Firmware Engineering Manager

Schneider Electric; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading energy management company is seeking a Firmware Engineering Manager in Raleigh, NC to drive the firmware development lifecycle for new products. The role involves managing a team, ensuring compliance with safety standards, and fostering innovation. Candidates should have over 5 years of firmware development experience with a strong background in C/C++. The position offers an expected compensation of $150,000 - $210,000 per year and supports the company's commitment to sustainability and inclusion.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in embedded firmware development.
• 2+ years of direct team management experience.
• Proven success delivering complex firmware in regulated environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a firmware team to foster technical excellence.
• Own the embedded firmware development lifecycle for products.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to support product launches.

Skills

Embedded firmware development

Team management

C/C++ programming

Real-time operating systems

Agile methodologies

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering or related field

Tools

Jira

Embedded Development Tools

MATLAB/Simulink

Job description

For this U.S. based position, the expected compensation range is $150,000 - $210,000 per year, which includes base pay and short-term incentive.

Job Summary

Schneider Electric is seeking a strategic Firmware Engineering Manager to lead the embedded firmware development for our next‑generation products. You will drive technical excellence in firmware development while ensuring strong collaboration with electronics, systems engineering, test/validation, mechanical, and other functions to achieve seamless project execution and high‑quality product delivery. This role supports Schneider Electric’s digital transformation through the EcoStruxure platform and aligns with North American market needs for safety, efficiency, and sustainability in data centers, industrial, commercial, and residential applications.

Leadership & Team Management

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of firmware and embedded software engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence, innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Conduct performance reviews, talent development, succession planning, and resource allocation to build and maintain a high‑performing firmware team.
• Manage firmware‑related budgets, development tools, test equipment, and licensing needs.

Firmware Development & Technical Strategy

• Own the embedded firmware development lifecycle for our Power Products portfolio—from requirements definition and architecture through design, implementation, code reviews, integration, testing, and maintenance.
• Define and execute the firmware technology roadmap including embedded architectures, software/firmware stack modernization, and edge AI/ML.
• Drive Agile or Stage‑Gate processes for firmware deliverables, ensuring they meet cost, performance, reliability, safety, cybersecurity, and time‑to‑market targets.
• Lead firmware design reviews, technical risk assessments, code quality audits, and failure mode analysis specific to embedded systems.
• Coach and mentor a team to adopt AI development practices to improve quality and efficiency.
• Identify and incorporate emerging firmware technologies to enhance product differentiation and digital connectivity.

Collaboration & Project Execution

• Ensure strong, proactive collaboration with hardware engineering, systems engineering, test/validation, mechanical, and compliance teams to deliver fully integrated final distribution solutions.
• Work closely with cross‑functional stakeholders (product management, manufacturing, quality, regulatory, supply chain, and marketing) to resolve firmware‑related issues and support end‑to‑end product launches.
• Contribute to obsolescence management, component selection, and long‑term support strategies for both new and installed‑base products.

Compliance, Quality & Sustainability

• Ensure all firmware designs comply with North American and international standards (UL, NEC, IEC, cybersecurity requirements).
• Support reliability, environmental, functional safety, and cybersecurity testing through close coordination with verification and validation resources.
• Champion sustainable firmware practices, such as optimized code for lower power consumption and extended product life in energy‑management applications.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field (Master’s preferred).
• 5+ years of experience in embedded firmware development.
• 2+ years of direct people‑management experience leading firmware/embedded software engineering teams in a regulated product development environment.
• Proven success delivering complex firmware from concept to production in safety‑critical or power electronics applications.
• Deep expertise in C/C++ for embedded systems, real‑time operating systems (RTOS such as FreeRTOS, ThreadX), bare‑metal development, and microcontroller architectures (ARM Cortex‑M, STM32 or equivalent).

Preferred

• Strong knowledge of relevant industry standards, safety certifications, communication protocols (Modbus, Ethernet/IP, BACnet, wireless), and cybersecurity best practices for connected devices.
• Background in smart/IoT‑enabled power devices, digital energy management, or EcoStruxure‑like platforms.
• Experience in matrix or cross‑functional project environments where firmware must integrate tightly with hardware and systems teams.
• Six Sigma, Lean Product Development, Stage‑Gate, or Agile/Scrum experience.

Technical Tools and Experience

• Embedded Development: C/C++, ARM‑based toolchains (Keil, IAR, GCC), debuggers (JTAG, SWD), and logic analyzers/oscilloscopes for real‑time debugging.
• RTOS & Protocols: Experience with real‑time operating systems, device drivers, and industrial communication stacks.
• Testing & CI/CD: Automated testing frameworks, unit/integration testing, continuous integration tools for embedded systems.
• Simulation & Analysis: MATLAB/Simulink (for algorithm modeling), power system simulation, or equivalent.
• Project & Collaboration Tools: Jira, Git, Confluence, Microsoft Project or equivalent.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and cross‑functional collaboration platforms.

What Success Looks Like

• High‑quality, on‑time firmware deliverables that enable successful product launches and meet performance, reliability, and cybersecurity targets.
• Strong collaboration across hardware, systems, and test functions, resulting in integrated solutions with minimal integration or field issues.
• Effective team leadership with measurable improvements in firmware design efficiency, innovation, code quality, and talent development.
• Contributions to North American business goals in electrification, data center power distribution, grid resilience, energy efficiency, and sustainability.

Schneider Electric aspires to be the most inclusive and caring company in the world, by providing equitable opportunities to everyone, everywhere, and ensuring all employees feel uniquely valued and safe to contribute their best. We mirror the diversity of the communities in which we operate, and inclusion is one of our core values. We believe our differences make us stronger as a company and as individuals and we are committed to championing inclusivity in everything we do.

At Schneider Electric, we uphold the highest standards of ethics and compliance, and we believe that trust is a foundational value. Our Trust Charter is our Code of Conduct and demonstrates our commitment to ethics, safety, sustainability, quality and cybersecurity, underpinning every aspect of our business and our willingness to behave and respond respectfully and in good faith to all our stakeholders. You can find out more about our Trust Charter here.

Schneider Electric is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is our policy to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities in the areas of recruiting, hiring, training, transferring, and promoting all qualified individuals regardless of race, religion, color, gender, disability, national origin, ancestry, age, military status, sexual orientation, marital status, or any other legally protected characteristic or conduct.