R&D Firmware Engineer

Overview

Keysight is at the forefront of technology innovation, delivering breakthroughs and trusted insights in electronic design, simulation, prototyping, test, manufacturing, and optimization. Our ~15,000 employees create world-class solutions in communications, 5G, automotive, energy, quantum, aerospace, defense, and semiconductor markets for customers in over 100 countries. Learn more about what we do.

Our award-winning culture embraces a bold vision of where technology can take us and a passion for tackling challenging problems with industry-first solutions. We believe that when people feel a sense of belonging, they can be more creative, innovative, and thrive at all points in their careers.


Responsibilities

Firmware Architecture & Development

• Architect, design, implement, and maintain complex embedded firmware for high-performance test and measurement systems
• Develop firmware in C and C++ targeting bare-metal and RTOS-based environments on microcontrollers and SoC platforms
• Design and implement hardware abstraction layers (HAL), board support packages (BSP), and low-level device drivers for FPGAs, ADCs, DACs, RF components, and custom ASICs
• Develop and optimize FPGA logic and firmware interfaces using VHDL or Verilog where required
• Implement real-time control algorithms and signal processing routines meeting stringent timing and latency requirements

Hardware Integration & System Bring-Up

• Partner closely with hardware engineers during PCB bring-up, characterization, and validation phases
• Develop and execute firmware test plans; write and maintain automated regression test suites
• Perform hands-on hardware debugging using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, JTAG, and protocol analyzers (I2C, SPI, UART, PCIe, USB)
• Define and validate firmware interfaces with DSPs, FPGAs, and host software layers

Technical Leadership & Mentorship

• Lead firmware architecture discussions and design reviews; provide clear, actionable feedback to peers and junior engineers
• Contribute to and champion firmware development standards, coding guidelines, and documentation practices across the team
• Participate in cross-functional program reviews, risk identification, and mitigation planning

Quality, Testing & Lifecycle

• Write high-quality, maintainable, well-documented firmware code; maintain comprehensive unit and integration test coverage
• Investigate, root-cause, and resolve complex firmware defects; manage bug resolution from triage through close
• Participate in Agile/Scrum ceremonies: sprint planning, stand-ups, backlog refinement, and retrospectives
• Support product sustaining engineering and field escalation resolution as needed

Qualifications

Education

• BS or MS degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a closely related technical discipline

Experience

• 8+ years of embedded firmware experience, including work on high-frequency RF, mixed-signal, or precision analog instrumentation
• Track record of leading or significantly contributing to firmware architecture decisions on a delivered product

Programming Languages & Tools

• Expert-level proficiency in C; strong proficiency in C++ for embedded systems and Python
• Experience with FPGA firmware development and hardware-firmware co-design (Xilinx/AMD, Intel/Altera); familiarity with VHDL or Verilog
• Experience with CMake, Jenkins CI/CD pipelines, and automated firmware test frameworks
• Familiarity using AI tools for code generation and review

Hardware & Architectures

• Hands-on experience with microcontroller and/or SoC architectures (ARM Cortex-M/A, RISC-V, or similar)
• Strong experience writing and debugging low-level peripheral drivers (I2C, SPI, UART, USB, PCIe, Ethernet)
• Proficiency with embedded debugging tools: JTAG/SWD debuggers, logic analyzers, oscilloscopes
• Working knowledge of RF and analog electronics sufficient to collaborate effectively with hardware design engineers

Software & Systems

• Experience with Linux kernel drivers or Yocto-based embedded Linux BSP development
• Familiarity with DSP fundamentals - FFT, filtering, calibration algorithms - as applied to measurement firmware
• Knowledge of electronic test and measurement instrument architecture (VNAs, signal generators); familiarity with instrument control standards: VISA, SCPI

Development Practices

• Experience with version control (Git) and collaborative development workflows
• Experience with formal code review processes, static analysis tools, and safety-aware coding practices
• Familiarity with Atlassian suite: Jira, Confluence, Bitbucket
• Familiarity using AI Tools for code generation and review

Careers Privacy Statement


Keysight is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Santa Rosa, CA MIN $143,000 - MAX $238,000.00

No Visa sponsorship is available for this role.

Most offers will be between the minimum and the midpoint of the Salary Range listed above.

Note: For other locations, pay ranges will vary by region

US Employees may be eligible for the following benefits:

• Medical, dental and vision
• Health Savings Account
• Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
• Life, Accident, Disability insurance
• Business Travel Accident and Business Travel Health
• 401(k) Plan
• Flexible Time Off, Paid Holidays
• Paid Family Leave
• Discounts, Perks
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Adoption Assistance
• ESPP (Employee Stock Purchase Plan)

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