Firmware Manager

Hardware FYI; Fremont, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 198,000 - 257,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) Plan with 6% match

Equity / stock options

Company-paid health insurance

Dental and vision coverage

Disability insurance

Benefits start day one

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Flexible time off / holidays

On-site lunches and snacks

Parental leave

Flexible work arrangements

Relocation assistance

Annual discretionary bonus

Job summary

Agility Robotics in Fremont, CA, is seeking a Firmware Engineering Manager to lead the firmware team responsible for low‑level embedded software across our robot sensors, controls, and power management. You’ll bridge hardware and software, guide architecture decisions, and collaborate with cross‑functional teams to ensure robust, production‑ready designs.

You will mentor engineers, manage performance, and drive agile processes while maintaining a strong focus on software quality and scalability

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant engineering field.
• 10+ years experience in robotics, autonomous systems, or high‑complexity software environments.
• 2+ years leading and managing engineering teams.
• Proven ability to build and lead high‑performing teams with scalable processes.
• Expertise in performant and maintainable software development.
• Strong communicator with ability to influence stakeholders across software and hardware.
• Experience using AI tools to boost productivity.
• Experience writing modern C++ (C++17/20).
• Experience with FreeRTOS or similar RTOS.
• Balance technical depth with strategic leadership in fast‑paced environments.
• Familiarity with Jira, Git, CI/CD and agile processes.
• Experience with unit testing (GTest) and coverage analysis.
• Authorization to work in the USA.

Responsibilities

• Build and lead a team of senior embedded software engineers.
• Champion the existing team's talent and represent their needs to senior leadership.
• Mentor engineers and foster technical rigor and ownership.
• Manage performance cycles, create individualized development plans.
• Contribute to the C++ firmware architecture that drives the robot’s low‑level sensor network, controls, and power management systems.
• Work with cross‑disciplinary teams to solve complex problems involving the integration of software and hardware in robot systems.
• Review code, manage sprint planning, plan releases, prioritize workloads.

Skills

Embedded systems

C++ (modern)

Leadership

Firmware architecture

Cross-functional collaboration

Mentoring

Agile/scrum

FreeRTOS

Git/Jira

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, CS, Electrical Eng

Robotics or Systems Engineering

Masters preferred

Tools

Git

Jira

CI/CD

GTest

Job description

Agility’s commercially deployed humanoids operate alongside teams in warehouses, manufacturing facilities, and distribution centers—tackling physically demanding and repetitive tasks while enabling workers to focus on higher-value work. With industry-leading safety standards and years of proven deployment data, we're pioneering a new era of automation that enhances human potential.

About The Role

The firmware team at Agility develops low-level embedded software for controls and sensors throughout our robots. The Firmware Engineering Manager leads this team of high performing engineers to plan robot firmware architecture, design subsystems, and develop robust and reliable firmware for our full line of robots. In this role, you will collaborate with cross functional teams to understand the unique requirements for our products and play a key role in ensuring that we have robot designs that are robust and production-ready. Your team will facilitate the bridge between hardware and higher level robot control algorithms, to test systems, and to other stakeholders by documenting interfaces and providing support to other engineers.

About The Work

• Build and lead a team of senior embedded software engineers.

• Champion the existing team's talent and represent their needs to senior leadership.

• Mentor engineers and foster technical rigor and ownership.

• Manage performance cycles, create individualized development plans.

• Contribute to the C++ firmware architecture that drives our robot’s low-level sensor network, controls, and power management systems

• Work with cross-disciplinary teams to solve complex problems involving the integration of software and hardware in robot systems.

• Review code, manage sprint planning, plan releases, prioritize workloads.

About You

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Robotics, or a related field.

• 10+ years experience in robotics, autonomous vehicles, aerospace, industrial automation, or similar high-complexity software and systems environments

• 2+ years experience leading and managing engineering teams.

• Proven ability to build and lead high-performing engineering teams while establishing scalable processes and operational rigor.

• Expertise in best practices for writing performant and maintainable software

• Effective communicator capable of influencing technical and executive stakeholders and driving alignment across software and hardware development teams.

• Ability to incorporate and use AI tools to enhance productivity and efficiency.

• Experience writing modern C++ (17, 20)

• Experience using FreeRTOS or similar

• Ability to balance technical depth with strategic leadership in fast-paced, ambiguous environments

• Familiarity with standard agile and software development processes (issue tracking tools (Jira), feature branching, version control (Git), continuous integration and deployment.

• Experience with unit testing such as with GTest and coverage analysis

• Authorization to work in the USA

Location

• This is a hybrid position based out of our Fremont, CA office. Candidates should anticipate regular travel to Salem, OR, averaging ~15% with bursts of extended stays during critical project phases.

The final salary offered to a successful candidate will be dependent on several factors that may include but are not limited to: job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Agility Robotics is a multi-state employer and this salary range may not reflect positions who work in other locations. These ranges may be modified in the future.

Anticipated Base Salary Range

$198,000

$257,000 USD

In addition to base pay, our competitive total rewards package consists of the following for full-time employees:

• 401(k) Plan:Includes a 6% company match.
• Equity:Company stock options.
• Insurance Coverage:100% company-paid medical, dental, vision, and short/long-term disability insurance for employees.
• Benefit Start Date:Eligible for benefits on your first day of employment.
• Well-Being Support:Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Time Off:
  • Exempt Employees:Flexible, unlimited PTO and 12 company holidays, including a winter shutdown.
  • Non-Exempt Employees:10 vacation days, paid sick leave, and 12 company holidays, including a winter shutdown, annually.
• On-Site Perks:Catered lunches four times a week and a variety of healthy snacks and refreshments at our Salem and Pittsburgh locations.
• Parental Leave:Generous paid parental leave programs.
• Work Environment:A culture that supports flexible work arrangements.
• Growth Opportunities:Professional development and tuition reimbursement programs.
• Relocation Assistance:Provided for eligible roles.
• Annual Discretionary Bonus: Provided for eligible roles.

All of our roles are U.S.-based. Applicants must have current authorization to work in the United States.

Agility Robotics is committed to a work environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. Each individual has the right to work in a professional atmosphere that promotes equal employment opportunities and prohibits unlawful discriminatory practices, including harassment. Therefore, it is the policy of Agility Robotics to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, national origin, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. Agility Robotics prohibits any such discrimination or harassment.