Embedded Systems Engineer

Sr. Embedded Systems Engineer

Throne is a high-growth Series B startup on a mission to meaningfully expand access to clean and delightful bathrooms, and they're growing fast. With flagship customers like the District of Columbia, Caltrain, and LA Metro, they're on track to more than 2x ARR this year, making this a pivotal moment for the brand.

Role Summary

This role will own the design, development, and deployment of Throne's next-generation embedded systems platform—the "brain" powering its smart restroom infrastructure. You will lead the transition from Raspberry Pi–based systems to a production-grade microcontroller or SOM architecture, while building robust firmware and hardware systems that perform reliably in real-world, high-usage environments. The ideal candidate is a hands-on builder with strong systems thinking, who thrives at the intersection of firmware, hardware, and field operations—and has successfully shipped connected embedded products into production.

Core Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end embedded system architecture: component selection, interfaces, validation, and documentation
• Evaluate and implement microcontroller or SOM-based platforms to replace Raspberry Pi systems
• Define scalable, production-ready system architecture aligned with reliability and performance goals
• Balance trade-offs across performance, cost, manufacturability, and maintainability

• Develop embedded firmware in C/C++ for sensing, actuation, communications, and system control
• Implement telemetry, logging, and error-handling systems to monitor real-world performance
• Design state management and data structures for resilient, fault-tolerant systems
• Support OTA updates, device lifecycle management, and system diagnostics

• Design and prototype custom PCBs, power systems, and sensor integrations
• Validate systems across environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, vibration, outdoor use)
• Define and execute structured validation plans, including lifecycle and stress testing
• Ensure systems are optimized for durability, serviceability, and long-term deployment

• Partner with Production and Field Operations teams to incorporate real-world feedback
• Support debugging and root cause analysis during pilot deployments and field issues
• Collaborate with vendors and contract manufacturers to ensure quality and design integrity
• Work closely with Product, Mechanical, Electrical, and Software teams

• Create clear documentation for installation, troubleshooting, and repair workflows
• Establish repeatable processes for testing, data collection, and configuration management
• Define success metrics and data strategies to evaluate system reliability and performance

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Builder-operator mindset with strong ownership over shipped embedded systems
• Thrives in ambiguity and fast-paced startup environments
• Strong balance of theoretical knowledge and hands-on execution
• Experience working on real-world, field-deployed hardware systems
• Comfortable working cross-functionally across hardware, software, and operations

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in embedded systems or firmware engineering
• Proven experience shipping hardware products into production
• Strong proficiency in C/C++ (Python or scripting a plus)
• Experience architecting microcontroller or SOM-based systems
• Hands-on PCB design experience (Altium, KiCad, or similar)
• Strong debugging skills using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, JTAG/SWD tools
• Experience with IoT/cloud-connected devices (MQTT, telemetry, device state sync)
• Familiarity with communication protocols (BLE, LTE, Wi-Fi, LoRa, etc.)
• Experience with power management and low-power system design