Lead Firmware Test Engineer

Rocket Lab; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 119,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocket Lab is on the lookout for a Firmware Test Lead to oversee the quality strategy for our MCU-based devices. This hybrid role blends leadership with hands-on testing, ensuring the delivery of robust embedded software while collaborating with cross-functional teams to elevate our technology solutions in the dynamic field of IoT.

Benefits

Competitive total compensation package

Health benefits

Flexible remote and on-site work options

Growth opportunities

Qualifications

• 6+ years in embedded systems or firmware testing.
• 2+ years in a leadership role.
• Experience with RTOS-based systems is crucial.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of quality engineers and foster improvement.
• Develop test plans and automation for embedded firmware.
• Collaborate closely with firmware and hardware teams.

Skills

Technical leadership

Embedded systems testing

Test automation

Scripting in Python

Documentation skills

Tools

CI/CD pipelines

Version control (Git)

Hardware debugging tools

Job description

Who we are

Samsara (NYSE: IOT) is the pioneer of the Connected Operations Cloud, which is a platform that enables organizations that depend on physical operations to harness Internet of Things (IoT) data to develop actionable insights and improve their operations. At Samsara, we are helping improve the safety, efficiency and sustainability of the physical operations that power our global economy. Representing more than 40% of global GDP, these industries are the infrastructure of our planet, including agriculture, construction, field services, transportation, and manufacturing — and we are excited to help digitally transform their operations at scale.

Working at Samsara means you’ll help define the future of physical operations and be on a team that’s shaping an exciting array of product solutions, including Video-Based Safety, Vehicle Telematics, Apps and Driver Workflows, Equipment Monitoring, and Site Visibility. As part of a recently public company, you’ll have the autonomy and support to make an impact as we build for the long term.

About the role:

We are looking for a Firmware Test Lead to own the quality strategy and execution for our MCU-based devices. This is a player/coach role—ideal for someone who thrives being hands-on while also leading a small team of engineers. You will guide a team of firmware QA engineers and work in close collaboration with firmware development, hardware, and product teams to ensure the delivery of robust, high-quality embedded software.

Our devices operate in challenging environments and rely on RTOS-based firmware with complex connectivity stacks including cellular, GPS, BLE, WiFi, and CAN. Your leadership will be critical to scaling our QA infrastructure, test automation, and validation processes.

This is a hybrid position requiring 3 days per week in our San Francisco, CA office and 2 days working remotely.

You should apply if:

• You want to impact the industries that run our world: The software, firmware, and hardware you build will result in real-world impact—helping to keep the lights on, get food into grocery stores, and most importantly, ensure workers return home safely.
• You want to build for scale: With over 2.3 million IoT devices deployed to our global customers, you will work on a range of new and mature technologies driving scalable innovation for customers across industries driving the world's physical operations.
• You are a life-long learner: We have ambitious goals. Every Samsarian has a growth mindset as we work with a wide range of technologies, challenges, and customers that push us to learn on the go.
• You believe customers are more than a number: Samsara engineers enjoy a rare closeness to the end user and you will have the opportunity to participate in customer interviews, collaborate with customer success and product managers, and use metrics to ensure our work is translating into better customer outcomes.
• You are a team player: Working on our Samsara Engineering teams requires a mix of independent effort and collaboration. Motivated by our mission, we’re all racing toward our connected operations vision, and we intend to win—together.

In this role, you will:

• Lead a small team of quality engineers and provide technical leadership, set priorities, and foster a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
• Contribute directly to developing and executing test plans, test automation, and system validation for embedded firmware across multiple product lines.
• Partner closely with firmware developers, product managers, and hardware engineers to ensure test coverage and drive timely resolution of issues.
• Improve test infrastructure, CI/CD pipelines, and coverage reporting to accelerate release cycles.
• Serve as a quality champion throughout the development lifecycle, helping to identify risks early and ensure issues are resolved pre-release.
• Build and enhance automated test frameworks, HIL setups, and simulation environments to increase test coverage and reduce manual effort.
• Support field validation testing, log analysis, and issue triage to ensure firmware reliability in real-world industrial deployments.
• Champion, role model, and embed Samsara’s cultural principles (Focus on Customer Success, Build for the Long Term, Adopt a Growth Mindset, Be Inclusive, Win as a Team) as we scale globally and across new offices.

Minimum requirements for the role:

• 6+ years of experience in embedded systems or firmware testing.
• 2+ years in a technical leadership or team lead role.
• Solid experience testing RTOS-based embedded systems (Zephyr, FreeRTOS).
• Proficiency in scripting languages such as Python.
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines (Buildkite, Jenkins), version control (Git), and test automation frameworks.
• Strong documentation, communication, and organizational skills.

An ideal candidate also has:

• Experience with embedded C and SQL.
• Strong knowledge of cellular, GPS, BLE, WiFi, and CAN technologies and their associated test/debug practices.
• Experience working with hardware debugging tools (logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, protocol analyzers, J-Link).

#LI-Hybrid

Samsara’s Compensation Philosophy: Samsara’s compensation program is designed to deliver Total Direct Compensation (based on role, level, and geography) that is at or above market. We do this through our base salary + bonus/variable + restricted stock unit awards (RSUs) for eligible roles. For eligible roles, a new hire RSU award may be awarded at the time of hire, and additional RSU refresh grants may be awarded annually.

We pay for performance, and top performers in eligible roles may receive above-market equity refresh awards which allow employees to achieve higher market.

The range of annual base salary for full-time employees for this position is below. Please note that base pay offered may vary depending on factors including your city of residence, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

$119,000—$200,000 USD

At Samsara, we welcome everyone regardless of their background. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, age, and other characteristics protected by law. We depend on the unique approaches of our team members to help us solve complex problems and want to ensure that Samsara is a place where people from all backgrounds can make an impact.

Benefits

Full time employees receive a competitive total compensation package along with employee-led remote and flexible working, health benefits, Samsara for Good charity fund, and much, much more. Take a look at our Benefits site to learn more.

Accommodations

Samsara is an inclusive work environment, and we are committed to ensuring equal opportunity in employment for qualified persons with disabilities. Please email [e-mail] or click hereif you require any reasonable accommodations throughout the recruiting process.

Flexible Working

At Samsara, we embrace a flexible working model that caters to the diverse needs of our teams. Our offices are open for those who prefer to work in-person and we also support remote work where it aligns with our operational requirements. For certain positions, being close to one of our offices or within a specific geographic area is important to facilitate collaboration, access to resources, or alignment with our service regions. In these cases, the job description will clearly indicate any working location requirements. Our goal is to ensure that all members of our team can contribute effectively, whether they are working on-site, in a hybrid model, or fully remotely. All offers of employment are contingent upon an individual’s ability to secure and maintain the legal right to work at the company and in the specified work location, if applicable.

Fraudulent Employment Offers

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