RC Firmware Engineer — Embedded Systems for Hobby RC

Experience Champaign Urbana; Champaign (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

HSA and FSA options

Disability Insurance

Life Insurance and Supplemental Life

401(k) with company match

Paid Time Off

Paid Holidays

Discounts on Products

Additional insurance coverage

Job summary

Horizon Hobby in Champaign, IL is seeking a mid‑level Firmware Engineer to develop embedded firmware for RC products. You will own firmware features, work with hardware and product teams, and optimize control‑link performance in a collaborative environment.

The role emphasizes hands‑on testing, debugging with lab tools, and iteration to improve reliability and performance across compact electronics powering hobby products.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field.
• 2–5 years of experience developing embedded firmware in C or C++.
• Familiarity with microcontrollers, real‑time systems, and low‑level drivers (SPI, I²C, UART, PWM, ADC).
• Ability to read schematics and understand hardware interfaces.
• Experience debugging embedded systems using standard lab tools.
• Interest in RF‑enabled consumer electronics or control systems.

Responsibilities

• Firmware Development for RC Electronics — Design, implement, and maintain embedded firmware for transmitters, receivers, ESCs, sensors, and other RC components.
• Hardware Integration — Work closely with electrical engineers to bring up new boards, validate interfaces, and ensure firmware and hardware operate seamlessly together.
• RF System Support — Collaborate with RF engineers to integrate firmware with RF modules, optimize control‑link performance, and support antenna tuning and range‑testing workflows.
• CAD & Documentation Support — Review schematics and PCB layouts to understand hardware interfaces and constraints.
• Testing & Debugging — Use oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and RF test equipment to debug issues, validate performance, and ensure reliability in real‑world RC environments.
• Field & Bench Validation — Participate in controlled field tests with RC models to evaluate firmware behavior under realistic operating conditions.
• Continuous Improvement — Identify opportunities to improve firmware architecture, testing workflows, and product performance.
• Performs other duties as assigned within the scope of the position.

Skills

Embedded firmware

C/C++ programming

Microcontrollers

Real-time systems

Device drivers

Schematic reading

Debugging

RF concepts

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical or Computer Engineering

Tools

Altium

Job description

Horizon Hobby in Champaign, IL is seeking a mid‑level Firmware Engineer to develop embedded firmware for RC products. You will own firmware features, work with hardware and product teams, and optimize control‑link performance in a collaborative environment.

The role emphasizes hands‑on testing, debugging with lab tools, and iteration to improve reliability and performance across compact electronics powering hobby products.