Sr. Embedded Software Engineer I

FORT Robotics; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

FORT Robotics is seeking a Senior Embedded Software Engineer to own critical subsystems across the embedded stack, bridging hardware and software for safety-critical applications.

You will work on Embedded Linux, RTOS (Zephyr/FreeRTOS), and bare-metal environments, coordinating with product, hardware, cloud, and safety teams to ensure robust, scalable architecture.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of hands-on embedded software development, including 2+ years on safety-critical or regulated products.
• Expert proficiency in C and C++, including modern C++ patterns and safe memory management at scale.
• Deep experience with Embedded Linux (BSP and low-level architecture) and proficiency with at least one RTOS (Zephyr or FreeRTOS).
• Working knowledge of BSPs and device drivers—debugging below the kernel boundary.

Responsibilities

• Own Critical Subsystems: Architect and implement C/C++ software for safety-critical embedded systems.
• Drive Platform Architecture: Architect Embedded Linux user-space apps and RTOS firmware for Zephyr/FreeRTOS devices.
• Own Safety Compliance: Embed IEC 61508 rigor into design and code with safety teams.
• Architect CI/CD: Design GitLab CI/CD pipelines for firmware testing and reliable builds.
• Hardware Bring-Up & Debugging: Lead bring-up and diagnose bugs with JTAG, GDB, oscilloscopes, and logic analyzers.
• Cross-Team Influence: Act as the primary technical contact for product, hardware, cloud, and safety teams.

Skills

Embedded software engineering

C

C++

Embedded Linux

RTOS (Zephyr/FreeRTOS)

BSP and device drivers

IP networking

Python scripting

CI/CD for firmware (GitLab)

GDB/JTAG debugging

Functional safety standards (IEC 61508

ISO 26262/DO-178C or equivalent

Hardware bring-up

Education in EE/CS

Education

B.S. in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent experience

Tools

GitLab

GDB

JTAG

Oscilloscopes

Logic analyzers

Job description

In today's dynamic worksites, seamless collaboration between people and machines is essential. FORT's platform ensures safe, secure, and dynamic control that surpasses legacy systems and next-generation AI capabilities.

While autonomous machines offer significant advantages, they also introduce new safety challenges. FORT addresses these concerns by providing solutions such as the Wireless E-Stop, which allows operators to instantly stop any machine from a safe distance, enhancing safety during emergencies.

Additionally, FORT's Safe Remote Control enables operators to manage heavy machinery remotely, reducing the risk of accidents and improving visibility.

By ensuring communications integrity across any network, FORT empowers customers to protect their most valuable assets—people, data, and machines—ensuring they remain safe and secure.

As a Senior Embedded Software Engineer, you will own critical subsystems within our embedded stack, and your architectural decisions will shape the product. You'll bridge hardware and high-level applications across Embedded Linux, RTOS (Zephyr/FreeRTOS), and bare-metal environments — and you'll be the technical point of contact for product, hardware, cloud, and safety teams when those subsystems intersect.

What You'll Do

• Own Critical Subsystems: Architect and implement C/C++ software for safety-critical embedded systems where reliability is non-negotiable. Your decisions will influence the product's long-term architecture.
• Drive Platform Architecture: Architect Embedded Linux user-space applications and real-time firmware for FreeRTOS/Zephyr devices. Design for failure modes, future scale, and platform reuse — not just the current product.
• Own Safety Compliance: Own the safety compliance posture of your subsystem. Partner with the safety team to embed IEC 61508 rigor into design and code without slowing development velocity.
• Architect CI/CD: Architect and evolve our GitLab CI/CD pipelines for firmware. Set the bar for automated testing, deterministic builds, and release confidence.
• Hardware Bring-Up & Debugging: Lead bring-up of new hardware. Diagnose complex bugs across the hardware/software boundary using JTAG, GDB, logic analyzers, and oscilloscopes.
• Cross-Team Influence: Serve as the primary technical point of contact for product, QE, hardware, and cloud teams on subsystem design, integration, and trade-offs.

What You Bring

• Experience: 6+ years of hands-on embedded software development, including 2+ years working on safety-critical or regulated products.
• Core Languages: Expert proficiency in C and C++, including modern C++ patterns and safe memory management at scale.
• OS Depth: Deep experience with Embedded Linux (including BSP and low-level architecture) and proficiency with at least one RTOS (Zephyr or FreeRTOS).
• Low-Level Linux: Working knowledge of Board Support Packages (BSP) and device drivers — you've debugged below the kernel boundary, not just above it.
• Connectivity: Strong fluency with IP networking and standard interfaces (UART, SPI, I2C, USB, CAN).
• Tooling: Proficient with Python for scripting/automation. Experience architecting CI/CD workflows for firmware (GitLab preferred).
• Debugging: Expert with oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, JTAG, and GDB. You can localize hard bugs across the hardware/software boundary independently.
• Safety & Quality: Experience working under or implementing functional safety standards (IEC 61508, ISO 26262, DO-178C, or equivalent).
• Education: B.S. in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent experience.

Bonus Points

• Experience with wireless stacks (BLE, ISM, Wi‑Fi).
• Background in regulated industries (Medical, Automotive, Aerospace, Industrial).
• Contributions to open-source embedded or RTOS projects.

How You'll Show Up — The FORT Blueprint at this Level

• Accomplish the Impossible: You proactively automate manual toil and find creative paths through ambiguous architectural problems.
• Own Your Priorities: You're accountable for project milestones and the long‑term health of your subsystem — not just the next ticket.
• Think Out Loud: You lead architectural design reviews and communicate complex trade-offs clearly to engineers and non‑engineers alike.
• Build Together: You run retrospectives and post‑mortems, mentor more junior engineers, and align technical goals across hardware, firmware, SIT, and cloud teams.