Engineering Director, Firmware

Roman Health Pharmacy LLC; Los Altos (CA); Hybrid; USD 250,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Afero is seeking an Engineering Director, Firmware with a passion for building best-in-class technology. In this crucial role based in Los Altos, California, you will lead Firmware solutions that support a broad range of products, drive product launches, and manage an exceptional firmware team. Candidates should have over 10 years of software engineering leadership experience and a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or Electrical Engineering.

The position offers a competitive salary ranging from $250,000 to $280,000 annually, along with benefits and equity compensation. This hybrid role allows for flexible remote work, requiring occasional presence at the office.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of software engineering leadership or management experience.
• 5+ years in developing consumer or commercial products.
• Real world experience with MCUs, RTOS, and device drivers.

Responsibilities

• Own and improve Firmware solutions for various products.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to launch products from concept to mass production.
• Recruit and manage a high-performing firmware team.

Skills

C programming

Embedded systems

Leadership

WiFi firmware development

Bluetooth Low Energy firmware development

Python

Cryptography

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or Electrical Engineering

Job description

Join Afero and change the world, a gazillion connections at a time! Our vision is to make all the world’s devices really smart and truly secure, through innovation and scale. Come make it happen!

Afero is the leading PaaS for IoT manufacturers and brands, enabling connected devices to be both smart and secure. Afero built its foundation on security, data privacy, simplicity and ease of use. Today, Afero technology powers millions of devices across more than 1,000 SKUs from 50+ manufacturers, including well‑known brands like Defiant, Hampton Bay and EcoSmart. Afero has more than 123 patents, one of the largest IoT patent portfolios globally, and was named an 2024 IoT Breakthrough Winner for IoT Security Platform of the Year. Afero is driven by a team of world‑class executives and veterans in mobile, hardware, security, consumer and cloud, leveraging experience from Google, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Netflix, Disney, Roku and Danger. Afero provides a fantastic opportunity to explore and to expand your expertise while driving product innovation into exciting new ecosystems.

Why you’ll want to work with us

For a small team, Afero engineers collectively do a little bit of everything—from cloud applications and infrastructure to mobile development on multiple platforms, firmware on a wider range of devices, to board‑level hardware design and implementation of secure wireless devices. If you enjoy deep dives into assorted technology stacks to understand end‑to‑end system workflows, can adapt past experiences to new solutions, and can communicate technical ideas effectively, Afero is a fantastic opportunity to explore and to expand your expertise.

What We’re Looking for

We want people with passion to build best in class technology, who will drive the evolution and scale of Afero’s platform. The range of disciplines and experience represented at Afero is broad and deep, and everyone on the team contributes meaningfully to our culture and our growth. We’re looking for builders and problem solvers who will bring perspective and skills to support our success, people with enthusiasm for digging into complexity, creating solutions, and driving effectiveness in a collaborative environment.

This Engineering Director, Firmware position requires an energetic and self‑motivated individual with excellent communication, organization, and technical skills to work cross‑functionally with other organizations (internal and external), who can communicate at all levels of management. This is a unique opportunity for a senior professional who enjoys a high level of independence, visibility and responsibility.

Key Responsibilities

• Own, drive and improve Afero’s Firmware solutions and stack that support a broad range of products
• Collaborate with other stakeholders, internally and externally, to launch products from concept to mass production
• Recruit, manage and develop an exceptional firmware team maintaining a very high bar for deliverables and commitments
• Drive timely delivery of software to the factory for all stages of production, like EVT, DVT, PVT and MP
• Provide technical direction, guidance, and hands‑on management
• Focus on improving all aspects of Firmware — design, architecture, implementation, release process, quality

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or Electrical Engineering
• At least 10+ years of advancing experience in software engineering leadership or management roles
• 5+ years of relevant work experience developing consumer or commercial products in a fast‑paced environment
• Experience managing teams that handle several concurrent products and making releases to meet commitments
• Real world embedded systems experience developing firmware with MCUs, RTOS, and device drivers for low power devices
• Experience porting BSPs and SDKs to new chipsets
• Strong C programming experience. Strong RTOS experience. Python experience is a plus.
• Cryptography experience is a huge plus.
• WiFi and Bluetooth Low Energy firmware development experience is a plus.
• Proven capability to balance long‑term strategic vision with immediate operational goals
• Proven track record of managing and coordinating with external technology vendors
• This role is a hybrid position, requiring occasional work in the office at the company headquarters in Los Altos, CA (may be up to 3 days per week).
• Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S.

$250,000 - $280,000 a year

The US base salary range for this full‑time position is expected to be $250,000 to $280,000. Actual pay is determined by various factors, including work location, job‑related skills and experience, relevant education, training or certifications, and other business and organizational needs. At Afero, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top end of the range or their role, and compensation decisions depend on each case's facts and circumstances. This range reflects base salary only; Afero also offers competitive benefits and equity compensation not included in these numbers.

Afero is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran or disability status.