Firmware Architect

Whisker; Auburn Hills (MI); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Premium insurance

Parental leave

Pet-friendly office

Stock or 401K match

Job summary

Whisker is seeking a Firmware Architect to lead the design and development of scalable firmware for IoT devices. You will guide architecture, drive secure updates, and mentor a growing firmware team across multiple platforms.

Join a fast-paced, onsite organization in Auburn Hills, MI, focusing on robust, high‑performance firmware with strong cross‑functional collaboration and ongoing innovations in pet-tech ecosystems.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s, Master’s or Ph.D. in Computer/Electrical Engineering or related field, or equivalent experience
• 15+ years of firmware engineering experience
• 5+ years as a firmware architect delivering complex scalable systems
• 5+ years of low‑level firmware development for embedded systems
• Expertise in C and C++ for firmware
• Experience with secure and reliable firmware updates for IoT deployments
• Strong leadership, communication, and collaboration skills
• Familiarity with agile development methodologies

Responsibilities

• Lead end‑to‑end design and architecture of scalable firmware systems
• Provide hands‑on firmware development and establish coding standards
• Collaborate with hardware engineers and product managers to translate requirements
• Mentor teams and enforce architectural principles
• Evaluate new firmware technologies and tools for IoT devices
• Ensure firmware security, reliability, and lifecycle integrity
• Own full development lifecycle from concept to delivery
• Conduct code reviews to maintain quality
• Drive secure connectivity and infrastructure for device firmware

Skills

Firmware architecture

C/C++

Embedded systems

Debugging tools

IoT integration

Leadership

Communication

Agile

Project management

Architecture modeling

Education

Bachelors/Masters/PhD in EE/CE or firmware

Tools

CloudWatch

AppSync

Relational Databases

Kinesis

CloudTrail

API Gateway

Cognito

VPC

Job description

Description

Whisker is redefining what it means to live with cats—designing intelligent systems that remove friction, elevate the everyday, and celebrate the quiet brilliance of feline companionship. Today, Litter-Robot leads the category. Tomorrow, an entire ecosystem that expands what’s possible for cats and the people who love them. We believe the future is feline. And we’re imagining that future today.

We work onsite 4+ days a week, with our team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan, and Juneau, Wisconsin. Our team of 700+ passionate pet people thrives on collaboration, innovation, and the occasional office cameo from a four-legged friend.

What You’ll Do

The Firmware Architect will lead in designing and developing complex firmware systems and will be instrumental in shaping robust architectures, ensuring scalability, security, performance, and efficiency. Additionally, the Firmware Architect will be crucial in providing technical leadership and guidance to our dynamic firmware engineering team.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

This list of duties and responsibilities is not all-inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties and responsibilities as deemed necessary.

• Leads the end-to-end design and architecture of scalable, high-performance firmware systems that align with Whisker’s business objectives
• Actively participates in firmware development and provides hands‑on technical expertise, setting a standard for coding practices within the team
• Collaborates closely with cross-functional teams, including hardware engineers and product managers, analyzing and translating business requirements into technical firmware solutions
• Provides technical leadership and mentorship to development teams, ensuring best practices and architectural principles are implemented
• Evaluates and recommends emerging technologies and firmware development tools that contribute to the growth and success of our IoT devices and technology ecosystem
• Ensures the firmware architecture’s integrity, security, and reliability throughout the development lifecycle
• Takes ownership of the full development lifecycle, from conceptualization to implementation, ensuring the delivery of high-quality firmware products
• Conducts regular code reviews and provides constructive feedback to ensure code quality
• Drives robust protocols and frameworks to safeguard device firmware, connectivity, and infrastructure against evolving threats
• Designs, develops, and leads the implementation of robust, scalable firmware solutions for IoT devices across multiple platforms
• Will perform additional duties as required

Requirements

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s, Master’s degree, or Ph.D. in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Firmware Engineering, or a related field and / or equivalent years of experience
• 15+ years of professional experience in firmware engineering
• 5+ years of proven experience as a firmware architect, demonstrating successful design, release, and delivery of complex, scalable firmware systems
• 5+ years of experience with low-level firmware development for embedded systems
• In-depth understanding of embedded firmware design principles, patterns, and best practices
• Expertise in C and C++ programming languages, particularly for firmware development
• Experience supporting medium to large-scale IoT product deployments, including secure and reliable firmware updates
• Proficiency with debugging tools
• Experience with integrating firmware with hardware peripherals, communication protocols
• Familiarity with cloud-connected device ecosystems and secure IoT firmware practices
• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to address technical challenges in a dynamic environment
• Strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Proficient in using architecture modeling and design tools
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts effectively to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Project management skills with a track record of successfully driving projects to completion
• Familiarity with agile development methodologies
• A passion for staying updated on industry trends and continuously improving technical expertise
• Maintains confidentiality of proprietary information
• Ability to maintain a professional atmosphere in a fast‑paced environment with numerous interactions and interruptions
• A high degree of initiative, self‑motivation, and ability to motivate others
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with Team Members and colleagues
• Comfortable with office pets (cats, dogs). requirements for the role

Not Required but Nice to Have!

• Experience with CloudWatch, AppSync, Relational Databases, Kinesis Stream, CloudTrail, API Gateway, Cognito or VPC

Benefits & Perks:

Join a tenacious, inventive company that empowers team members to chart their own path, lead by grounding decisions in the “why”, and has a strong sense of empathy and openness to new perspectives. Be a part of exciting growth, work with incredible people, and create tomorrow’s pet products—plus a whole lot of extras. You will also be provided with:

• Premium Medical/Dental/Vision insurance
• Paid parental leave
• Whisker Parents Program
• 1 day "pawternity" leave for new pet adoption
• Pet Insurance Discount
• 401K match
• Flexible spending accounts
• Company-paid short-term disability and life insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Generous paid time off
• 14 Paid Holidays
• Top of the line equipment
• Pet-friendly office
• Whisker products and swag
• Continuing education Support
• On-site gym with Peloton
• Referral program

Statement of Inclusivity:

We believe different perspectives make Whisker better and strive to create a place where everyone has equal opportunities to thrive.

Please ensure to regularly check your email spam folder for any communication from Whisker to avoid missing important updates regarding your application status.

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