Lead Embedded Systems Engineer - Remote

Placements24; Rustenburg; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Performance bonuses

Flexible work hours and unlimited PTO

Home office setup allowance

Comprehensive medical coverage

Training and conferences

Job summary

Placements24 in South Africa is seeking a Lead Embedded Systems Engineer to guide a remote, globally distributed team. You will architect and implement firmware and hardware for next‑gen devices, setting standards and driving technical excellence from concept to production.

The role demands a strong background in C/C++, RTOS, and hardware integration, with 7+ years in embedded development and prior leadership experience.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field.
• 7+ years in embedded systems development.
• Experience leading a team.
• Proficiency in C/C++ for embedded with RTOS.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and implementation of embedded firmware from concept to production.
• Architect robust embedded software solutions with efficient resource use.
• Oversee selection and integration of microcontrollers, sensors, and hardware components.
• Collaborate with hardware engineers on schematics, PCB layouts, and system architecture.
• Manage firmware debugging, testing, and validation for reliability and performance.
• Mentor a team of embedded engineers and provide technical direction.
• Contribute to system-level design discussions and evaluate embedded tech.
• Explore new embedded technologies to improve processes and quality.
• Ensure firmware security throughout development lifecycle.

Skills

C/C++

RTOS

Embedded systems

Leadership

Communication

Git

CI/CD

Hardware interfacing

Education

Master's degree in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Git

CI/CD pipelines

ESP32 toolchain

ARM Cortex-M toolchain

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a trailblazer in IoT solutions and smart device development, is looking for an exceptional Lead Embedded Systems Engineer to join their fully remote, globally distributed team. This is a unique opportunity to steer the direction of our next generation of intelligent products, working at the forefront of embedded technology. You will lead a talented group of engineers in designing, developing, and optimizing firmware and hardware for a variety of cutting-edge devices. As a remote-first organization, we emphasize strong communication, asynchronous collaboration, and the use of advanced digital tools to ensure seamless project execution. This role requires a visionary leader with a deep technical background in embedded systems, firmware development, and hardware integration, passionate about creating innovative and reliable solutions from scratch. If you are driven by technical challenges and excited by the prospect of shaping the future of embedded intelligence from Rustenburg, North West, this role is for you.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and implementation of embedded firmware for new product development, from concept to production.
• Architect robust and scalable embedded software solutions, ensuring efficient use of resources and adherence to coding standards.
• Oversee the selection and integration of microcontrollers, sensors, communication modules and other embedded hardware components.
• Collaborate with hardware engineers to define schematics, PCB layouts and system architecture.
• Manage firmware debugging, testing and validation processes, ensuring high levels of reliability and performance.
• Mentor and guide a team of embedded software engineers, providing technical direction and fostering professional growth.
• Contribute to system-level design discussions and provide expertise on embedded systems capabilities and limitations.
• Research and evaluate new embedded technologies, tools and methodologies to improve development processes and product quality.
• Ensure firmware security is a core consideration throughout the development lifecycle.

Requirements

• Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or a related field.
• Over 7 years of hands-on experience in embedded systems development, with at least 2 years in a lead or senior technical role.
• Expertise in C/C++ programming for embedded environments, including real-time operating systems (RTOS).
• Proven experience with various microcontrollers (e.g., ARM Cortex-M, ESP32) and associated development tools.
• Strong understanding of hardware-software interaction, digital and analog circuit design principles.
• Experience with communication protocols such as SPI, I2C, UART, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi.
• Familiarity with version control systems (e.g., Git) and CI/CD pipelines for embedded development.
• Excellent leadership, communication and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fully remote, fast- paced and collaborative work environment.

Benefits

• Highly competitive executive-level salary.
• Stock options or performance bonuses.
• Flexible work hours and unlimited PTO.
• Home office setup allowance.
• Comprehensive medical coverage.
• Opportunities for advanced training and conference attendance.
• Access to cutting-edge development tools and technologies.
• Direct impact on product innovation and company strategy.
• A culture that values autonomy and continuous improvement.