• Strong proficiency in C/C++ for embedded systems.
• Deep knowledge of microcontroller architectures, memory management and peripherals.
• Experience with RTOS such as FreeRTOS or Zephyr.
• Familiarity with IDEs, debuggers and emulators for embedded development.
• Experience with unit, integration and system-level testing.
• Ability to communicate technical concepts to diverse stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Develop firmware architectures and algorithms meeting product requirements.
• Write clean, efficient firmware in embedded C/C++ and follow coding standards.
• Interact with microcontrollers, memory, peripherals and communication interfaces via firmware.
• Use RTOS to manage tasks with precise timing and priorities.
• Perform thorough unit, integration and system testing with debugging tools.
• Collaborate with hardware engineers to ensure smooth firmware/hardware integration.
• Create detailed documentation for firmware design, implementation and testing.
• Support existing firmware through bug fixes and feature updates.
• Travel to the field or trade shows as needed.
• Conduct product evaluations to verify engineering standards.
• Flexibly handle other duties as required.

Skills

Embedded C/C++

RTOS

Firmware development

Embedded systems

Debugging

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science

Tools

IDE / Debuggers / Emulators

FreeRTOS

Zephyr

Job description

The successful candidate will be responsible for designing, developing, and testing the low-level software (firmware) that controls the functionality of electronic hardware devices, like embedded systems and computer peripherals, requiring a deep understanding of hardware architecture and proficiency in programming languages like C/C++ to create code that interacts directly with the hardware components, often utilizing real-time operating systems (RTOS) to ensure timely system responses; they collaborate with hardware engineers to ensure seamless integration and troubleshoot issues throughout the product development cycle.

Essential Job Duties & Responsibilities

• Develop firmware architectures and algorithms to meet product requirements, considering hardware constraints and performance optimization.
• Write clean, efficient, and well‑documented firmware code using embedded C/C++ programming languages, adhering to coding standards and best practices.
• Understand and utilize various hardware components like microcontrollers, memory, peripherals, and communication interfaces to interact with them through firmware.
• Work with RTOS to manage system tasks with precise timing and priority levels.
• Conduct thorough unit integration, and system‑level testing to identify and resolve firmware defects, utilizing debugging tools and techniques.
• Work closely with hardware engineers to ensure smooth integration between firmware and hardware components, addressing design challenges and providing feedback.
• Create detailed technical documentation for firmware design, implementation, and testing procedures.
• Support existing firmware by implementing bug fixes, feature enhancements, and updates to address customer needs.
• May include travel to the field and/or trade shows.
• Perform product evaluations to determine if engineering standards are met.
• Flexibility to perform other duties and assignments as required.

Position Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in computer science or equivalent from an accredited university.
• 5-7 years of previous experience in a similar role.
• Strong proficiency in C/C++ programming languages with a focus on embedded systems.
• Deep knowledge of microcontroller architectures, memory management, peripherals, and communication protocols.
• Experience with popular RTOS like FreeRTOS, Zephyr, or similar.
• Familiarity with IDEs, debuggers, emulators, and other development tools for embedded systems.
• Experience with unit testing, integration testing, and system‑level validation methodologies.
• Excellent analytical and debugging skills to identify and troubleshoot complex firmware issues.
• Ability to effectively communicate technical concepts to both technical and non‑technical stakeholders.

Wage Range: $68,731 - $98,187

Benefits Of Employment

In addition to excellent career growth opportunities, Federal Signal Corporation offers a wide array of benefits including: annual bonus potential, insurance (life, medical, dental, vision), paid holidays, paid vacation, 401(k) with matching contributions and tuition reimbursement. We provide our employees with a smoke‑free, drug‑free workplace.

Equal Opportunity Employment Statement

The Company is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will not be discriminated against on the basis of, and will receive consideration for employment without regard to, race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, genetic information, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected category, characteristic, or trait under applicable law.