Senior Embedded Firmware & Controls Engineer

ZENTRA Power Systems; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Zentra Power Systems is seeking a Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer to develop real-time embedded software for next-generation high-power energy conversion systems.

You will work closely with power electronics, controls, hardware, and systems engineers to translate product requirements into robust, production-quality embedded firmware.

Qualifications

• BS or MS in Electrical/Computer Engineering or related field.
• 6+ years of embedded firmware experience for production hardware.
• Strong embedded C/C++ programming skills.
• Experience with microcontrollers, processors, and low-level hardware interfaces.
• Deterministic real-time embedded systems using RTOS and/or bare-metal.
• Embedded communications and distributed control systems experience.
• Hands-on hardware bring-up and debugging skills.
• Fault handling, state machines, diagnostics, and robust design.
• Taking embedded hardware and firmware beyond prototypes toward production.
• Ability to read schematics and work with hardware, controls, and systems engineers.

Responsibilities

• Develop production embedded firmware in C/C++ for real-time power conversion systems.
• Design and implement embedded software architecture, interfaces, drivers, and RT infrastructure.
• Integrate control and protection functions into production firmware.
• Develop deterministic communications for distributed embedded systems.
• Implement system sequencing, fault handling, protection, interlocks, safe-state behavior.
• Develop boot, configuration, firmware updates, recovery, and device management.
• Implement diagnostics, event logging, telemetry, and debugging capabilities.
• Hands-on controller hardware bring-up and troubleshooting with lab equipment.
• Develop unit, integration, and hardware-in-the-loop testing.
• Support system integration, validation, manufacturing test, commissioning, root-cause analysis.
• Establish firmware development, code review, testing, configuration, and release practices as products move toward production.

Skills

Embedded C/C++

RTOS

Bare-metal architectures

Hardware bring-up

Firmware debugging

Real-time systems

Embedded communications

Power electronics domain

Schematic reading

Education

Electrical/Computer Engineering degree

Tools

Embedded toolchains

Hardware debuggers

Job description

Zentra Power Systems is seeking a Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer to develop real-time embedded software for next-generation high-power energy conversion systems.

You will work closely with power electronics, controls, hardware, and systems engineers to translate product requirements into robust, production-quality embedded firmware.

This is a hands-on engineering role involving firmware development, hardware bring-up, real-time communications, system integration, testing, and product development from prototype through deployment.

Responsibilities

• Develop production embedded firmware in C/C++ for real-time power conversion systems.
• Design and implement embedded software architecture, hardware interfaces, drivers, and real-time execution infrastructure.
• Integrate control and protection functions into reliable production firmware.
• Develop deterministic communications for distributed embedded systems.
• Implement system sequencing, fault handling, protection, interlocks, and safe-state behavior.
• Develop boot, configuration, firmware update, recovery, and device management capabilities.
• Implement diagnostics, event logging, telemetry, and debugging capabilities.
• Perform hands‑on controller hardware bring‑up and troubleshooting using standard laboratory equipment.
• Develop unit, integration, and hardware‑in‑the‑loop testing.
• Support system integration, product validation, manufacturing test, commissioning, and root‑cause analysis.
• Establish firmware development, code review, testing, configuration, and release practices as products move toward production.

Qualifications

• BS or MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
• 6+ years of industry experience developing embedded firmware for production hardware.
• Strong embedded C/C++ programming skills.
• Strong experience with microcontrollers, processors, and low‑level hardware interfaces.
• Experience with deterministic real‑time embedded systems using RTOS and/or bare‑metal architectures.
• Experience with embedded communications and distributed control systems.
• Strong hands‑on hardware bring‑up and debugging skills.
• Experience with fault handling, state machines, diagnostics, and robust embedded‑system design.
• Experience taking embedded hardware and firmware beyond prototypes toward production.
• Ability to read electrical schematics and work effectively with hardware, controls, and systems engineers.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with embedded systems for power electronics, industrial automation, motor drives, energy systems, automotive, robotics, or similar applications.
• Experience with real‑time digital control processors.
• Experience with deterministic industrial communications.
• Experience with bootloaders, firmware updates, recovery mechanisms, and embedded security.
• Experience with HIL/SIL testing and automated firmware validation.
• Experience developing high‑reliability or safety‑critical products.
• Experience supporting manufacturing, qualification, commissioning, or field‑deployed hardware.

What We're Looking For

We are looking for an engineer who can move comfortably between embedded software and physical hardware and who understands what it takes to turn an engineering prototype into a reliable product.

The ideal candidate has shipped embedded hardware products, enjoys hands‑on debugging, works effectively across engineering disciplines, and wants significant technical ownership in a fast‑moving startup environment.