Staff/Lead Firmware Engineer

American Innovations, Ltd.; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

American Innovations, Ltd. in Austin, TX, is seeking a Staff Firmware Engineer to add senior embedded firmware capacity on a small R&D team delivering a flagship IoT platform.

This individual contributor role emphasizes hands-on implementation, collaboration with senior engineers, and growth into broader firmware ownership as platforms mature. No managerial responsibilities are required.

Qualifications

• Embedded C/C++ expertise with HW-adjacent debugging and shipped products.
• Experience with state-pattern FSMs, hierarchical state machines, and event-driven architecture.
• HAL/driver architecture for MCU-based products.
• RTOS, watchdogs, bootloaders, firmware update, low-power, BLE/USB/Serial.
• Radio/connectivity experience (GPS/GNSS, BLE, cellular modem, RF modules) is a plus.
• Analog measurement, calibration, noise, accuracy, data acquisition.
• Safety/reliability: logging, fault handling, release hygiene.
• Test automation, hardware-in-loop, unit tests, CI for embedded.
• Test & measurement, industrial instrumentation, power electronics, field equipment.
• Peer mentoring; improving codebases without destabilizing delivery.

Responsibilities

• Support firmware execution with state-pattern FSMs and HAL boundaries.
• Collaborate with the senior firmware engineer on near-term delivery.
• Work with a senior firmware architecture advisor on platform standards and release hygiene.
• Grow into broader firmware ownership on follow-on product lines.
• Promote disciplined embedded execution: Jira stories, design notes/ADRs, code reviews, tests, and early escalation.

Skills

Embedded C/C++

RTOS

HAL/Driver

State Machines

BLE/USB/Serial

CI for Embedded

Test Automation

Power/Electrical

Job description

Description

We are hiring a Staff Firmware Engineer to add senior embedded firmware capacity and deep technical contribution on a small R&D team as we deliver a flagship next-generation IoT product and prepare follow‑on platform work. This is an individual contributor role. There is no expectation to manage people or lead a firmware team. This person will:

• Support current‑program firmware execution: state‑pattern FSM, HAL boundaries, driver integration, prototype board bring‑up, and firmware‑test readiness.
• Partner with the existing senior firmware engineer (program DRI) on near‑term delivery; the current DRI remains accountable while this person ramps.
• Work with a senior firmware architecture advisor on platform standards, architecture review, release hygiene, and cross‑team consistency.
• Grow into broader firmware ownership on follow‑on product lines once the current foundation is stable — as a senior IC, not as a people manager.
• Bring disciplined embedded execution: Jira stories, design notes / ADRs, code reviews, tests, and early escalation.

Requirements

• Embedded C/C++, HW‑adjacent debug, shipped product, test discipline, collaboration
• State‑pattern FSM, hierarchical state machines, event‑driven architecture, embedded UI/menu systems
• HAL / driver architecture for MCU‑based products
• RTOS, watchdogs, bootloaders, firmware update, low‑power, BLE/USB/serial
• Radio / connectivity (big plus): GPS/GNSS, BLE, cellular modem, satellite modem, RF module integration
• Analog measurement (big plus): ADC, calibration, noise/drift, accuracy, data acquisition, DVM/instrumentation
• Safety/reliability: logging, fault handling, recovery, release hygiene
• Test automation, hardware‑in‑loop, unit tests, CI for embedded
• Test & measurement, industrial instrumentation, power electronics, field equipment
• Peer mentoring; improving existing codebases without destabilizing delivery