Embedded Software Engineer

Job Title: SR Embedded Software Engineer
Job Description
This full-time, onsite role in Santa Barbara, CA offers the opportunity to take technical ownership of embedded software development for advanced undersea acoustics systems. You will lead architecture and design decisions, drive technical direction across a cross-functional engineering team, and deliver robust, production-ready embedded software as a hands-on individual contributor. In addition to core embedded development, you will help integrate products into larger, complex systems by developing secure interfaces, supporting containerized deployments with Kubernetes, contributing to cybersecurity compliance, and enabling interoperability with external systems. You will serve as a key technical voice within the project team, balancing approximately 70% development work with 20-30% project leadership and coordination.
Responsibilities

• Lead the technical execution of embedded software projects from initial architecture through deployment and maintenance.
• Define and evolve system-level software architecture, including interface design and implementation strategies for embedded and networked systems.
• Provide technical leadership and influence across multiple projects and subsystems while remaining a hands-on contributor.
• Collaborate closely with hardware, systems, FPGA, and test teams to ensure effective system-level integration and performance.
• Work with the project manager to plan sprints, define milestones, estimate effort, and track execution against project goals.
• Design and implement secure software interfaces for integration with external systems and third-party platforms.
• Contribute to containerized deployments and overall system design using Kubernetes in secure environments.
• Apply cybersecurity principles, secure development practices, software bill of materials (SBOM) standards, performance monitoring, and fault location techniques throughout the development lifecycle.
• Support system-level observability and integration with upper-tier logging frameworks such as Fluentd.
• Participate in and lead code reviews, design discussions, and technical troubleshooting to improve code quality and reliability.
• Contribute to documentation, verification, and compliance with cybersecurity and software development standards such as CMMC and NIST 800-218.
• Use Python for scripting, test automation, and reviewing DSP-related models, and support translation of models into production-ready embedded code.
• Balance approximately 70% hands-on development with 20-30% project management activities, including coordination, planning, and technical oversight.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field.
• 7-10+ years of professional experience in embedded software development.
• Strong proficiency in C and modern C++ (preferably C++11 or later) for embedded applications.
• Strong proficiency in Python for scripting, tooling, and automation.
• Deep understanding of embedded Linux, including kernel-level concepts, drivers, and system configuration.
• Experience with bare-metal firmware development and real-time systems.
• Demonstrated experience taking ownership of software architecture and execution in a cross-functional engineering environment.
• Proven experience collaborating with systems, hardware, FPGA, and software teams to integrate embedded systems into larger networked or software-defined systems.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical topics to diverse engineering stakeholders.
• Ability and willingness to work onsite full-time, with remote work not available for this role.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience using Python for scripting, test automation, or reviewing DSP-related models, with the ability to support translation of models into production embedded code.
• Familiarity with SBOM standards such as SPDX or CycloneDX and experience with related tooling.
• Experience with embedded Linux build systems such as Yocto or Buildroot.
• Hands-on experience with DevOps practices and CI/CD tools, including containerization and Kubernetes-based deployments.
• Experience with automated security testing tools such as static analysis or SonarQube.
• Understanding of software quality assurance, secure software development practices, and system-level integration.
• Experience with system-on-chip (SoC) architectures, particularly CPU-FPGA shared memory interaction.
• Exposure to digital signal processing (DSP), undersea acoustics systems, or other signal-processing domains.
• Knowledge of cybersecurity compliance frameworks such as CMMC or NIST 800-218.
• Experience managing or leading projects where approximately 20-30% of responsibilities include planning, coordination, and oversight, with 70% focused on development.

Work Environment
This is a full-time, onsite position based in Santa Barbara, CA, working in a collaborative engineering environment focused on advanced undersea acoustics systems. You will work closely with systems, hardware, FPGA, software, and test engineers, using embedded Linux platforms, bare-metal firmware, and real-time systems. The technical stack includes C, modern C++, Python, embedded Linux build systems such as Yocto or Buildroot, containerization technologies, Kubernetes for secure deployments, and observability tools such as Fluentd. The environment emphasizes secure software development, DevOps and CI/CD practices, automated security testing, and adherence to cybersecurity frameworks such as CMMC and NIST 800-218. Work is performed in a professional office and lab setting, with hands-on interaction with embedded hardware and system prototypes, and requires consistent onsite presence for effective collaboration and system integration.
Job Type & Location
This is a Permanent position based out of Santa Barbara, CA.
Pay and Benefits
The pay range for this position is $145000.00 - $190000.00/yr.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance. • Life insurance, paid vacation, and sick leave. 3% 401(k) company contribution (no match required
Workplace Type
This is a fully onsite position in Santa Barbara,CA.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on Jun 24, 2026.
About Actalent


Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.


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