Senior Embedded Software Engineer

ALTEN Technology USA; Mountain View (CA); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

ALTEN Technology USA in Mountain View, CA is seeking a Senior Embedded Software Engineer to own firmware and embedded software across ARM-based systems and sensors.

You will design, implement, and validate drivers and applications, work across microcontrollers, embedded Linux, CAN/SPI/I2C/UART/BLE, and collaborate with Electrical, Mechanical, and Onboard Software teams on flight-ready software for a production fleet.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of production embedded software/firmware engineering.
• Strong C/C++ design and programming skills with embedded systems.
• Proficiency with embedded Linux on ARM and device drivers.
• Experience with CAN, SPI, I2C, UART, BLE and peripherals.
• Version control and peer code review workflows (Git).
• Excellent technical communication and cross-disciplinary teamwork.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, test, and maintain firmware and embedded software for aircraft/embedded systems.
• Own the hardware/software boundary: bring up boards, write drivers, integrate sensors.
• Drive verification and release across bench, simulation, and flight tests.
• Collaborate with Electrical, Mechanical, and Onboard Software teams.
• Support field and flight-test issues tied to embedded subsystems.

Skills

C/C++ programming

Embedded Linux

CAN SPI I2C UART BLE

Microcontroller bring-up

Git and code review

Oscilloscopes & logic analyzers

Strong communication

HW/SW collaboration

Tools

Docker

CMake/Make/Waf

Job description

We're ALTEN Technology USA, an engineering company helping clients bring groundbreaking ideas to life—from advancing space exploration and life-saving medical devices to building autonomous electric vehicles. With 3,000+ experts across North America, we partner with leading companies in aerospace, medical devices, robotics, automotive, commercial vehicles, EVs, rail, and more.

As part of the global ALTEN Group—57,000+ engineers in 30 countries—we deliver across the entire product development cycle, from consulting to full project outsourcing.

When you join ALTEN Technology USA, you'll collaborate on some of the world’s toughest engineering challenges, supported by mentorship, career growth opportunities, and comprehensive benefits. We take pride in fostering a culture where employees feel valued, supported, and inspired to grow.

We're seeking a Senior Embedded Software Engineer to develop the firmware and embedded software layer that sits between our aircraft and ground asset hardware and the higher-level software stack. Working across microcontrollers, embedded Linux, and the buses and peripherals that connect them, you'll bring up new hardware, own the drivers and firmware that make sensors and actuators reliable, and harden the embedded systems our delivery ecosystem depends on for every flight.

This is a senior individual-contributor role with real ownership: you'll own embedded subsystems end-to-end, from board bring up through flight test and regulated change control, working closely with Electrical, Mechanical, and Onboard Software teams. In this role, you will:

• Design, build, test, and maintain firmware and embedded software for Matternet's aircraft and station embedded systems, spanning microcontroller firmware and embedded Linux on ARM
• Own the hardware/software boundary: bring up new boards and peripherals, write and debug device drivers, and integrate sensors and peripherals (e.g. encoders, motors, IMUs, LIDAR/RADAR, and similar)
• Select and integrate microcontrollers, communication buses (CAN, SPI, I2C, UART, BLE), and peripherals appropriate for new features and hardware revisions
• Drive embedded software verification and release, from bench and simulation testing through flight test and deployment across production fleets
• Debug at the hardware/software boundary when needed, including hands‑on use of oscilloscopes and logic analyzers, and reviewing board‑level schematics and datasheets with Electrical Engineering
• Provide senior technical support, triaging and resolving field and flight‑test issues tied to embedded subsystems Sensitivity: C1-Internal
• Collaborate with stakeholders across Electrical, Mechanical, Onboard Software, Operations, Safety, and Production Requirements
• 6+ years of production embedded software/firmware engineering
• Strong C/C++ design and programming skills, with solid software engineering practice across the hardware/software/network development lifecycle (code review, source control, build systems, test‑driven development, static analysis)
• Proficiency with embedded Linux for ARM (kernel, device drivers, board support) as well as bare-metal/RTOS firmware development
• Deep functional knowledge of communication protocols (CAN, SPI, I2C, UART, BLE) and experience selecting the right protocol and hardware for a given application
• Experience selecting microcontrollers and bringing up new peripherals, sensors, and actuators (motors, encoders, and similar)
• Comfortable reading board‑level schematics and datasheets, and debugging at the signal level using oscilloscopes and/or logic analyzers
• Proficiency with version control and peer code review workflows (e.g., Git)
• Excellent technical communication and strong cross-disciplinary teamwork in a fast‑paced environment

Preferred Qualifications:

• UAV, autonomous robotics, aerospace, or other safety‑critical regulated experience
• Experience with Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS)
• Familiarity with an autopilot stack such as ArduPilot or PX4, and UAV/avionics technologies (ADS-B, GPS/GNSS, LIDAR, perception sensors)
• Experience with build systems such as CMake, Make, or Waf, and containerized build/test environments (Docker)
• Experience optimizing C/C++ algorithms for high data throughput
• Experience with battery management systems or smart battery ICs
• Experience using AI coding assistants to accelerate development
• Relevant mechanical, aerospace, or electrical engineering experience

Salary Range: $140k - $160k

The actual salary offered is dependent on various factors including, but not limited to, location, the candidate's combination of job-related knowledge, qualifications, skills, education, training, and experience

MANDATORY FOR ALL REMOTE/HYBRID AND/OR CALIFORNIA, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, HAWAII, COLORADO, MARYLAND, CONNECTICUT, ILLINOIS, MINNESOTA, VERMONT, MASSACHUSETTS, NEVADA, NEW YORK, RHODE ISLAND, WASHINGTON STATE & CINCINNATI, OHIO, JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, TOLEDO, OHIO BASED ROLES.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, genetic information, or pregnancy.

Compliance Notice: Alten USA is a federal contractor subject to the requirements of the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and Executive Order 11246. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

Drug Screening Requirement: As a federal contractor, Alten USA maintains a drug‑free workplace. All candidates selected for employment will be required to successfully complete a pre‑employment drug screening as a condition of hire.