Photonics Firmware Engineer - Bring-Up & Validation

Xscape Photonics Inc; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Xscape Photonics is seeking a skilled Firmware Engineer to lead the development of validation and test firmware for its optical communication hardware. You will bring-up, characterize, and qualify new devices—drives lasers, modulators, and photodetectors—in an integrated photonics platform.

Responsibilities include developing firmware for MCUs, testing with precision instrumentation, and ensuring robust control methods are modular and properly documented for productization.

Qualifications

• BS/MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field with 3+ years in embedded firmware.
• Embedded firmware in C/C++ for real-time systems (bare-metal and RTOS).
• Microcontroller interfaces I2C, SPI, UART, GPIO, ADC/DAC with calibration.
• Clocking with PLLs, timers, and deterministic sampling.
• Modular, testable firmware for hardware control.
• Willingness to debug bring-up on PCB/test boards with lab instruments.
• Git version control and standard software practices.
• Strong analytical and teamwork skills.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement validation firmware for MCU-based platforms driving lasers, modulators, photodetectors, and control electronics.
• Translate Python-based prototypes into embedded firmware and verify on hardware.
• Interface with ADC/DAC, sensors, and power management circuits.
• Develop bootloaders, update mechanisms, diagnostics, and telemetry for manufacturing and field use.
• Configure and read I2C/SPI/UART/GPIO interfaces with precise timing.
• Support hardware bring-up and board-level debug using oscilloscopes, DMMs, and logic analyzers.
• Document test procedures and handoff validated behavior for productization.

Skills

Embedded firmware

C/C++ programming

Real-time systems

I2C/SPI/UART

Debugging & bring-up

Git version control

Problem-solving

Teamwork

Education

BS/MS in Electrical/Computer Engineering or related field

Tools

Git

Oscilloscope

DMM

Logic analyzers

Python

Job description

Xscape Photonics is seeking a skilled Firmware Engineer to lead the development of validation and test firmware for its optical communication hardware. You will bring-up, characterize, and qualify new devices—drives lasers, modulators, and photodetectors—in an integrated photonics platform.

Responsibilities include developing firmware for MCUs, testing with precision instrumentation, and ensuring robust control methods are modular and properly documented for productization.