Senior Embedded Software Engineer

INOVIO Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

INOVIO Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is seeking a Senior Embedded Software Engineer to design, develop, verify, and sustain safety-critical embedded software for electroporation and drug-delivery medical devices.

You will focus on embedded C++ on microcontrollers with RTOS or Embedded Linux, develop platform software, and ensure compliance with IEC 62304 and related medical device standards. The role requires 7+ years of hands-on experience in complex real-time embedded systems, plus expertise in motor

Qualifications

• Engaged in safety-critical embedded software development.
• 7+ years of embedded software experience.
• Experience with ARM Cortex‑M, Linux, or Android platforms.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement motor control, battery management, and board bring-up.
• Develop real-time embedded software with RTOS and embedded Linux.
• Create software lifecycle documentation and verification protocols.
• Support CI/CD pipelines and sustaining engineering for released products.

Skills

Embedded C++

Real-time systems

RTOS

Software verification

Cybersecurity basics

Education

BS/MS in Computer/Electrical Engineering or CS

Tools

Keil

IAR

GCC

Visual Studio

Android Studio

Linux toolchains

Job description

The Senior Embedded Software Engineer is responsible for the design, development, verification, maintenance, and sustaining support of safety-critical embedded software for electroporation and drug delivery medical devices. This role focuses on embedded C++ development, platform software, device drivers, electromechanical control, drug delivery, pulse generation, motor control, UI/display systems, battery powered systems, cybersecurity, hardware bring-up, and compliance with IEC 62304 and other applicable medical device standards.

Essential job functions and duties

• Design and implement electromechanical control systems, including motor control, battery management, board bring up, bootloaders, firmware updates, diagnostics, and inter-processor communications
• Design, develop, and maintain safety-critical embedded software for medical devices using modern C++ on microcontroller, RTOS, Embedded Linux, and Android platforms.
• Develop platform software, BSPs, middleware, and device drivers supporting SPI, I2C, UART, USB, ADC/DAC, PWM, timers, displays, touchscreens, motors, sensors, and communication interfaces.
• Develop embedded UI/display applications and system-level software features
• Design and implement software controlling electroporation therapy delivery.
• Develop deterministic real‑time software supporting therapy delivery, closed‑loop control systems, safety monitoring, and precision timing requirements
• Develop and maintain software lifecycle documentation, including requirements specifications, software designs, risk controls, verification protocols, and test reports.
• Perform code reviews, static analysis, unit testing, integration testing, and software verification activities.
• Implement cybersecurity controls, including secure boot, authentication, encryption, vulnerability management, and secure software update mechanisms
• Develop firmware, manufacturing test software, diagnostic tools, and engineering utilities to support product development, verification, manufacturing, debugging, compliance testing, and field service activities
• Troubleshoot hardware and software issues using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and other laboratory equipment
• Collaborate with systems, electrical, mechanical, quality, regulatory, and cybersecurity teams
• Participate in system requirements development, architecture definition, hazard analysis, risk control implementation, and allocation of system requirements to software components
• Support CI/CD pipelines, automated build systems, configuration management, and continuous software process improvements initiatives
• Provide sustaining engineering support for released products, including issue investigations, root cause analysis, field corrections, cybersecurity updates, and design improvements
• Complete other engineering duties and responsibilities as assigned.
• BS or MS in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field
• 7+ years of experience in embedded software development, including development of complex real‑time embedded systems using modern C++.
• Experience developing embedded applications on ARM Cortex‑M processors, Linux, and/or Android platforms
• Strong experience developing real‑time embedded applications using RTOS frameworks such as ThreadX, FreeRTOS, RTX, Micrium OS, or similar operating systems.
• Proven experience developing platform software, Board Support Packages (BSPs), hardware abstraction layers, and device drivers.
• Experience working with electromechanical systems, motor control, battery‑operated devices, displays, touchscreens, and sensor integration
• Experience developing embedded GUI/UI applications
• Strong debugging and troubleshooting skills across applications, middleware, operating system, and driver layers.
• Ability to read electrical schematics, hardware design documentation, and component datasheets
• Hands‑on experience with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, protocol analyzers, and other hardware test equipment
• Experience with embedded development tools including Keil, IAR, GCC, Visual Studio, Android Studio, and Linux toolchains
• Knowledge of embedded cybersecurity principles, including secure coding practices, threat modeling, vulnerability assessment, encryption, authentication, and secure firmware/software updates
• Experience with source control, automated builds, issue tracking systems, and unit test frameworks
• Experience developing safety‑critical or regulated software
• Strong working knowledge of IEC 62304, IEC 81001‑5‑1, ISO 14971, IEC 60601, FDA cybersecurity guidance, software risk management, design controls, verification and validation, and requirements traceability
• Experience developing connected devices with wireless communications, cloud connectivity, and secure data exchange
• Familiarity with C#, Python, automated test frameworks, and manufacturing test systems