Lead Firmware Engineer

Hanna Instruments; Woonsocket (RI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Hanna Instruments seeks a Senior Firmware Engineer to lead embedded firmware development for next-generation analytical instruments and connected devices. You will collaborate with hardware, software, cloud, and product teams to bring concepts through production.

The ideal candidate has extensive experience in embedded systems, solving complex technical challenges, and thriving in a collaborative product development environment. Join a global leader delivering reliable testing solutions.

Qualifications

• 7+ years embedded firmware development experience.
• Expert proficiency in C for embedded systems.
• Strong understanding of ARM Cortex-M or similar microcontrollers.
• Experience with RTOS such as ThreadX, FreeRTOS, Zephyr, or similar.
• Experience with hardware debugging using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, JTAG/SWD debuggers, and protocol analyzers.
• Strong understanding of embedded communication protocols (SPI, I²C, UART, CAN, USB).
• Experience with Git and modern software development workflows.
• Excellent debugging and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, test, and maintain embedded firmware for microcontroller-based products.
• Lead firmware architecture for new product development and major platform enhancements.
• Develop low-level drivers and application software for sensors, displays, communications, and peripherals.
• Integrate firmware with analog and digital electronics to achieve high-performance measurement systems.
• Develop communication protocols including USB, UART, SPI, I²C, CAN, BLE, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and Modbus as required.
• Collaborate with hardware engineers during board bring-up and prototype evaluation.
• Support regulatory and compliance testing including EMC, safety, and product certifications.
• Optimize firmware for reliability, power consumption, memory usage, and performance.
• Participate in design reviews, code reviews, and technical planning.
• Troubleshoot field issues and provide root cause analysis for firmware-related problems.
• Mentor junior firmware engineers and promote software development best practices.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of development tools, CI/CD, testing, and coding standards.

Skills

C for embedded systems

ARM Cortex-M

RTOS experience

Embedded communication protocols

Git workflows

Debugging/problem-solving

Hardware debugging tools

Education

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

Tools

JTAG/SWD debugging

Oscilloscopes

Logic analyzers

Protocol analyzers

Git

Job description

Hanna Instruments is a global leader in the design and manufacturing of analytical instrumentation, used to measure water quality and other critical chemistry parameters. Our products support customers across environmental, industrial, laboratory, food & beverage, aquatics, agriculture, and municipal markets. We are passionate about delivering innovative, reliable, and easy-to-use solutions that help customers make better decisions through accurate testing.

Position Summary

Hanna Instruments is seeking a Senior Firmware Engineer to join our growing R&D team. In this role, you will lead the design and development of embedded firmware powering next-generation analytical instruments and connected devices. You will collaborate closely with electrical, mechanical, software, cloud, and product teams to bring innovative products from concept through production.

The ideal candidate has extensive experience developing embedded systems, enjoys solving complex technical challenges, and thrives in a collaborative product development environment.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, test, and maintain embedded firmware for microcontroller-based products.
• Lead firmware architecture for new product development and major platform enhancements.
• Develop low-level drivers and application software for sensors, displays, communications, and peripherals.
• Integrate firmware with analog and digital electronics to achieve high-performance measurement systems.
• Develop communication protocols including USB, UART, SPI, I²C, CAN, BLE, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and Modbus as required.
• Collaborate with hardware engineers during board bring-up and prototype evaluation.
• Support regulatory and compliance testing including EMC, safety, and product certifications.
• Optimize firmware for reliability, power consumption, memory usage, and performance.
• Participate in design reviews, code reviews, and technical planning.
• Troubleshoot field issues and provide root cause analysis for firmware-related problems.
• Mentor junior firmware engineers and promote software development best practices.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of development tools, CI/CD, testing, and coding standards.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related discipline.
• 7+ years of embedded firmware development experience.
• Expert proficiency in C for embedded systems.
• Strong understanding of ARM Cortex-M or similar microcontroller architectures.
• Experience with RTOS environments such as ThreadX, FreeRTOS, Zephyr, or similar.
• Experience with hardware debugging using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, JTAG/SWD debuggers, and protocol analyzers.
• Strong understanding of embedded communication protocols (SPI, I²C, UART, CAN, USB).
• Experience with Git and modern software development workflows.
• Excellent debugging and problem-solving skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Renesas or Microchip microcontrollers.
• Familiarity with Bluetooth Low Energy, Wi-Fi, MQTT, or cloud-connected products.
• Experience with secure boot, firmware update mechanisms, and cybersecurity best practices.
• Knowledge of bootloaders and over-the-air (OTA) firmware updates.
• Experience working in regulated industries or with product certification (UL, CE, FCC, NSF, IEC).
• Familiarity with Python for test automation and manufacturing tools.
• Experience with Agile product development methodologies.

What You’ll Bring

• Passion for building reliable, high-quality products.
• Strong systems-thinking mindset.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Ability to balance technical excellence with product timelines.
• Desire to mentor teammates and contribute to engineering culture.

The people here at Hanna create testing solutions that help improve everything from the taste of your local microbrew to the safety of the water from your tap. With operations in 34 countries, Hanna is working to solve some of the world’s biggest problems by making scientific testing more accessible, easy and accurate. Working for Hanna is an opportunity to be a part of the solution in making a better world.