Principal Wireless Protocol Architect/Engineer

Sonyinteractiveentertainmentglobal; California (MO); On-site; USD 209,900 - 314,900; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

Matching 401(k)

Paid time off

Employee discounts for Sony products

Job summary

Sony Interactive Entertainment is seeking a Staff Embedded Firmware Engineer to lead firmware development for innovative gaming products. This role requires extensive experience in embedded firmware and RF communication protocols. Join a dynamic team focused on cutting-edge technology for the PlayStation community.

The ideal candidate will possess strong problem-solving skills and enjoy working collaboratively in a small team environment. A love for gaming and a passion for consumer electronics is desired.

This position includes a competitive salary ranging from $209,900 to $314,900, along with comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in embedded firmware development.
• Demonstrated experience leading firmware development for shipped products.
• Passion for gaming and digital entertainment.

Responsibilities

• Lead firmware development for high profile product development efforts.
• Design and implement low-latency RF communication protocols.
• Collaborate with hardware, software, and UX teams.

Skills

Embedded firmware development experience in C/C++

Experience with RF/wireless systems

Design scalable and reusable firmware architectures

Debugging skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or related field

Job description

Why Sony Interactive Entertainment?

Sony Interactive Entertainment isn’t just the Best Place to Play — it’s also the Best Place to Work. Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) is the company behind the PlayStation brand. As a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation, we’re part of a proud legacy of innovation and excellence. SIE is a dynamic technology company, delivering cutting‑edge hardware and network services to more than 100 million people and an entertainment leader, home to some of the most beloved and recognizable intellectual properties (IP) in the world. Our role at SIE is to create and nurture the experiences under the PlayStation brand, a name synonymous with entertainment excellence and creativity.

Staff Embedded Firmware Engineer

We are building a small team of versatile and enthusiastic leaders to create new products for the PlayStation community. Our team recently delivered the new PlayStation Link, PULSE Explore and PULSE Elite products, recently announced the FlexStrike and PULSE Elevate products, and are hard at work on what comes next. We need an experienced and innovative firmware engineer to help build and support our new products and features.

Come and play with us!

Responsibilities

In this role, you will lead firmware development for high profile product development efforts. You will be responsible for technical leadership, system architecture, and execution across the firmware domain, working closely with internal teams and external partners.

• Own firmware architecture and design for embedded devices from concept through production
• Drive end-to-end firmware execution including development, integration, validation, and release
• Lead and mentor firmware engineers (internal and external partners) while remaining hands‑on
• Develop and define communication protocols to enable peripheral functionality
• Design, implement, and scale low‑latency RF/wireless communication protocols for embedded systems
• Architect structured, modular, and reusable firmware frameworks that scale across multiple platforms and product lines
• Ensure firmware designs support cross‑platform reuse and long‑term scalability
• Collaborate with hardware, software, and UX teams to define and deliver product requirements
• Establish and drive modern firmware development practices (code reviews, CI/CD, testing frameworks)
• Develop and manage hardware‑in‑the‑loop (HIL) and automated test systems
• Troubleshoot complex system‑level issues across hardware, firmware, and RF domains
• Support manufacturing builds and coordinate firmware activities during product bring‑up
• Support and enhance products post‑launch
• Prototype new features on new hardware platforms

Skills

• Strong embedded firmware development experience in C/C++
• Strong experience with RF/wireless systems (e.g., Bluetooth, low‑latency audio, or similar technologies)
• Deep understanding of low‑latency embedded systems and communication protocol design
• Proven ability to design scalable, reusable, and cross‑platform firmware architectures
• Experience with ARM microcontrollers and low‑power system design
• Hands‑on experience with hardware bring‑up and debugging (including RF/system‑level issues)
• Experience implementing hardware‑in‑the‑loop and automated testing
• Strong system‑level thinking across hardware and software boundaries
• Ability to operate at both high‑level system design and low‑level implementation
• Proven ability to lead firmware efforts across teams and partners
• Experience with consumer electronics product development from concept through mass production
• Strong problem‑solving and debugging skills

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 10 + years of experience in embedded firmware development
• Demonstrated experience leading firmware development for shipped products
• Strong experience in RF/wireless or low‑latency embedded systems
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Passion for gaming, digital entertainment, and consumer electronics is a plus

Nice to Have

• Experience with wireless audio or ultra‑low latency systems
• Experience working with external development partners or ODMs
• Experience with kernel or driver development (Linux, Windows, or similar)
• Experience scaling engineering processes and mentoring teams

Working Conditions

• Small team environment; feels like a start‑up within a large organization!
• Travel (domestic and international) required. Estimated 15 %

Pay & Benefits

At SIE, we consider several factors when setting each role’s base pay range, including the competitive benchmarking data for the market and geographic location. Please note that the base pay range may vary in line with our hybrid working policy and individual base pay will be determined based on job‑related factors which may include knowledge, skills, experience, and location.

In addition, this role is eligible for SIE’s top‑tier benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, matching 401(k), paid time off, wellness program and coveted employee discounts for Sony products. This role also may be eligible for a bonus package. Click here to learn more.

Base Pay Range: $209,900 — $314,900 USD

Please note, Sony Interactive Entertainment conducts background checks at the offer stage for all new employees (which may include criminal background checks for some roles) and will need to process personal information to support these checks.

Please refer to our Candidate Privacy Notice for more information about what personal information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and your data protection rights.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Sony is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All persons will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender (including gender identity, gender expression and gender reassignment), race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, marital or civil partnership status, disability, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, maternity or parental status, trade union membership or membership in any other legally protected category.

We strive to create an inclusive environment, empower employees and embrace diversity. We encourage everyone to respond.

Sony Interactive Entertainment is a Fair Chance employer and qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records will be considered for employment.