Senior System Software Development Engineer

Sonos; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 165,000 - 206,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) matching

Open PTO

Sick time

Holidays

Disability & Life Insurance

Voluntary benefits

Mental health benefits

Employee discount

Sonos Radio HD

Job summary

Sonos in Boston/Large hybrid offices seeks an experienced embedded software engineer to architect real-time systems for audio hardware. You will bring up bootloaders, embedded Linux, and ARM platforms while integrating BSPs, OS modules, and vendor SDKs to enable rapid prototyping and robust deployments.

You will design HALs, develop high-performance drivers, and collaborate with silicon vendors to resolve platform issues, with a strong emphasis on debugging and system validation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or CS and related field.
• 8+ years of firmware/system software experience for embedded systems.
• Strong proficiency in C/C++ and embedded Linux, kernel internals, and drivers.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement real-time software architectures for embedded audio systems.
• Bring up bootloader and embedded Linux across new hardware platforms.
• Lead board bring-up and debug on ARM SoCs and microcontrollers.
• Develop and maintain Linux kernel drivers for diverse subsystems.
• Integrate vendor SDKs, BSP components, and OS modules into builds.
• Develop HAL libraries for hardware/user space interfaces.
• Identify hardware capabilities gaps and propose improvements.
• Contribute to BSP validation and system-level debugging.
• Define and document unit/integration tests for system software.
• Collaborate with silicon vendors to resolve platform issues across CPUs, radios, and peripherals.
• Support hardware teams with deep debugging and OS/platform modernization efforts.

Skills

C/C++

Embedded Linux

Kernel internals

Device drivers

Bootloaders

U-Boot

Debugging tools

SMP/Concurrency

Yocto/OpenEmbedded

Python (bonus)

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science or related field

Tools

gcc

binutils

gdb

JTAG

Oscilloscopes

Logic analyzers

FreeRTOS

USB PD

Job description

At Sonos we want to create the ultimate listening experience for our customers and know that it starts by listening to each other. As part of the Sonos team, you'll collaborate with people of all styles, skill sets, and backgrounds to realize our vision while fostering a community where everyone feels included and empowered to do the best work of their lives.

Location: Boston, MA, or Glasgow, UK or London, UK Sonos Offices - Hybrid, in office 4x/week

Visa Sponsorship: Sonos is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa for this role at this time. We ask that applicants be authorized to work for any US employer, both now and in the future.

At Sonos we want to create the ultimate listening experience for our customers and know that it starts by listening to each other. As part of the Sonos team, you'll collaborate with people of all styles, skill sets, and backgrounds to realize our vision while fostering a community where everyone feels included and empowered to do the best work of their lives.

What You'll Do:

• Design and implement real-time system software architectures leveraging SMP (symmetric multiprocessing) and AMP (asymmetric multiprocessing) approaches for embedded audio systems

• Bring up, debug, and maintain bootloader (U-Boot) and embedded Linux across new hardware platforms.

• Lead early board bring-up and debug of new PCBs using ARM SoCs, WiSoCs, BT SoCs, and microcontrollers.

• Develop and maintain Linux kernel drivers across a wide range of subsystems, interfaces, and peripherals.

• Integrate vendor SDKs, BSP components, and OS modules into the build and release process

• Develop and maintain HAL libraries enabling clean, testable interfaces between hardware and user space.

• Identify platform gaps relative to hardware capabilities and product requirements; propose and deliver improvements to enable faster prototyping and evaluation of new hardware.

• Contribute to BSP validation and system-level debugging across HW/SW boundaries.

• Define, execute, and document unit and integration testing for system software components.

• Partner with silicon and component vendors to coordinate support and resolve platform issues across CPU/radio SoCs, MCU/PIC, NPU/GPU, and peripheral devices.

• Support hardware engineering teams with deep technical debugging and contribute to OS/platform modernization efforts.
  

What You'll Need

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science or related field

• At least 8+ years of professional experience developing firmware/system software for embedded systems

• Strong proficiency in C/C++ (Python is a plus).

• Significant experience with embedded Linux, kernel internals, and device driver development.

• Experience bringing up and debugging systems using U-Boot and common boot flows.

• Experience with toolchain and debug tooling (e.g., gcc, binutils, gdb).

• Experience designing and developing software/firmware using Free-RTOS as developing bare-metal applications for microcontrollers

• Strong debugging capability using tools such as JTAG, logic analyzers, and oscilloscopes.

• Proven ability to build performance-critical software in resource-constrained environments (e.g., high-speed peripheral drivers).

• Proficiency with Yocto Project / OpenEmbedded workflows.

• Strong understanding of Linux execution contexts and concurrency, including locking/mutexes, SMP behavior, and kernel/user boundaries.

• Familiarity with key interfaces/protocols such as:

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with the HDMI subsystem (Video, ARC/eARC, CEC).

• Prior hardware design exposure and ability to read schematics/datasheets.

• Familiarity for low-level optimization and performance tuning.

• Familiarity with USBPD and development experience in USB PD ICs

• Experience working in Agile development environments.

Your profile will be reviewed and you'll hear from us once we have an update. At Sonos we take the time to hire right and appreciate your patience.

The base pay range for this role based off geographic location is:

$165,000 and $206,000

The specific pay offered will depend on the candidate's geographic location, as well as qualifications and experience. We apply geographic pay differentials based on the cost of labor in the market. Employees in high-cost locations may be compensated at the upper end of the range, while those in medium or low cost markets may be compensated at the lower end of the range. Your recruiter can provide more details about the specific salary range for your location during the hiring process.

Please note that compensation details listed in US job postings reflect the base salary only, and do not include bonus, equity, or benefits.

We also offer a comprehensive benefits program with choice and flexibility in mind to help support the health, wealth, and overall well-being of our employees. Regular full time employees in the US are eligible for benefits on day one, including:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance

• A 401(k) plan with company matching and immediate vesting

• An Open Time Off policy (OTO) so you have maximum opportunity to disconnect and recharge, with no tenure-based vacation accruals required

• 80 hours of sick time upon hire, refreshed annually

• Up to 12 paid holidays per calendar year

• Sonos offers a generous paid leave program for new parents or to care for a family member with a serious health condition, as well as short- and long-term disability for your own medical condition

• Company-paid Disability, Life, and AD&D Insurance

• Voluntary benefits, including Voluntary Life, AD&D, Accident, and Pet Insurance

• Mental health benefits to support your holistic well-being

• A generous employee discount program & Sonos Radio HD - on us!

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company's sole discretion, consistent with the law.

Notice to U.S. Job Applicants: Sonos is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.

Sonos is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process, please send an e-mail to [e-mail] and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.