Senior Embedded Firmware Engineer, Platform & BSP (Flight Systems)

LMK Recruiting Solutions; Aliso Viejo (CA); On-site; USD 200,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

LMK Recruiting Solutions is partnering with a fast-growing aerospace company to hire an embedded firmware engineer. The role focuses on building the real-time platform that controls actuators, sensors, and power systems on aircraft-grade hardware.

You will own BSPs, drivers, timing, interrupts, and hardware abstraction in C/C++, bring up new boards, debug at the register level, and contribute to SIL/HIL validation with lab equipment and test hooks.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of embedded firmware on real-time hardware.
• Strong embedded C/C++ and real-time architecture fundamentals.
• Hands-on work with MCU peripherals: interrupts, timers, watchdogs, memory, clocks, ADC, PWM, GPIO.

Responsibilities

• Architect real-time firmware for safety-critical controllers: interrupt structure, task scheduling, execution order, and deterministic data flow.
• Own BSPs, peripheral initialization, and hardware abstraction layers in C/C++.
• Write and debug drivers for CAN, SPI, Ethernet, ADC, PWM, GPIO, timers, and watchdogs.
• Bring up new boards alongside EEs, diagnosing clock, interrupt, peripheral, and communication issues with scopes and logic analyzers.
• Implement CAN, ARINC 825, and other bus infrastructure with reliable timing, arbitration, fault detection, and recovery.
• Build test hooks, logging, and debug tools that make lab validation and SIL/HIL testing faster.
• Build reusable frameworks that serve multiple projects, not one-off firmware.

Skills

Embedded firmware

Real-time architecture

C/C++ programming

Hardware debugging

CAN/SPI/Ethernet experience

Lab testing / SIL/HIL

Tools

CAN

SPI

Ethernet

Logic analyzers

Scopes

MCU platforms: TI C2000/NXP/STM32

Job description

Build the firmware foundation that flies

Our client is a fast-growing aerospace company rethinking how aircraft are designed, built, and scaled. They pair startup speed with real aerospace discipline, using automation, AI-driven tools, and a connected digital backbone to go from concept to flying hardware faster than legacy programs can. The firmware you write will run on every controller in the aircraft.

The role

You'll own the real-time firmware platform that actuators, motor drives, battery management systems, and sensors all depend on: board support packages, drivers, timing, interrupts, and hardware abstraction. Other teams build motor control, BMS, and vehicle software on top of your platform, so it has to be deterministic, reusable, and solid. You'll work in the lab, bringing up new boards and chasing problems down to the register level.

What you do

• Architect real-time firmware for safety-critical controllers: interrupt structure, task scheduling, execution order, and deterministic data flow
• Own BSPs, peripheral initialization, and hardware abstraction layers in C/C++
• Write and debug drivers for CAN, SPI, Ethernet, ADC, PWM, GPIO, timers, and watchdogs
• Bring up new boards alongside EEs, diagnosing clock, interrupt, peripheral, and communication issues with scopes and logic analyzers
• Implement CAN, ARINC 825, and other bus infrastructure with reliable timing, arbitration, fault detection, and recovery
• Build test hooks, logging, and debug tools that make lab validation and SIL/HIL testing faster
• Build reusable frameworks that serve multiple projects, not one-off firmware

What you bring

• 3+ years of embedded firmware on real-time hardware (we're happy to talk to stronger candidates at senior level)
• Strong embedded C/C++ and real-time architecture fundamentals
• Hands-on work with MCU peripherals: interrupts, timers, watchdogs, memory, clocks, ADC, PWM, GPIO
• Experience with CAN, SPI, Ethernet, or similar protocols
• Ability to debug across hardware, firmware, and system boundaries, and comfort in the lab

Bonus:

TI C2000, NXP, STM32, or similar MCUs (safety-grade parts are a plus, not required); safety-critical or regulated work in aerospace, automotive, or industrial; exposure to DO-178C, ARP4754/4761, or ISO 26262; reusable BSP/driver/middleware experience; motor drive, BMS, or power electronics background; production launch or field-issue experience. Automotive and industrial backgrounds are welcome.

Why this role

• Ownership: you define the platform the whole controls stack runs on
• Real hardware: your firmware runs on boards that go on an aircraft
• Reach: reusable frameworks used across actuation, power, and vehicle systems
• Comp: $200K-$250K based on experience, plus equity where applicable, health/dental/vision, 401(k) with match, and PTO and holidays

We are an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and evaluate everyone on skills and experience.