Senior Staff Firmware Engineer

Job Title: Staff Motor Control Firmware Engineer Location: Santa Cruz, CA (Hybrid / Onsite) Team: Engineering Embedded Systems Role Overview Were looking for a senior-level firmware engineer with deep expertise in motor control and real-time embedded systems to support the development of a highly sophisticated electromechanical platform in a regulated environment. This role will play a key part in architecting, implementing, and validating low-level firmware that drives precision motion, safety-critical control loops, and system performance. Youll work closely with electrical, mechanical, systems, and software teams to bring complex motion-controlled systems from early development through verification, validation, and commercialization. This is a hands-on technical role with strong ownership and influence over core system architecture. Key Responsibilities Design, implement, and optimize embedded firmware for motor control applications, including real-time control loops and safety-critical functions. Develop low-level drivers and control algorithms for motors, encoders, sensors, and power electronics. Own firmware architecture decisions related to timing, performance, reliability, and fault handling. Contribute to system-level design discussions to ensure firmware solutions align with hardware and mechanical constraints. Motor Control & Motion Systems Implement and tune motor control strategies (e.g., current, velocity, and position control). Support integration and bring-up of motors, actuators, and motion subsystems at the bench and system level. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to troubleshoot complex electromechanical issues and optimize system performance. Verification, Validation & Documentation Develop test strategies and tools to validate motor control firmware under real-world operating conditions. Support design verification activities, including test execution, data analysis, and documentation. Produce clear, audit-ready technical documentation supporting design controls and regulatory requirements. Cross-Functional Leadership Serve as a technical mentor for junior engineers and a subject-matter expert in embedded motor control. Partner with systems, quality, and regulatory teams to ensure firmware designs meet safety and compliance expectations. Participate in design reviews and contribute to risk assessments related to software and motion control. Required Qualifications Strong background in embedded firmware development for real-time systems. Extensive experience with motor control systems and closed-loop control algorithms. Proficiency in C/C++ for embedded applications. Experience working with microcontrollers and real-time operating systems (RTOS). Solid understanding of embedded debugging tools, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and bench-level bring-up. Comfortable working in regulated development environments with structured design controls. Preferred Experience Background in robotics, automation, or precision motion systems. Experience with safety-critical or high-reliability systems. Familiarity with communication protocols such as CAN, SPI, I2C, UART, or Ethernet. Experience supporting verification and validation efforts for embedded software. Prior involvement in regulated product submissions or audits (medical device, aerospace, automotive, or similar). Education & Experience Bachelors degree (or higher) in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Robotics, or a related discipline. 812+ years of professional experience in embedded firmware development, with significant focus on motor control or motion systems. Demonstrated ability to take ownership of complex technical problems from concept through implementation. Hybrid role with regular onsite collaboration at the engineering facility (typically 23 days per week). Fast-paced, highly technical environment with close collaboration across hardware and software disciplines. Opportunity to contribute to a cutting-edge platform with meaningful real-world impact. #J-18808-Ljbffr

Created: 2026-03-10