Firmware Engineer – Embedded Controls / Sensors

BTS; Columbia (MD); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive health benefits package

PTO

401K matching

Job summary

BTS is seeking a Firmware Engineer – Embedded Controls / Sensors to support the Intelligence and Information Warfare Directorate at Aberdeen Proving Ground. You will develop and modify firmware for gimbals, optics, motors, and sensors, collaborating with hardware, software, and systems engineers to deliver robust, secure embedded solutions.

The role emphasizes hands-on work with low-level firmware, real-time constraints, and hardware interfaces; candidates should have TS/SCI clearance and proven

Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI security clearance is required.
• Experience in embedded firmware development in C/C++ or similar.
• Experience with microcontrollers, embedded processors, or SoCs.
• Experience interfacing with SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, PWM, ADC/DAC.
• Experience developing firmware for motors, actuators, sensors, or similar systems.
• Strong knowledge of real-time embedded systems and memory management.
• Experience debugging with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers and debuggers.

Responsibilities

• Develop and modify embedded firmware for hardware systems used in national security missions.
• Work with cross-functional teams to integrate sensors, actuators, and control hardware.
• Read schematics and datasheets to understand and modify firmware.
• Troubleshoot complex system behavior across hardware/firmware boundary.

Skills

Embedded C/C++

Microcontrollers/SoCs

Sensor integration

RTOS experience

Real-time systems

Debugging hardware

Tools

Oscilloscopes

Logic analyzers

UART/SPI/I2C

Job description

BTS is seeking a Firmware Engineer – Embedded Controls / Sensors to provide intelligence support, supporting the Intelligence and Information Warfare Directorate (I2WD) at Aberdeen Proving Ground.

What You'll Get To Do

Develop and modify embedded firmware for advanced hardware systems supporting critical national security missions. You'll work directly with devices such as gimbals, optics, motors, sensors, and other embedded subsystems to implement new capabilities, integrate hardware, and troubleshoot complex system behavior.

More About The Role

As a Firmware Engineer, you'll design, modify, and debug low-level software running on embedded processors and microcontrollers. You'll work closely with electrical, mechanical, software, and systems engineers to integrate sensors, actuators, imaging systems, and control hardware. The role requires hands‑on experience understanding existing firmware, developing new functionality, and solving problems that cross the hardware/firmware boundary.

Required Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI security clearance.
• Experience developing or modifying embedded firmware in C/C++ or similar low-level languages.
• Experience with microcontrollers, embedded processors, or SoCs and associated peripherals.
• Experience interfacing with hardware using SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, PWM, ADC/DAC, or similar interfaces.
• Experience developing firmware for motors, actuators, sensors, optics, gimbals, or other electromechanical systems.
• Strong understanding of real‑time embedded systems, interrupts, timers, memory management, and hardware interfaces.
• Experience debugging firmware and hardware using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, debuggers, and other laboratory equipment.
• Ability to read schematics, datasheets, interface control documents, and existing firmware to understand and modify embedded systems.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience developing firmware for gimbals, motor controllers, camera systems, electro‑optical systems, or stabilized payloads.
• Experience with motor control, encoders, PID/control loops, position control, or stabilization systems.
• Experience integrating IMUs, cameras, environmental sensors, GNSS receivers, or other sensor systems.
• Experience with embedded Linux, RTOS environments, or bare‑metal development.
• Familiarity with STM32, NXP, TI, Microchip, or similar embedded platforms.
• Experience reverse engineering, modifying, or extending existing or undocumented firmware.
• Familiarity with bootloaders, firmware update mechanisms, device drivers, and low-level communications protocols.
• Experience supporting UAS, robotics, autonomous systems, imaging systems, or other embedded platforms.
• Experience rapidly prototyping and testing firmware against physical hardware.

Company Overview

BTS Software Solutions is a Service‑Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business who are community‑focused innovators who transform ideas into technology to serve people. We recognize that innovation is only valuable when applied towards a needed solution. Technology has no value without the hard work to turn ideas into reality. Our roots are in helping save Soldiers’ lives through technology. We bring that ethos to serving our community. We create solutions that touch people's lives - products to communicate, to connect companies with customers, to stay informed, to save lives, and to enhance lives. We have a small company persona with a large company ethos and capabilities; we create elegant solutions for complex problems that will enrich people’s lives. We offer one of the best benefits packages in the industry: Competitive health benefits package, PTO, 401K matching and vested from day one to name just a few of our benefits and perks.

BTS Software Solutions is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). All employment decisions shall be made without regard to age, race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status or any other basis as protected by federal, state, or local law.