Lead Firmware Engineer

Stealth Company; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Equity options

Opportunity to shape the product

Job summary

A dynamic startup in San Francisco is seeking a Firmware Lead to develop embedded software for innovative AI-powered consumer devices. In this role, you will create drivers and optimize audio/video performance. The ideal candidate has over 5 years of experience in embedded systems and a solid grounding in C/C++. Join a small team with a big vision and enjoy competitive compensation along with the opportunity to shape the technology of the future.

Qualifications

• 5+ years embedded systems or firmware development experience.
• Strong programming skills in C/C++ for embedded systems.
• Experience with Linux kernel, device drivers, and RTOS.

Responsibilities

• Build drivers for cameras, microphones, and sensors.
• Implement real-time audio and video processing pipelines.
• Collaborate with hardware team on bring-up and validation.

Skills

C/C++ programming

Embedded systems development

Linux kernel and device drivers

Audio/video hardware interfaces

Power management techniques

Integrating audio processing libraries

Video AI integration

Job description

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We're a well-funded stealth startup backed by proven founders, building the next generation of AI-powered consumer hardware. We're assembling a small, elite team to create revolutionary products that integrate cutting-edge voice, vision, and AI technologies. If you're excited about building embedded systems from the ground up and shipping world-changing technology—we'd love to talk.

Role

Join as our firmware lead to build the embedded software that brings our device to life. You'll work directly with founders who've built unicorn companies and know how to ship fast. This is embedded systems at its finest—low-level firmware that seamlessly integrates AI processing, audio, vision, and hardware into a responsive, always-on device.

What You'll Do

• Build drivers for cameras, microphones, sensors, and audio hardware
• Implement real-time audio and video processing pipelines
• Work with audio processing libraries (AEC, noise suppression, beamforming)
• Optimize video capture and streaming for AI inference
• Implement power management for always-on AI functionality
• Work on Linux-based system software and AI model integration
• Handle OTA updates, bootloaders, and system reliability
• Collaborate with hardware team on bring-up and validation

Requirements

• 5+ years embedded systems or firmware development experience
• Strong C/C++ programming for embedded systems
• Experience with Linux kernel, device drivers, and RTOS
• Background with audio/video hardware interfaces (I2S, I2C, SPI, USB, CSI, etc.)
• Knowledge of ARM or similar embedded processors
• Experience with camera modules and video capture systems
• Understanding of power management and optimization techniques
• Track record of shipping consumer electronics products
• Experience integrating audio processing libraries (AEC, AGC, VAD) +++
• Background with video AI integration (face detection, object recognition) +++

Why Join

• Build an ambitious product with real-world impact from prototypes to mass production
• Work with founders who've built unicorn companies and know how to ship fast
• Competitive compensation, equity, and the chance to shape the product—and the company
• Small empowered team. No bureaucracy. Big upside.

Apply

Ready to build the future? Send us your resume and examples of firmware you've developed and shipped.