Manager, Firmware Engineering

Openkrill; United States; Remote; USD 155,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Samsara is seeking an Engineering Manager to lead firmware and ML engineers, building edge AI for our fleet and industrial devices. You’ll own AI deployment from model to reliable firmware, drive architecture for low latency and power, and mentor engineers to deliver production‑quality systems.

This is a remote position for US residents; relocation assistance will not be provided. You’ll shape roadmaps, hire and develop top talent, and foster a culture of ownership as Samsara scales globally.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of hands-on management experience.
• 8+ years of embedded systems and edge ML development.
• Experience deploying CV/ML models on edge devices.
• Shipped a mass production product.
• Strong interpersonal skills in a fast-paced, customer-focused environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of firmware and ML engineers; influence driver safety features and edge AI quality.
• Provide hands-on technical leadership in design, implementation, and optimization of production systems.
• Set technical bar for edge ML and embedded systems; mentor engineers.
• Turn new AI capabilities into shipped products by partnering with Product, Hardware and Full‑stack teams.
• Shape the roadmap with leadership on quarterly plans balancing ambition and engineering health.

Skills

Technical leadership

Team management

Edge ML deployment

Embedded systems

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Computer Science / Computer Engineering

Tools

C/C++

Rust

gstreamer

MediaPipe

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, and Equipment Monitoring. 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:

Samsara's AI has helped prevent accidents that would have harmed an estimated 380,000 people per year. Every model we ship runs in the real world, on real roads, protecting real drivers.

Every Samsara dash cam, gateway, and industrial sensor runs AI at the edge. These models detect distracted driving, prevent collisions, and keep workers safe, all in real time on constrained hardware. As Engineering Manager, you'll own how AI moves from a trained model to firmware running reliably on devices in the field across Samsara's customer fleet.

You will drive Samsara’s edge AI strategy while mentoring engineers and delivering high-impact solutions. You will oversee the deployment of next-generation intelligent safety features and video processing by integrating high-performance camera systems and real-time edge computing into Samsara’s fleet and industrial products. In addition, you will establish the technical strategy, cross-functional relationships, and operational cadence required to launch low-latency, high-quality hardware programs at scale.

This is a remote position open to candidates residing in the US. Relocation assistance will not be provided for this role.

Scale: Millions of AI dash cams, 100B+ miles/year (~99% of U.S. roads), 25T+ data points.

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 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 team of ~5 firmware and ML engineers. Your team builds, optimizes, and deploys AI models on Samsara's fleet and industrial devices. Your work directly affects whether a driver gets a warning before a collision, not after.
• Provide hands‑on technical leadership. Lead from the front technically, contributing directly to the design, implementation, and optimization of high‑performance production systems.
• Set the technical bar for edge ML and embedded systems. You'll guide architecture decisions on latency, power, memory, and model performance, and mentor engineers to go deep on problems most teams never touch.
• Turn new AI capabilities into shipped products. You'll partner with Product, Hardware, and Full‑stack teams to take features from concept to deployment on devices. You'll also keep improving the ones customers rely on every day.
• Shape the roadmap. You'll work with leadership on quarterly plans that balance product ambition with engineering health, and make the tradeoffs that deliver the most customer impact.
• Build a team people want to join and stay on. You'll create a culture of ownership, accountability, and continuous improvement, with a high bar for execution quality and room for people to grow.
• Scale Samsara's culture as we grow globally. You'll champion and role model our principles as the team expands across new offices: Focus on Customer Success, Build for the Long Term, Adopt a Growth Mindset, Be Inclusive, and Win as a Team.
• Hire and develop top talent. You'll grow an inclusive, engaged, high‑performing team, and help define what great edge AI engineering looks like at Samsara.

Minimum requirements for the role:

• 3+ years of hands‑on execution-oriented technical management experience.
• 8+ years of experience in embedded systems and edge machine learning development.
• Proven track record managing a team of engineers that has shipped a mass production product.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work well in a diverse fast paced customer-focused environment.
• Experience deploying CV/ML models on edge devices in real‑world applications.

An ideal candidate also has:

• Experience working on products from concept to mass production.
• Proficiency in C/C++, Rust, or similar programming languages.
• Proficiency in gstreamer, Google MediaPipe, or similar edge AI/Media frameworks.
• Experience with data analysis using tools such as Databricks, SQL queries, Tableau.
• Bachelors or Masters degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering or equivalent field.

The compensation range shown spans approved pay zones for this role. Your primary work location determines the range applicable to you, which may be narrower than the full range displayed.

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. This role is also eligible for an initial RSU grant with no vesting cliff, and ongoing refresh opportunities tied to performance, subject to plan terms and conditions. Learn more about our total rewards and benefits below.

Annual Base Salary$154,700-$260,000 USD

Total Rewards

At Samsara, we build for the people who keep the global economy moving. We want owners, not passengers, which is why our rewards are designed to fuel high‑impact builders. Our compensation program delivers above‑market total compensation through a combination of base salary, performance‑based bonus/variable pay, and equity (for eligible roles) in a high‑growth public company. We meaningfully differentiate pay for our top performers, who has the opportunity to earn above‑market compensation that can outpace the broader market over time.

Beyond compensation, we provide the foundations that enable long‑term success: a flexible, employee‑led remote model, a professional development stipend, comprehensive health and parental leave plans, and more. If you’re ready to build for the long term and own the outcome, your journey starts here.

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