Firmware Engineer (Embedded)

Clientmind Recruiting, Inc.; Greenbelt (MD); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Clientmind Recruiting, Inc. is seeking a Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer in Greenbelt, MD. The role involves designing, developing, and maintaining firmware for MCU-based systems and collaborating with hardware and software teams onsite 3x per week.

The candidate should have 4+ years of hands-on embedded firmware experience, strong C/C++, and familiarity with RTOS, MCU families (ARM Cortex-M, STM32, i.MX). Clearance or eligibility is required.

Qualifications

• Clearance: US Citizen with ability and willingness to obtain a Secret clearance.
• Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field, or equivalent work experience.
• Experience: Minimum of 4 years hands-on embedded firmware development with a proven project track record.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain embedded firmware for microcontroller-based systems.
• Collaborate in defining system architecture and firmware design, including low-level drivers and interfaces.
• Identify, diagnose, and resolve firmware and system issues using debugging tools.
• Optimize firmware for performance, memory, and power within real-time constraints.
• Work with hardware/software teams to ensure seamless integration with hardware and applications.
• Produce clear documentation including specs, design docs, tests, and user manuals.
• Develop and execute unit, integration, and system tests for firmware quality.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior engineers.

Skills

C/C++

ARM Cortex-M

STM32

i.MX

RTOS

UART

SPI

I2C

CAN

Ethernet

JTAG

oscilloscopes

logic analyzers

Git

SVN

Documentation

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Computer/Electrical Engineering or related field

Tools

None

Job description

Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer

Clientmind Recruiting is searching for a Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer for a growing technology company in Greenbelt, MD. This is a full-time position and will work onsite 3x per week at their office in Greenbelt. This role is responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining firmware and software in various applications.

Responsibilities:

• Firmware Development: Design, develop, and maintain embedded firmware for a variety of microcontroller-based systems, ensuring optimal performance, reliability, and power efficiency.
• Architecture & Design: Collaborate in defining system architecture and firmware design, including low-level driver development for sensors and I/O interfaces, hardware abstraction layers, and communication protocols.
• Debugging & Troubleshooting: Identify, diagnose, and resolve complex firmware and system issues, utilizing tools such as oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and debuggers.
  • Code Optimization: Optimize firmware for performance, memory usage, and power consumption while adhering to real-time and safety-critical requirements.
• Collaboration & Communication: Work closely with hardware engineers, software teams, and product managers to ensure seamless integration of firmware with hardware and system-level applications.
• Documentation: Produce high-quality documentation, including specifications, design documents, test plans, and user manuals to support firmware development and maintenance.
• Testing & Validation: Develop and execute unit tests, integration tests, and system-level validation to ensure firmware quality and robustness.
• Mentorship: Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior and mid-level engineers, guiding them in best practices and solving complex engineering challenges.
• Continuous Improvement: Stay up-to-date with the latest developments in embedded systems, firmware development techniques, and industry trends, and contribute to the improvement of engineering practices.

Required Qualifications:

• Clearance: US Citizen with Secret level security clearance or ability and willingness to obtain a clearance.
• Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
• Experience: Minimum of 4 years of hands‑on experience in embedded firmware development with a proven track record of successful project execution.

Technical Skills:

• Strong proficiency in C/C++ programming languages for embedded systems.
• Extensive experience with microcontrollers (e.g., ARM Cortex-M, STM32, i.MX), including hardware-level programming and peripheral interfacing.
• Expertise in both bare metal and RTOS (Real-Time Operating Systems) embedded software architectures.
  • Experience with communication protocols such as UART, SPI, I2C, CAN, Ethernet, etc.
• Proficient with debugging tools such as JTAG, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and IDE debuggers.
• Familiarity with version control systems (e.g., Git, SVN).
• Problem‑Solving: Strong analytical skills with the ability to diagnose and resolve complex embedded system issues.
• Documentation: Ability to produce clear, concise documentation and reports.
• Collaboration: Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively in cross‑functional teams.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced Experience: Experience with FPGA development, low-level hardware design, or system‑on‑chip (SoC) integration.
• Embedded Linux: Experience programming on custom embedded Linux platforms running on embedded application processors. Familiarity with building custom Linux features and power/speed optimization.
• Software Skills: Experience with scripting languages (e.g., Python) for automation or testing purposes.