Senior Embedded C++ Engineer — AI‑Driven, Hybrid

Vaco; Gahanna (OH); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Vaco Recruiter Services is seeking a Senior Software Engineer to design, build, and maintain software for industrial and embedded systems. The role provides technical leadership across the software lifecycle, from requirements to deployment and support.

The ideal candidate has strong C++ expertise, embedded Linux experience, and a focus on secure, scalable software design. You will mentor junior engineers and collaborate with hardware, QA, and product teams on high-quality releases.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of software development experience, including at least 3 years in production C++.
• Experience in performance-critical or resource-constrained environments.
• Hands-on embedded Linux and low-latency real-time software development.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and implementation of software for industrial and embedded systems.
• Mentor junior engineers and improve development practices.
• Collaborate with hardware, QA, product management, and other teams to define requirements and deliver high-quality releases.
• Apply Agile methodologies to manage projects and deliver value.
• Develop tests and drive CI/CD and code reviews.
• Create technical documentation and design specifications.

Skills

C++ development

Embedded Linux

Software architecture

Multithreading

CI/CD

Team mentorship

Cybersecurity IoT

Education

Bachelor’s degree in CS/SE/CE

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

Git

CI/CD pipelines

Linux debugging tools

Job description

Senior Software Engineer

Location: Hybrid — Columbus, Ohio

Employment Type: Full-time

Eligibility: This position is not open to C2C arrangements, third-party submissions, or visa sponsorship. Candidates must currently reside in or near the Columbus, Ohio area.

Role Summary

We are seeking an experienced Senior Software Engineer to design, build, and maintain high-quality software applications supporting industrial and embedded systems. This role provides technical leadership throughout the software development lifecycle, from requirements definition and architecture through implementation, testing, deployment, and support.

The ideal candidate brings strong C++ expertise, hands-on embedded Linux experience, and a deep understanding of secure, reliable software design. You will collaborate closely with hardware, QA, product management, and other engineering partners while mentoring junior developers and improving development practices.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and implementation of complex software solutions for industrial and embedded systems.
• Architect and maintain scalable, reliable, maintainable, and testable software modules and system components.
• Develop and execute comprehensive unit, integration, and black-box testing strategies to ensure software quality, reliability, and performance.
• Collaborate with hardware, QA, product management, and other cross-functional teams to define requirements and deliver high-quality releases.
• Apply Agile methodologies to manage project work, prioritize deliverables, and continuously provide value.
• Review customer standards and technical specifications to derive clear, actionable software requirements for new product development.
• Identify, troubleshoot, and resolve complex technical issues across development, testing, production, and field environments.
• Participate in peer code reviews and drive ongoing improvements to engineering processes, tools, and best practices.
• Create and maintain clear technical documentation, including software design specifications, installation instructions, and engineering guidelines.
• Assess project scope, technical risk, and resource needs for complex software modules; advise on design strategies and product enhancements.
• Mentor junior engineers through technical guidance, design feedback, code reviews, and collaborative problem-solving.
• Champion the practical integration of AI tools and workflows to improve engineering efficiency and productivity.
• Travel up to 10% for field troubleshooting, data collection, site surveys, and customer support activities in the United States and internationally.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field; a Master’s degree is a plus.
• 5+ years of professional software development experience, including at least 3 years of production C++ development.
• Extensive experience developing, debugging, and optimizing C++ applications in performance-critical or resource-constrained environments.
• Demonstrated expertise in software architecture and designing robust, scalable, maintainable, and testable solutions for industrial, automation, robotics, manufacturing, or embedded systems.
• Hands-on experience developing low-latency, real-time software for embedded Linux environments.
• Strong experience with multithreaded programming, inter-process communication, and system-level debugging.
• Deep knowledge of zero-trust networking over TLS, including certificate and chain-of-trust management.
• Strong understanding of cybersecurity principles for IoT and embedded systems, including TPM2 secret storage, secure boot, signed over-the-air updates, operating-system hardening, and device management.
• Experience designing and implementing integration tests involving hardware-in-the-loop environments.
• Advanced understanding of code testability, automated testing practices, and CI/CD pipelines.
• Proficiency with Git version control.
• Ability to work with hardware interfaces and troubleshoot complex software-hardware integration issues.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across engineering, QA, product, and customer-facing teams.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with a demonstrated ability to work independently and within cross-functional teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with industrial communication protocols such as Modbus, CAN bus, and OPC UA.
• Experience with Go, Python, shell scripting, or related automation tools.
• Experience supporting field deployments, collecting diagnostic data, or troubleshooting customer systems.
• Experience working in regulated, safety-conscious, or cybersecurity-focused product environments.

By submitting to this position, you are agreeing to be included in our talent pool for future hiring for similarly qualified positions.