Senior Firmware Engineer / On-site

OpenBCI, Inc.; New York (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Stock options

Paid time off

December company break

Loft workspace with Manhattan views

Job summary

OpenBCI, Inc. is seeking a Senior Firmware Engineer to lead low-level embedded development and hardware bring-up for wearable neurotechnology devices.

You will craft firmware from initial discovery through production-quality releases, working closely with the Hardware team to ensure power efficiency and reliability for researchers and clinicians worldwide. You will be the first to run code on new hardware, bring up complex embedded systems from schematics, and tackle HW/FW interaction challenges

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Computer Engineering; Master's degree a plus.
• 5+ years embedded systems development experience.
• Able to read schematics, layouts and datasheets.
• Proficient in embedded C/C++ for resource-constrained MCUs.
• Experience bringing up new boards/products from prototypes.
• Proficient in shell, Python or similar scripting language.
• Experience with ARM MCU and RTOS (FreeRTOS/Zephyr).
• Strong understanding of low-level hardware concepts (memory management, interrupts).
• Experience with I2C, SPI, SDIO, USB and BLE buses.
• Strong debugging with JTAG/SWD, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, signal generators.
• Experience with battery-powered wearable/consumer electronics.
• Comfortable with agile development, version control, and CI tools.

Responsibilities

• Lead firmware bring-up from discovery to production-quality releases.
• Collaborate with Hardware team to deliver power-efficient firmware for OpenBCI devices.
• Bring up new hardware from schematics and datasheets.
• Support EVT/production with robust, reliable firmware.

Skills

Embedded C/C++

ARM MCU

RTOS (FreeRTOS/Zephyr)

Low-level hardware concepts

JTAG/SWD debugging

I2C/SPI/USB/BLE buses

Schematic/datasheet reading

CI & Version control

Python scripting

Wearable electronics

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Computer Engineering

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Oscilloscope

Logic analyzer

Signal generator

CI tools

Version control

Python scripting

Job description

At OpenBCI, we’re defining the future of non‑invasive neurotechnology. We’re a small team of engineers, designers, and scientists building tools that measure the brain and body, used by researchers, developers, and clinicians around the world. We’re seeking a Senior Firmware Engineer with a passion for low‑level embedded development and new hardware bring‑up in the wearable technology space.

In this role, you will contribute from early product discovery and component evaluation through bring‑up and firmware maturation all the way to production‑quality releases. You will work closely with our Hardware team to deliver reliable, power‑efficient firmware for OpenBCI device users.

If you enjoy being the first person to run code on new hardware, bringing up complex embedded systems from schematics and datasheets, this role is for you.

Location: Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NY (on-site, 5 days per week)
Base Compensation: $120,000-160,000 (depending on candidate fit)

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field (Master's degree a plus).
• Minimum 5+ years of experience in embedded systems development.
• Comfort working from schematics, layout, and datasheets.
• Proven expertise in embedded C/C++ programming for resource‑constrained microcontrollers.
• Track record of bringing up new boards or products from first prototypes
• Proficient in shell, Python, or another widely adopted scripting language.
• Experience with modern MCU architecture (e.g. ARM) and real‑time operating systems (RTOS) (e.g., FreeRTOS, Zephyr).
• Strong understanding of low‑level hardware concepts (e.g., memory management, interrupts).
• Experienced working with communication buses including I2C, SPI, SDIO, USB and BLE.
• Strong debugging skills using JTAG/SWD, oscilloscopes, logic/protocol analyzers, signal generators, and similar tools to track down HW/FW interaction issues during proto and EVT phases.
• Exposure to battery‑powered or wearable / consumer electronics products, including basic understanding of power states, measurement, and constraints.
• Comfortable working in an agile development environment, using modern version control and CI tools, and collaborating effectively with teams across locations.

Preferred Skills

• In-depth knowledge and understanding of non‑invasive electrophysiological data processing (EMG, ECG, EEG, PPG, EDA, IMU, or eye tracking)
• Strong understanding of signal processing techniques for non‑invasive BCI applications
• Experience with medical device regulations
• Experience with implementing embedded AI/ML algorithms
• Experience with FPGA development
• Familiarity with 3D printing tools and mechanical fabrication
• Contributions to open‑source projects
• Competitive 401(k) match
• Paid health, dental, and vision insurance
• Stock options in a growing company
• Paid time off, plus two‑week December company break
• Loft workspace on the Greenpoint waterfront with Manhattan views