Robotics Software Engineer, Actuator Firmware

Socket.dev; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Weave seeks an Actuator Firmware Engineer to build the firmware powering our robot actuators. You will design a robust, realtime and modular firmware stack and develop a low-level control system that translates motion commands into precise, safe behavior.

You'll collaborate with electrical, mechanical, and ML engineers and integrate firmware with our custom hardware. You'll contribute to high-performance motor control, enable safe, reliable operation in production robots, and help bring home

Qualifications

• 2+ years developing control software for real-time systems and firmware architecture.
• Deep understanding of embedded systems and prototype hardware.
• Experience with real-time constraints and low-level peripherals.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain motor control firmware for prototypes to production.
• Implement and tune hierarchical control systems with nested feedback loops.
• Architect high-performance firmware meeting timing and safety needs.
• Debug motor controllers, sensors, and embedded systems with electrical engineers.
• Build pipelines for encoder calibration, sensing, filtering, and synchronization.

Skills

Real-time control software

Firmware architecture

Microcontrollers

Embedded systems

Motor control theory

Sensor interfacing (SPI/I2C)

CAN/CAN FD, RS-485, EtherCAT

Hardware abstraction layers

Rust (plus)

Tools

SPI/I2C interfaces

RS-485

CAN/CAN FD

EtherCAT

Job description

Join Us, and Ship Robots

Weave was founded to build the robots we’d want to have in our own home. We believe the next generation of robotics will transform everyday life by enabling people to do more and to reclaim time to spend on what’s important.

We also believe robots are in a sense like any other product: to matter, they have to ship. Our robots are already operating in real homes and businesses, giving us the opportunity to rapidly improve from real-world experience. With a growing team, strong customer demand, and capital for expansion, we’re entering an exciting stage of growth—and we’re looking for people with exceptional talent and standards to help bring home robotics to millions of households.

The Role

As an Actuator Firmware Engineer at Weave, you’ll develop the firmware that powers the actuators in our robots. You’ll be responsible for engineering a robust, realtime and modular firmware stack, and also develop a low level control system that transforms motion commands into precise, responsive and safe robot behavior. You will work closely with electrical, mechanical, and machine learning engineers, integrating firmware with our custom hardware to enable compliant, force-sensitive motion.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain motor control firmware for early prototypes through production deployment.

• Develop, implement, and tune hierarchical control systems, including nested feedback control loops.

• Architect reliable, high-performance firmware that meets the timing, safety, and robustness requirements of production robotic systems.

• Validate and debug custom motor controllers, sensors, and embedded systems while partnering closely with electrical engineers during board development.

• Build robust pipelines for encoder calibration, current and voltage sensing, filtering, synchronization, and system characterization.

What You'll Bring

• 2+ years developing control software for real-time systems, including firmware architecture, microcontrollers, drivers, and hardware abstraction layers.

• Deep understanding of embedded systems, firmware engineering, and working with prototype hardware.

• Proficiency developing embedded software with a deep understanding of real-time constraints and low-level peripherals.

• Strong understanding of motor control theory with hands‑on implementation working with rotary encoders, current sensing, calibration, filtering, and synchronization techniques used for robust feedback control.

• Experience with embedded communication interfaces such as SPI, I2C, RS-485, CAN/CAN FD and/or EtherCAT.

• Knowledge of embedded safety mechanisms—including brownout detection, overcurrent protection, watchdogs, and thermal monitoring.

• Experience with Rust is a plus.