Senior Systems Software Development Engineer

Jobtailor; Massachusetts; On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobtailor is seeking an experienced embedded software engineer to design real-time system software for audio platforms. You will drive board bring-up, debug ARM/WiSoC platforms, and integrate vendor SDKs and BSP components into builds and releases.

The role emphasizes C/C++, embedded Linux, and Yocto/OpenEmbedded workflows, with opportunities to optimize performance and work across hardware/software boundaries. On-site position in Massachusetts.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a technical field or related discipline.
• 5+ years firmware/system software experience for embedded systems.
• Strong C/C++ and embedded Linux proficiency.
• Experience with U-Boot and common boot flows.
• Familiarity with HDMI subsystem and video interfaces preferred.
• Hardware reading of schematics/datasheets preferred.
• Experience with low-level optimization and performance tuning preferred.
• Ability to work in Agile environments and with toolchains.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement real-time system software architectures for embedded audio.
• Bring up and debug U-Boot and embedded Linux on new hardware.
• Lead board bring-up and debug across ARM/WiSoC/BT MCU platforms.
• Integrate vendor SDKs, BSPs, and OS modules into build and release.
• Develop HAL libraries exposing interfaces between hardware and user space.
• Document unit and integration tests for system software components.

Skills

C/C++

Embedded Linux

U-Boot

Kernel debugging

GCC

GDB

Yocto/OpenEmbedded

FreeRTOS

JTAG/Logic analyzers

Hardware bring-up

Education

Bachelor’s in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science or related field

Tools

GCC

Binutils

GDB

Yocto Project

Free-RTOS

HDMI Subsystem

USBPD Development

Job description

• Design and implement real-time system software architectures using SMP and AMP approaches for embedded audio systems
• Bring up, debug, and maintain 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
• Integrate vendor SDKs, BSP components, and OS modules into the build and release process
• Develop and maintain HAL libraries providing testable interfaces between hardware and user space
• Identify platform gaps relative to hardware capabilities and product requirements; propose and deliver improvements
• Contribute to BSP validation and system-level debugging across hardware/software 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
• Support hardware engineering teams with technical debugging and OS/platform modernization efforts

Requirements

• Bachelor’s in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science or related field
• At least 5 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 the HDMI subsystem (Video, ARC/eARC, CEC) preferred
• Prior hardware design exposure and ability to read schematics/datasheets preferred
• Familiarity with low-level optimization and performance tuning preferred
• Familiarity with USBPD and development experience in USB PD ICs preferred
• Experience working in Agile development environments preferred
• Experience with toolchain and debug tooling (e.g., gcc, binutils, gdb) preferred
• Experience designing and developing software/firmware using Free-RTOS and bare-metal applications for microcontrollers preferred
• Strong debugging capability using JTAG, logic analyzers, and oscilloscopes preferred
• Proven ability to build performance-critical software in resource-constrained environments preferred
• Proficiency with Yocto Project / OpenEmbedded workflows preferred
• Strong understanding of Linux execution contexts and concurrency, including locking/mutexes, SMP behavior, and kernel/user boundaries preferred
• Familiarity with DDR, NAND, PCIe, Ethernet, USB, SPI, I2C, UART, I2S, TCP/IP, Wi‑Fi (802.11), and Bluetooth/BLE preferred
• Applicants must be authorized to work for any US employer, both now and in the future
• Sonos is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa for this role

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in designing and implementing real-time system software architectures for embedded audio systems, with strong proficiency in C/C++ and embedded Linux. Capable of leading hardware bring-up, debugging, and integrating vendor SDKs while ensuring performance optimization and system validation.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• C/C++ Proficiency
• Embedded Linux Experience
• U-Boot Debugging
• BSP Validation
• Yocto Project Workflows

Hard Skills

• Firmware Development
• Device Driver Development
• Unit Testing
• Integration Testing
• Low-Level OptimizationPerformance Tuning
• Microcontroller Programming
• Debugging with JTAG
• Logic Analyzers
• Oscilloscopes

Industry Keywords

• Embedded Systems
• SMP
• AMP
• HAL Libraries
• Silicon Vendor Coordination
• Hardware/Software Debugging
• Resource-Constrained Environments
• DDR
• NAND
• PCIe

Tools & Technologies

• GCC
• Binutils
• GDB
• Free-RTOS
• HDMI Subsystem
• USBPD Development
• Agile Development