Firmware Engineer

Job Title: Sr Firmware Engineer

Job Description

The Sr Firmware Engineer will lead the design and development of a new firmware platform for advanced electromechanical medical devices. In this role, you will architect and bring up firmware on STM32 processors, upgrade legacy code to modern 32-bit platforms, and ensure reliable control of equipment including pneumatic subsystems. You will collaborate closely with a small, highly skilled hardware and software team distributed across multiple locations, contributing throughout the full product development lifecycle in a regulated medical device environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end firmware development for new and existing medical device product lines, from architecture and design through implementation, integration, and release.

• Develop, port, and bring up a new firmware platform on STM32 32-bit microcontrollers for electromechanical medical equipment.

• Upgrade and refactor legacy firmware to a modern 32-bit STM32 processor platform while maintaining reliability, safety, and performance.

• Design, implement, and debug embedded firmware in C and C++ for real-time, resource-constrained environments.

• Develop and maintain firmware to interface with standard I/O and communication protocols including I2C, SPI, USB, and Bluetooth.

• Implement firmware features that control and coordinate equipment subsystems, including pneumatic components and other electromechanical elements.

• Work closely with hardware engineers to define interfaces, support board bring-up, and troubleshoot hardware-firmware interactions.

• Collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams in different locations to align firmware design with system requirements and overall product goals.

• Participate in and often lead technical discussions, design reviews, and code reviews to ensure robust, maintainable, and compliant firmware solutions.

• Contribute to documentation of firmware architecture, design decisions, interfaces, and testing approaches in support of medical/regulated product requirements.

• Support integration, system testing, and debugging activities to ensure the firmware meets performance, reliability, and regulatory expectations.

• Provide technical leadership and act as a subject matter expert for firmware within the product development team.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a closely related field (BSEE / BSCE or similar).

• At least 8 years of professional firmware development experience using C and C++ for 32-bit microcontrollers.

• At least 8 years of experience developing firmware for medical devices or other regulated environments.

• At least 8 years of experience working across the full product development lifecycle, leading all aspects of firmware development rather than a narrow subset.

• Strong hands-on experience with embedded C and C++ in real-time, embedded systems.

• Proven experience developing firmware for 32-bit STMicroelectronics STM32 microcontrollers or similar ST Micro platforms.

• Solid understanding of embedded systems and microcontroller-based hardware, including board bring-up and hardware-firmware integration.

• Proficiency with communication interfaces and protocols such as I2C, SPI, USB, and Bluetooth.

• Experience working effectively with cross-functional engineering teams, including hardware and software engineers.

• Experience in firmware development for medical or regulated products, with awareness of reliability and compliance considerations.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with real-time operating systems (RTOS) in embedded environments.

• Familiarity with broader embedded system concepts such as interrupt handling, low-level drivers, and resource-constrained design.

• Experience supporting multiple processors or microcontroller platforms across different product lines.

• Ability to work independently and take ownership of firmware architecture and implementation.

• Strong analytical and debugging skills for complex embedded systems.

• Clear communication skills for collaborating with geographically dispersed teams in different time zones.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Saint Paul, MN.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $50.00 - $65.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: - Medical, dental & vision - Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital - 401(k) Retirement Plan - Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available - Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) - Short and long-term disability - Health Spending Account (HSA) - Transportation benefits - Employee Assistance Program - Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a hybrid position in Saint Paul,MN.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Aug 12, 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.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email View email address on click.appcast.io for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.