Senior Software Engineer, Embedded Systems

Elroy Air; Byron (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Elroy Air in Byron, California is seeking a Senior Embedded Software Engineer to write code that operates on safety-critical avionics hardware. You will develop embedded firmware and work closely with engineers in various disciplines to ensure system functionality.

Ideal candidates will have 5+ years of experience, deep knowledge of C/C++, and hands-on experience with hardware debugging and integration. Competitive salary ranges from $180,000 to $280,000 a year.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional embedded software development experience.
• Production firmware shipped on real hardware.
• Comfort with debugging hardware/software integration issues.

Responsibilities

• Develop embedded firmware for microcontrollers in RTOS and bare-metal.
• Driver development and board bring-up for custom hardware platforms.
• Implement real-time control loops and sensor fusion pipelines.

Skills

Embedded software development

C/C++ proficiency

Python for scripting

Experience with RTOS

Debugging hardware/software integration

Communication protocols (SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, Ethernet)

Tools

GCC/Clang

Git/GitHub

CMake

Job description

Elroy builds autonomous aerospace systems for the real world. At the heart of those systems is a hard real time, safety critical software stack that has to work under any circumstances, with no margin for "close enough." The embedded software team writes the code that flies the plane in any conditions. This role spans the full embedded stack, from bare‑metal firmware and RTOS integration to hardware bring‑up and bench debugging. If you thrive on hard constraints, enjoy working close to the metal, and want your code to matter, read on.

The Role

As a Senior Embedded Software Engineer, you will own software that runs directly on safety‑critical avionics hardware including our main flight computers. You will work at the intersection of firmware, real‑time systems, and hardware bring‑up, and you will contribute to a team culture where everyone is expected to understand the system end to end. This is not a siloed firmware role: you will interact with engineers from a wide variety of disciplines on a daily basis, including systems engineering, controls, flight physics, power electronics, and aeromechanical.

What You’ll Work On

• Embedded firmware for microcontrollers and SoCs in a bare‑metal and/or RTOS environment (FreeRTOS, Zephyr, or similar)
• Driver development, peripheral integration, and board bring‑up for custom hardware platforms
• Real‑time control loops and sensor fusion pipelines where timing and determinism are non‑negotiable
• Hardware debugging: oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, JTAG, and willingness to get comfortable with a schematic
• C++ and Python tooling for testing, scripting, and automation around embedded targets
• Development of models and emulators for aircraft components to ensure hardware behavior is faithfully represented in our cloud simulation framework

What We’re Looking For

• 5+ years of professional embedded software development, with production firmware shipped on real hardware
• Deep fluency in C and/or C++; Python for scripting and test tooling
• Hands‑on experience with at least one RTOS and with bare‑metal development
• Comfort reading schematics, using bench instruments, and debugging hardware/software integration issues at the signal level
• Experience with communications protocols: SPI, I2C, UART, CAN, Ethernet
• Strong opinions about code quality, testability, and the difference between software that works in the lab and software that works in the field

You probably have

• Experience in aerospace, defense, robotics, or other safety‑critical domains
• Familiarity with DO-178, MISRA, or other embedded software standards
• Exposure to desktop tooling or visualization for hardware debug and test workflows
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines for embedded targets (HIL, SIL, emulation)

Our Stack

• Primary languages: C++ and Python
• RTOS: FreeRTOS and bare‑metal depending on target
• Toolchains: GCC/Clang cross‑compilers, CMake, custom build infrastructure
• Version control and CI: Git, GitHub, cloud‑based batch simulation and test runners
• Modern AI coding tools used as productivity accelerators, not as a substitute for engineering judgment

Who We Are

Elroy’s software team is small, senior, and exceptionally cross‑functional. Most engineers here are comfortable working across embedded firmware, desktop tools, and cloud infrastructure. Not because we expect everyone to be an expert in everything, but because we value curiosity and adaptability over and above having all of the answers on day one. We’re looking for someone who brings deep experience in embedded and real‑time systems, and isn’t afraid to range beyond that when the work calls for it.

$180,000 - $280,000 a year

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.