Embedded Software Engineer

Extropic is seeking a highly skilled Embedded Software Engineer with deep experience in both bare-metal firmware development and embedded Linux application design. The ideal candidate should have a strong background working with heterogeneous multi-core RISC-V or ARM processors (e.g., Cortex-R5, Cortex-A53), excel in C/C++ and Python programming languages, and be comfortable developing across the entire embedded software stack—from low-level drivers to Linux user-space applications to host-side tooling.

This role is highly hands-on and involves close interaction with the systems, IC design, test, and physics cross-functional engineering teams. You will architect, implement, and debug complex embedded systems, integrating multiple processors, real-time firmware, and Linux-based applications.

Responsibilities

• Architect, design, and implement embedded software across bare-metal, RTOS, and embedded Linux environments.

• Develop firmware, Linux drivers, user-space applications, and host-PC tools supporting the full embedded software stack.

• Work with heterogeneous multi-core SoCs (e.g., Cortex-R5 real-time cores and Cortex-A53 application cores), enabling inter-processor communication, synchronization, and resource sharing.

• Implement multi-threaded, multi-core software architectures with attention to power, performance, determinism, and reliability.

• Develop and maintain low-level drivers for peripherals including SPI, I2C, UART, GPIO, timers, and DMA engines.

• Debug real-time embedded systems using JTAG/SWD debuggers, in-circuit emulators, and software diagnostic tools.

• Perform hands-on system characterization using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and protocol analyzers (SPI/I2C/UART, LVDS, Ethernet, USB, etc.).

• Write clean, robust, well-tested C/C++ code for bare-metal and Linux environments.

• Develop Python tools for automation, test, and host-side applications.

• Collaborate closely with hardware, FPGA, and systems engineers to bring up new boards, validate interfaces, and resolve integration issues.

• Contribute to system architecture decisions, design reviews, and technical documentation.

Required Experience

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.

• 5+ years of hands-on experience in embedded firmware and Linux software development.

• Strong proficiency in C, C++, and Python, with emphasis on embedded and deeply embedded programming.

• Deep experience with bare-metal firmware development, interrupt-driven systems, and hardware bring-up.

• Proven experience with embedded Linux (build systems, user-space applications, drivers, device trees).

• Hands-on experience with heterogeneous multi-core RISC-V and ARM processors, such as Cortex-R5 and Cortex-A53

• Strong understanding of multi-threaded and multi-core software design principles.

• Experience developing and debugging drivers and applications using I2C, SPI, UART, DMA, and other common peripherals.

• Strong lab skills: oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, protocol analyzers, power measurement, and signal debugging.

• Proficiency with software debuggers (GDB, OpenOCD, Lauterbach, etc.).

• Ability to analyze, troubleshoot, and optimize system performance across the entire hardware/software boundary.

Preferred Experience

• Experience with Yocto/PetaLinux, Buildroot, or similar embedded Linux build systems.

• Familiarity with IPC mechanisms (RPMsg, shared memory, message queues) in heterogeneous SoC environments.

• Experience integrating firmware with FPGA-based systems or custom ASIC’s.

• Familiarity with FPGA embedded software environments such as AMD/Xilinx Vitis

• Knowledge of network protocols and experience building socket-based host-PC applications.

• Experience with continuous integration, test automation, and version control (Git).

Soft Skills

• Strong analytical and problem-solving ability.

• Excellent communication skills for cross-team collaboration.

• Self-starter attitude and ability to take ownership of complex features from architecture to deployment.

• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, hands-on engineering environment.