Software Engineering Manager - Firmware

Hardware FYI; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Applied Intuition in Sunnyvale seeks an Engineering Manager to lead the Firmware team within Vehicle OS. You will drive architecture, development, and integration of foundational embedded systems powering next‑gen automotive experiences.

You will mentor engineers across real‑time OS, board support packages, and HALs, partnering with hardware and software teams to deliver robust RTOS, Linux kernel, and device drivers for safety‑critical vehicles.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or equivalent from a top program
• 8+ years of experience architecting and shipping production embedded/firmware software
• Experience shipping complex firmware or embedded software in production, ideally for automotive or consumer electronics
• Strong background in embedded C/C++, RTOS implementation, Linux kernel, and low-level driver/HAL development
• Hands‑on hardware integration and debugging experience
• Experience with platform bring‑up, sensors integration, and HW/SW co‑design
• Proven ability to manage, mentor, and grow technical teams

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor and grow a team of firmware and embedded software engineers
• Architect and develop robust, low-level software for the Vehicle OS platform
• Oversee development and maintenance of embedded C/C++ codebases, code reviews, and system-level debugging
• Collaborate across hardware and software engineering teams to design, bring up, and validate new platforms
• Ensure successful delivery of cutting-edge RTOS, Linux kernel, and hardware abstraction layers for automotive devices
• Partner closely with and cross-functional leaders to execute on new features and platform initiatives

Job description

Applied Intuition, Inc. is powering the future of physical AI. Founded in 2017 and now valued at $15 billion, the Silicon Valley company is creating the digital infrastructure needed to bring intelligence to every moving machine on the planet. Applied Intuition services the automotive, defense, trucking, construction, mining and agriculture industries in three core areas: tools and infrastructure, operating systems, and autonomy. Eighteen of the top 20 global automakers, as well as the United States military and its allies, trust the company’s solutions to deliver physical intelligence. Applied Intuition is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, with offices in Washington, D.C.; San Diego; Ft. Walton Beach, Florida; Ann Arbor, Michigan; London; Stuttgart; Munich; Stockholm; Bangalore; Seoul; and Tokyo. Learn more at applied.co.

We are an in-office company, and our expectation is that full-time employees primarily work from their Applied Intuition office 5 days a week. However, we also recognize the importance of flexibility and trust our employees to manage their schedules responsibly. This may include occasional remote work, starting the day with morning meetings from home before heading to the office, or leaving earlier when needed to accommodate family commitments. This in-office expectation does not apply to contractor positions.

About the role

The Firmware team within Vehicle OS architect the foundation of tomorrow’s intelligent vehicles. The team develops critical embedded systems powering Applied Intuition’s revolutionary Vehicle OS platform, transforming how global automakers build software-defined vehicles. Engineers work with real-time operating systems, board support packages, and hardware abstraction layers to enable next-generation automotive experiences and intelligent vehicle software platforms.

We are seeking an Engineering Manager to lead our Firmware team within the Vehicle OS organization. In this role, you will drive architecture, development, and integration of foundational embedded systems enabling the next generation of automotive experiences. You will work closely with engineers specializing in real-time operating systems, board support packages, hardware abstraction layers, and embedded Linux for safety-critical vehicle systems. Your technical leadership will directly impact how modern vehicles sense, process, and respond to the world.

At Applied Intuition, you will:

• Lead, mentor and grow a team of firmware and embedded software engineers

• Architect and develop robust, low-level software for the Vehicle OS platform

• Oversee development and maintenance of embedded C/C++ codebases, code reviews, and system-level debugging

• Collaborate across hardware and software engineering teams to design, bring up, and validate new platforms

• Ensure successful delivery of cutting-edge RTOS, Linux kernel, and hardware abstraction layers for automotive devices

• Partner closely with and cross-functional leaders to execute on new features and platform initiatives

We're looking for someone who has:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or equivalent from a top program (Stanford, Berkeley, CMU, Waterloo, or similar)

• 8+ years of experience architecting and shipping production embedded/firmware software

• Experience shipping complex firmware or embedded software in production, ideally for automotive or consumer electronics

• Strong background in embedded C/C++, RTOS implementation, Linux kernel, and low-level driver/HAL development

• Hands‑on hardware integration and debugging experience

• Experience with platform bring‑up, sensors integration, and HW/SW co‑design

• Proven ability to manage, mentor, and grow technical teams

Nice to have:

• Automotive software stack (ADAS, QNX, OTA updates)

• Cross-platform and vendor component integration

• Experience working with complex SoC mixing application and real time cores subsystems

• Familiarity with device bring‑up, OTA, and full system integration

Applied Intuition is an equal opportunity employer and federal contractor or subcontractor. Consequently, the parties agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-1.4(a), 41 CFR 60-300.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and that these laws are incorporated herein by reference. These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities, and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin. These regulations require that covered prime contractors and subcontractors take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status or disability. The parties also agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of Executive Order 13496 (29 CFR Part 471, Appendix A to Subpart A), relating to the notice of employee rights under federal labor laws.

FOR US-BASED ROLES: Applied Intuition is committed to providing an accessible and inclusive application and interview experience to applicants who are disabled veterans and other applicants with disabilities or medical conditions. Reasonable accommodations are available, requesting an accommodation will not affect your candidacy in any way, and you are not required to disclose the nature of your disability or medical condition in order to make a request. If you require an accommodation please contact [e-mail]. We will work with you!