Firmware Engineer – Embedded Controls / Sensors

CIS Secure; Maryland; On-site; USD 180,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with company matching

Dental insurance

Medical insurance

Health Savings Account option

Flexible Spending

Vision insurance

Life and Disability Insurance

Ancillary offerings

Paid Time Off

Holiday pay

Job summary

CIS Secure is seeking a Firmware Engineer – Embedded Controls / Sensors to join the REACT program at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. You will develop and modify embedded firmware for advanced hardware systems including gimbals, optics, motors, and sensors.

The role requires hands-on design, debugging, and integration with electrical, mechanical, and software teams. A TS/SCI clearance is required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related technical discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Experience in embedded firmware development in C/C++ or similar low-level languages.
• Experience with microcontrollers, embedded processors, or SoCs and associated peripherals.
• Experience interfacing with 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 with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, debuggers, and lab equipment.
• Ability to read schematics, datasheets, interface control documents, and existing firmware.

Responsibilities

• Design, modify, and debug low-level software running on embedded processors and microcontrollers.
• Work with electrical, mechanical, software, and systems engineers to integrate sensors, actuators, imaging systems, and control hardware.
• Understand and modify existing firmware, develop new functionality, and troubleshoot problems that cross hardware/firmware boundary.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Embedded firmware

Microcontrollers/SoCs

Peripheral interfaces

Electromechanical firmware

RTOS/embedded systems

Debugging hardware

Schematic reading

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Computer Engineering or related

Job description

Overview

CIS Secure is seeking a Firmware Engineer – Embedded Controls / Sensors to join our team supporting the REACT program at Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), Maryland.

The Firmware Engineer will develop and modify embedded firmware for advanced hardware systems supporting critical national security missions. This role works directly with devices such as gimbals, optics, motors, sensors, and other embedded subsystems to implement new capabilities, integrate hardware, and troubleshoot complex system behavior.

Responsibilities

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Design, modify, and debug low-level software running on embedded processors and microcontrollers.


• Work closely with electrical, mechanical, software, and systems engineers to integrate sensors, actuators, imaging systems, and control hardware.


• Understand and modify existing firmware, develop new functionality, and troubleshoot problems that cross the hardware/firmware boundary.


• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

REQUIRED SKILLS:

• 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.

EDUCATION:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.

CLEARANCE:

• Active TS/SCI security clearance required.

OPERATING HOURS AND EXPECTATIONS:

• This position anticipates standard operating hours, with flexibility as required to support program and mission requirements.


• This position is based at Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), Maryland.

TRAVEL:

• No regular travel is anticipated for this position.

Benefits

WHAT WE OFFER:

At CIS Secure, we believe in promoting fair and transparent pay practices. We are committed to disclosing the compensation range for transparency and to set clear expectations for all applicants for this posting. This range represents the anticipated low and high end of the base salary for the advertised job, promotion, or transfer opportunity. Please note that the pay range provided is a good faith estimate for the position at the time of posting. The actual salary offered may vary based on various factors including but not limited to relevant experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, education, geographic location, as well as internal equity, and alignment to market data.PAY RANGE: The anticipated base salary range for this position is $180,000 - $200,000 annually.

Benefits:

• 401(k) with company matching


• Dental insurance


• Medical insurance


• Health Savings Account option


• Flexible Spending


• Vision insurance


• Life and Disability Insurance


• Ancillary offerings (Hospital Indemnity, Accident, Critical Illness, Pet Insurance)


• Paid Time Off


• Holiday pay

CIS Secure and it's associated companies, Intrepid Solutions and Darkblade Systems, is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status, or any other protected class.