Senior Embedded Software Engineer

Pentangle Tech Services | P5 Group; Schaumburg (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Pentangle Tech Services | P5 Group is seeking a Senior Embedded Software Engineer to design, develop, and deliver production-quality firmware for secure NFC/RFID reader products. You will work within an established software framework on embedded targets.

The role emphasizes hands-on C++17+ development on ARM Cortex-M microcontrollers (STM32 family), RTOS (Zephyr preferred), and low-level driver work, with a focus on performance, security, and robust fault handling.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or related technical field required.
• 5+ years of embedded firmware development experience.
• Strong expertise in modern C++ (C++17 or later).
• Experience on ARM Cortex-M microcontrollers, preferably Cortex-M4F.
• Hands-on STM32 microcontrollers experience (STM32G4 preferred).
• RTOS experience with Zephyr preferred.
• Low-level embedded development and device driver implementation.
• Experience with USB stacks and USB protocols.
• Familiarity with ETL and state-machine architectures.
• Experience debugging and optimizing real-time embedded systems.
• Understanding of secure firmware development and embedded security concepts.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain embedded firmware using C++17 or newer.
• Develop low-level drivers and hardware interfaces (USB, UART, SPI, I2C, GPIO, DMA, Timers).
• Work in an RTOS environment (Zephyr preferred) to integrate drivers, middleware, and application functionality.
• Extend and support USB functionality, including CCID-related protocols.
• Optimize firmware performance, memory usage, timing, and power consumption.
• Implement robust fault handling, recovery mechanisms, and secure coding practices.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate firmware into the broader product architecture.
• Deliver production-ready firmware meeting performance, reliability, and security requirements.

Skills

C++17+

Embedded firmware

ARM Cortex-M

STM32 microcontrollers

Zephyr RTOS

Device drivers

USB/CCID protocols

Secure coding

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/CS/related

Tools

STM32CubeIDE

Git

ETL

Build systems (Windows/Linux)

Job description

We are seeking a Senior Embedded Software Engineer to support the development of next-generation secure NFC/RFID credential reader products. This individual will be responsible for designing, developing, and delivering production-quality embedded firmware within an established software framework. The ideal candidate has strong hands-on experience with modern C++, embedded microcontrollers, RTOS environments, and low-level driver development.

This is a highly technical firmware role focused on embedded systems rather than application software.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain embedded firmware using C++17 or newer.
• Develop low-level drivers and hardware interfaces including:
• USB
• UART
• SPI
• I2C
• GPIO
• DMA
• Timers
• Implement and enhance embedded software components, modules, threads, and state machines.
• Work within an RTOS environment (Zephyr preferred) to integrate drivers, middleware, and application functionality.
• Extend and support USB functionality, including CCID-related protocols.
• Optimize firmware performance, memory utilization, timing, and power consumption.
• Implement robust fault handling, recovery mechanisms, and secure coding practices.
• Collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams to integrate firmware into the broader product architecture.
• Deliver production-ready firmware that meets performance, reliability, and security requirements.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related technical field.
• 5+ years of embedded firmware development experience.
• Strong expertise in modern C++ (C++17 or later).
• Experience developing firmware on ARM Cortex-M microcontrollers, preferably Cortex-M4F.
• Hands-on experience with STM32 microcontrollers, ideally the STM32G4 family.
• Solid RTOS experience, with Zephyr RTOS strongly preferred.
• Strong background in low-level embedded development and device driver implementation.
• Experience working with USB stacks and USB communication protocols.
• Familiarity with Embedded Template Library (ETL) and state-machine-based architectures.
• Experience debugging and optimizing real-time embedded systems.
• Understanding of secure firmware development and embedded security concepts.

Preferred/Desired Background

• Experience with NFC, RFID, smart card, authentication, or credential reader products.
• Experience in security-sensitive industries or products.
• Familiarity with CCID (Chip Card Interface Device) protocols.
• Experience working in senior-level embedded engineering roles where ownership of major subsystems is expected.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with larger engineering teams.

Technical Environment

• Modern C++ (C++17+)
• STM32G4 Microcontrollers
• USB / CCID
• ETL (Embedded Template Library)
• Windows development environment with Linux-based build and test systems