Senior Embedded Software Engineer

Amazon; North Reading (MA); On-site; USD 168,000 - 227,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) matching

Paid time off

Parental leave

Job summary

Amazon, based in North Reading, MA, is seeking a Senior Embedded Software Engineer to help develop the next generation of robotic systems for scalable automation. You will design, implement, test, and debug complex embedded software across RTOS and Linux environments, with a focus on performance and reliability in a fast-paced R&D setting.

The role requires strong C/C++ and embedded development experience, leadership in design/architecture, and hands-on work across hardware-software integration,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related fields.
• 5+ years of professional software development experience.
• Experience in embedded development in C/C++.
• Experience leading design or architecture of systems.
• Proficient in RTOS firmware development (e.g., FreeRTOS, Zephyr, RT Linux).
• Experience with hardware/software integration and real-time systems.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain robotic systems architecture and features.
• Own features from design to validation, launch, and field issues.
• Provide feedback in design reviews and support team decisions.
• Contribute solutions in high-paced R&D balancing performance and reliability.
• Gain expertise across domains: networking, security, navigation, and sensors.

Skills

Embedded development

Mentor / tech lead

RTOS firmware development

Linux kernel / device drivers

C/C++

Systems architecture

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/CE

Master's degree or above (preferred)

Tools

Yocto

Buildroot

FreeRTOS/Zephyr

Linux kernel modules

Job description

Job ID: 10530503 | Amazon.com Services LLC

Amazon is seeking talented engineers to help develop the next generation of advanced robotics systems that will transform automation at Amazon's scale. We're building revolutionary robotic systems that combine AI, sophisticated control systems, and advanced mechanical design to create adaptable automation solutions capable of working safely alongside humans in dynamic environments. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of robotics and automation at an unprecedented scale, working with world-class teams pushing the boundaries of what's possible in robotic manipulation, locomotion, and human-robot interaction.

Key job responsibilities

• Develop and maintain novel robotic systems, contributing to the architectural design of complex systems and collaborating with peers and other teams to find solutions to challenging problems.
• Take end-to-end ownership of features — from design through validation, launch, and the issues that surface in the field.
• Engage and challenge ideas constructively in design reviews, and once the team decides, commit fully to the team's decision and help make it succeed.
• Contribute valuable feedback during peer reviews, effectively communicate with technical leadership, and develop new and innovative solutions in a high-paced R&D environment that balance performance and reliability.
• Ramp quickly across unfamiliar domains — networking and WiFi, security, navigation, obstacle detection, motor control, functional-safety-related control, and diverse sensors — and go deep where the problem demands it.

A day in the life

As a Senior Embedded Software Engineer, you'll work with cross-functional teams to design, develop, test, and debug modern robotic systems. Your day spans design discussions and brainstorming novel approaches to the hardest robotics problems, implementing new product concepts and features, and shifting between bare-metal/real-time OS (RTOS) code code and Linux kernel-level work as the problem demands. Testing ranges from writing automated tests that validate new features to hands‑on bench and live testing to reproduce and root-cause failures — whether they surface in the firmware, in the kernel, or in the board itself.

Basic Qualifications

• 5+ years of programming with at least one software programming language experience
• 5+ years of non-internship professional software development experience
• 5+ years of leading design or architecture (design patterns, reliability and scaling) of new and existing systems experience
• Experience as a mentor, tech lead or leading an engineering team
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related fields
• Experience in embedded development in C/C++
• Knowledge of computer architecture, operating systems, and parallel computing
• Experience with hardware/software integration and real-time systems
• Experience identifying bugs in architecture, algorithms, functionality, and performance with strong overall debugging skills
• Proficient in RTOS firmware development (e.g., FreeRTOS, Zephyr, RT Linux, Micrium) and/or hands‑on Embedded Linux experience, including Linux kernel module and device-driver development on multicore systems

Preferred Qualifications

• 5+ years of full software development life cycle, including coding standards, code reviews, source control management, build processes, testing, and operations experience
• Master's degree or above in computer science, computer engineering, or related field, or Master's degree
• 6+ years of robotics system components and controls experience
• Strong proficiency in C/C++ required; Rust or Python a plus.
• Experience on both sides of the stack – firmware development for RTOS and Linux kernel/drivers
• Experience developing firmware for closed-loop feedback control algorithms with hard real-time system constraints or firmware for digital signal processing
• Experience with DSP and/or FPGA-based development
• Experience with Embedded Linux platform bring-up
• Comfortable assembling embedded Linux images with a build system such as Yocto or Buildroot
• Performed low-level board bring-up, developed HAL code, BSPs, device trees, or bootloaders for custom hardware, including interrupt/ISR handling, and debugged bare-metal firmware over JTAG.
• Worked on multi-processor board designs e.g. MCUs, MPUs, GPUs, NPUs, DSPs, FPGAs, coordinating over Inter-Processor Comms (IPC), DMA, shared memory, or on‑chip fabric.
• Experience with real-time fieldbus/motion protocols such as EtherCAT, CAN, or similar.
• Exposure to networking, communications systems, and data security
• Understanding of RF and wireless communications, especially 802.11
• Hands‑on development with sensors such as cameras, radar, lidar, IMU, 3D ToF, or other vision/perception systems
• Experience with functional safety and developing safety‑certified systems, especially with IEC 61508
• Shipped embedded software in a demanding physical-product domain – robotics, industrial automation, automotive, medical, or comparable
• Experience handling and analyzing large data sets and with AWS

Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.

Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.

The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits .

USA, MA, N.Reading - 168,100.00 - 227,400.00 USD annually