Firmware Engineer - Medical Devices

Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies; Lakewood (CO); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies is seeking a Firmware Engineer to own the firmware lifecycle from board bring-up to production-ready software for medical devices. You will work on embedded Linux on NXP i.MX platforms and low-level Cortex-M4 firmware, delivering reliable, compliant software under IEC 62304 and ISO standards.

Collaboration is key as you partner with Electrical, Systems, Software, DevOps, and Quality teams to turn requirements into testable firmware, implement robust

Qualifications

• 4 years of embedded firmware development experience on hardware products.
• Experience in regulated industries (medical, automotive, or aerospace) preferred.
• Strong proficiency in C/C++ on resource-constrained targets.

Responsibilities

• Own board bring-up and verify power sequencing, clocks, memory and peripherals.
• Write and debug device drivers and low-level interfaces (I2C, SPI, UART, USB).
• Develop firmware for real-time control systems and embedded Linux stack.
• Maintain bootloaders, secure boot, and firmware update paths.
• Collaborate with engineering teams across disciplines to ensure compliant, testable firmware.
• Lead code and design reviews and mentor junior engineers.

Skills

C/C++

ARM Cortex-M4

Board bring-up

Embedded Linux

Device drivers

I2C/SPI/UART

Yocto Build

Git/GitLab CI

Schematic reading

Python

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering / Electrical Engineering / Computer Science

Tools

Yocto

Buildroot

PetaLinux

Git

JTAG/SWD

Job description

The firmware this engineer writes runs inside medical devices used to care for patients around the world, so it has to work correctly and safely. This is hands-on work close to the silicon: bringing up new boards, writing the low-level drivers, and building the real-time control systems that make the hardware do its job. The engineer carries firmware from the first board bring-up through to a maintainable, production-ready product.

The role spans the firmware stack: embedded Linux on NXP i.MX processors and low-level firmware on the NXP ARM Cortex-M4 microcontrollers used in current TBCT designs. The Firmware Engineer delivers firmware for products in the field today and helps advance future platform generations built around more capable processors and emerging on-chip technologies. The firmware produced in this role directly shapes device reliability, performance, and compliance with medical device quality and regulatory standards.

Collaboration is central to the role. The Firmware Engineer works closely with Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Software, DevOps, and Quality to bring up new hardware, integrate firmware into the larger system, and turn product requirements into testable, verifiable firmware that performs dependably in the field.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Own board bring-up on new and revised hardware, verifying power sequencing, clocks, memory, and peripherals on the first boards and working with Electrical Engineering to contribute to architecture/schematic reviews, board bring-up, and resolving hardware and firmware issues.
• Write, port, and debug device drivers and low-level interfaces (I2C, SPI, UART, USB, GPIO, ADC/DAC, PWM, DMA) for on-board sensors, actuators, and communication peripherals.
• Develop firmware for the control systems that operate physical hardware such as motors, valves, pumps, and heaters, including real-time, timing-sensitive control loops.
• Develop and maintain the embedded Linux stack on NXP i.MX platforms, including board support packages, device trees, kernel configuration, operating system integration, and userspace services, within a Yocto build environment.
• Help evaluate and choose microcontroller architectures for future platforms, including parts with advanced on-chip processing capabilities, by building prototypes, benchmarking performance and power, and writing up the trade-offs.
• Optimize firmware for speed, memory footprint, and power on resource-constrained targets.
• Develop and maintain bootloaders, secure boot, and firmware update paths so devices start reliably and stay current in the field.
• Translate system and product requirements into firmware designs, and produce the design documentation required by regulatory and quality processes (IEC 62304, ISO 14971, ISO 13485).
• Plan and execute firmware verification and validation, and resolve issues found in development, integration, and the field. Create and execute automated unit tests, integration tests, and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing.
• Participate in and lead code and design reviews, and mentor engineers earlier in their careers.
• Participate in software risk assessments, hazard analyses, SWFMEA and implement cybersecurity principles for connected devices
• Partner with Systems, Electrical, Mechanical, and Quality Engineering across the full product lifecycle, from first prototype through production.

OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Help improve firmware development and test processes so they meet industry standards and internal benchmarks, and support inspection readiness with clear documentation and traceability.
• Keep firmware maintainable, reusable, and scalable so it integrates cleanly across projects and platforms.
• Stay current with embedded tools, techniques, and security practices, and bring useful improvements back to the team.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential functions of the job.

Experience

Minimum 4 years of experience developing embedded firmware for hardware products, including hands-on board bring-up and hardware debugging carried through to a shipped product. Experience in a regulated industry (medical, automotive, or aerospace) is preferred.

Skills

• Strong proficiency in C/C++ on resource-constrained embedded targets.
• Hands‑on microcontroller and SoC development on ARM-based architectures, such as NXP i.MX processors and ARM Cortex‑M4 microcontrollers.
• Board bring‑up and hardware debugging with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and JTAG/SWD debuggers.
• Solid command of low‑level I/O and serial protocols (I2C, SPI, UART, USB, GPIO).
• Working knowledge of embedded Linux internals, including the kernel, device drivers, device trees, and board support packages, and/or real‑time and bare‑metal firmware.
• Experience with a Yocto build environment; Buildroot or PetaLinux also applicable.
• Ability to read schematics and datasheets and determine whether an issue is rooted in hardware, firmware, or software.
• Proficient in source code management and CI workflows (e.g., Git and GitLab), with scripting in Python or Bash.
• Familiarity with wired and wireless connectivity, including TCP/IP, Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth/BLE, and 5G.
• Familiarity with medical device standards and lifecycle processes (IEC 62304, ISO 14971, ISO 13485, IEC 60601) is preferred.
• Experience or demonstrated ability to work in middleware and user‑space components, including interprocess communication, service design, and system‑level integration on embedded Linux is preferred.
• Clear communication and disciplined documentation habits, which matter in a regulated environment.

-Or-

An equivalent competency level acquired through a variation of these qualifications may be considered.

LOCATION

Hybrid position reporting to the Lakewood, CO headquarters a minimum of 3 days a week.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Typical Office Environment requirements include reading, speaking, hearing, close vision, walking, bending, sitting, and occasional lifting up to 20 pounds.
• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential duties of this job.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties.