Senior Principal Firmware Engineer

MKS Instruments, Inc.; Andover (MA); On-site; USD 155,250 - 258,750; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discretionary annual bonus

Comprehensive health insurance

401(k) with company match

12 paid holidays

15 paid vacation days

6 weeks fully paid parental leave

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

MKS Instruments, Inc. is looking for a Senior Principal Firmware Engineer in Andover, MA. You will lead the design and development of embedded firmware that powers advanced throttle valve products for semiconductor manufacturing.

The position requires 12+ years in embedded systems, strong C/C++ skills, and technical leadership. Expect a competitive salary ranging from $155,250 to $258,750, along with a comprehensive benefits package including health insurance and paid parental leave.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience in embedded systems and firmware development, including control algorithms.
• Demonstrated technical leadership with strong communication and cross‑functional collaboration skills.
• Experience with version control systems and structured software release processes.

Responsibilities

• Leading the architecture, design, implementation, verification and validation of embedded firmware.
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams to deliver innovative solutions.
• Driving continuous improvement in firmware quality and development efficiency.

Skills

12+ years of experience in embedded systems and firmware development

Strong proficiency in C and C++ programming

Technical leadership skills

Experience with debugging tools

Education

BS, MS, or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field

Tools

Emulators

Oscilloscopes

Communication bus analyzers

Job description

Senior Principal Firmware Engineer

As a Senior Principal Firmware Engineer on MKS’s Valves Engineering team, you will play a critical technical leadership role within a highly collaborative, cross‑functional environment. You will design and develop embedded firmware that powers advanced throttle valve products used in semiconductor manufacturing and other high‑performance vacuum applications.

You Will Make an Impact By:

• Leading the architecture, design, implementation, verification and validation of embedded firmware for complex control systems.
• Collaborating closely with cross‑functional teams to understand customer requirements and deliver innovative solutions that enhance product performance and customer success.
• Establishing and driving firmware development best practices, including coding standards, design reviews, and automated test frameworks.
• Providing technical leadership, mentorship and guidance to firmware engineers across the organization.
• Driving continuous improvement in firmware quality, reliability, and development efficiency.

Skills You Bring:

• Education: BS, MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• 12+ years of experience in embedded systems and firmware development, including control algorithms.
• Demonstrated technical leadership with strong communication and cross‑functional collaboration skills.
• Strong proficiency in C and C++ programming for real‑time embedded systems.
• Expertise in debugging and system bring‑up, using tools such as emulators, oscilloscopes, and communication bus analyzers.
• Experience with version control systems and structured software release processes.

Preferred Qualifications (Nice to Have):

• Experience with industrial fieldbus protocols such as EtherCAT, DeviceNet, or similar.
• Experience with motion control systems, including stepper motors and BLDC motors.
• Strong understanding of feedback control theory, including PID control and tuning.
• Experience with SPI, I2C, UART and other communication protocols.

Compensation and Benefits:

• Salary Pay Range: $155,250.00 - $258,750.00 USD per year.
• Discretionary annual bonus, amount to be determined by MKS.
• MKS offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance coverage (medical, dental and vision), 401(k) with company match, life and disability insurance, 12 paid holidays, sick time, 15 paid vacation days, 6 weeks fully paid parental leave, adoption assistance and tuition reimbursement.
• Other benefits may include participation in stock programs, signing bonus, etc.

Equal Opportunity Employer

MKS is an equal opportunity employer, including disability, veteran status and all categories protected by law. Please review our EOE statements for additional details.

Legal and Regulatory Compliance

MKS is generally only hiring candidates who reside in states where we are registered to do business. Certain positions may require access to controlled goods and technologies subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) or Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Applicants for these positions may need to be “U.S. persons.” “U.S. persons” are generally defined as U.S. citizens, noncitizen nationals, lawful permanent residents (or, green card holders), individuals granted asylum, and individuals admitted as refugees.

MKS is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer: diverse candidates are encouraged to apply. Hiring decisions are based on merit, qualifications and business needs. MKS is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process due to a disability, please contact [e-mail].

MKS also ensures compliance with state laws, for example, it is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment.

Our company serves clients in semiconductor manufacturing, electronics and packaging, and specialty industrial markets. With over 3,800 patents, MKS products enable advancements in 5G, renewable energy, storage, artificial intelligence, cloud technology and big data. MKS Inc. enables technologies that transform our world.