Senior Embedded Software Engineer

Glydways; Richmond (CA); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Glydways is seeking a Senior Embedded Software Engineer to own critical firmware domains and lead cross-functional projects. You will shape our embedded platform and engineering practices, delivering safety‑critical firmware for vehicles.

This role requires hands‑on work in our Richmond, CA facility with hybrid work options and frequent collaboration with cross‑functional teams. The ideal candidate has 7+ years in embedded software, strong C/C++, RTOS experience, and deep knowledge of

Qualifications

• Expert-level C and/or C++ for embedded systems.
• Strong command of communication protocols, from low level (SPI, UART, I2C, CAN) to higher level (TCP/UDP).
• Experience developing on RTOS environments (e.g., PX5 or other POSIX/pthreads-based real-time OSes).
• Experience with MCU bootloaders, device drivers, and new board or SoC bring-up.
• Experience deploying firmware to multi-device systems or vehicles in a power-safe, fault-tolerant way.
• Demonstrated speed and size optimization for resource-constrained platforms.
• Experience with safety-critical systems and processes (e.g., ISO 26262 or similar standards) is valued.

Responsibilities

• Design, prototype, build, and test production vehicle firmware for safety-critical systems.
• Develop and optimize applications in RTOS environments, tuning for reliability, latency, throughput, memory footprint, and power on resource-constrained platforms.
• Own and evolve the communication architecture between MCUs, sensors, and main compute, across both standard and custom protocols (SPI, UART, I2C, CAN, TCP/UDP, and more).
• Lead bring-up and debugging for new boards and SoCs—bootloaders, drivers, and low-level diagnostics—partnering with electrical engineers and software developers to take new sensor and compute platforms from prototype to production.
• Define and build automated testing frameworks and harnesses at the unit, integration, and system levels alongside test and platform engineers.
• Mentor other embedded engineers, give thorough code reviews, and help set engineering standards, tools, and best practices across the team.

Skills

C/C++ Embedded

RTOS

Embedded systems

Communication protocols

Tools

Bootloaders

Device drivers

SPI/UART/I2C

CAN

TCP/UDP networking

Job description

Who we are:

Glydways is reimagining what public transit can be. We believe that mobility is the gateway to opportunity—connecting people to housing, education, employment, commerce, and care. By making transportation more accessible, affordable, and sustainable, we empower communities to thrive and unlock economic and social prosperity.

Our mission is to revolutionize transit with a solution that delivers high capacity, exceptional user experiences, unmatched affordability, and minimal environmental impact.

The Glydways system is a groundbreaking network of carbon‑neutral, interconnected transit pathways powered by standardized autonomous vehicles on dedicated roadways. Operating 24/7 with on‑demand access, it offers personalized and efficient mobility—without the burden of heavy upfront infrastructure costs or ongoing taxpayer subsidies.

With Glydways, we’re building more than a transportation system; we’re creating a future where everyone, everywhere, has the freedom to move.

Meet the team:

The Embedded Software team is where the vehicle comes to life. We write and load the firmware that turns raw hardware—sensor kits, custom boards, and main compute—into a reliable, safety‑critical machine. Because our software touches nearly every subsystem, we collaborate with engineers from across the company and get hands‑on with the newest hardware in the building.

About the Role:

As aSenior Embedded Software Engineer, you will own critical firmware domains, lead complex cross‑functional projects, and help shape our embedded platform and engineering best practices. This is firmware that carries real passengers—on a Glydways vehicle, reliability is a safety requirement, not just a performance goal, and the code you ship is part of the safety case.

Work from home most days, with the flexibility to come into our Richmond, CA facility when hands‑on work calls for it. We’re looking for candidates in the Bay Area who can be on site quickly when the team needs you.

Roles & Responsibilities:

• Design, prototype, build, and test production vehicle firmware for safety‑critical systems.
• Develop and optimize applications in RTOS environments, tuning for reliability, latency, throughput, memory footprint, and power on resource‑constrained platforms.
• Own and evolve the communication architecture between MCUs, sensors, and main compute, across both standard and custom protocols (SPI, UART, I2C, CAN, TCP/UDP, and more).
• Lead bring‑up and debugging for new boards and SoCs—bootloaders, drivers, and low‑level diagnostics—partnering with electrical engineers and software developers to take new sensor and compute platforms from prototype to production.
• Define and build automated testing frameworks and harnesses at the unit, integration, and system levels alongside test and platform engineers.
• Mentor other embedded engineers, give thorough code reviews, and help set engineering standards, tools, and best practices across the team.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Expert‑level C and/or C++ for embedded systems; additional languages and tooling are a plus.
• Strong command of communication protocols, from low level (SPI, UART, I2C, CAN) to higher level (TCP/UDP).
• Experience developing on RTOS environments (e.g., PX5 or other POSIX/pthreads‑based real‑time OSes such as embedded Linux with pthreads, QNX, VxWorks, or RTEMS).
• Experience with MCU bootloaders, device drivers, and new board or SoC bring‑up.
• Experience deploying firmware to multi‑device systems or vehicles in a power‑safe, fault‑tolerant way.
• Demonstrated speed and size optimization for resource‑constrained platforms.

Process and quality:

• Experience with safety‑critical systems and processes (e.g., ISO 26262 or similar standards) is highly valued.
• Solid understanding of the embedded software development life cycle—version control, code review, CI, and automated testing.

Nice to have:

• Experience in automotive and/or transit domains.
• Experience with automotive‑grade safety MCUs — ideally the NXP S32K3 family, or comparable lockstep/ASIL‑rated parts (e.g., Infineon AURIX, TI TMS570).
• Familiarity with kernel internals and low‑level OS concepts.
• Experience with deterministic timing and networking, such as NTP, PTP, or time‑sensitive networking (TSN).
• Experience with CAN tooling and DBC‑based workflows.
• Comfort with electronics test equipment and hardware debugging (multimeters, oscilloscopes, power supplies, etc.).
• Scripting experience (e.g., Python) for test automation and tooling.

Typical experience:

• Typically 7+ years developing embedded software for production systems, including substantial work on safety‑critical or highly reliable platforms (automotive, aerospace, medical, industrial, robotics, etc.).

The pay range for this position at commencement of employment in California is expected in the range below:

$180,000-$230,000 USD plus stock options, commensurate with experience.

If you’re excited about this work but don’t check every box, we’d still love to hear from you. We know the best candidates don’t always match every line of a job description.

Glydways provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.