Embedded Systems Engineer

Aurelius SystemsSoftware EngineeringSan Francisco, CA, USAUSD 155k-225k / year + EquityPosted on May 6, 2026Apply nowLocationSan FranciscoEmployment TypeFull timeLocation TypeOn-siteDepartmentEngineeringEmbedded & FirmwareCompensation$155K – $225K Offers EquityWho We AreAurelius Systems is a VC backed defense tech startup building autonomous, edge deployed directed energy systems for counter-UAS. We build laser weapons to shoot down drones.We're a small team of engineers, former US military operators, and subject matter experts scaling America's directed energy dominance. The first cost effective, reliable and robust laser weapon system.Our namesake isn't an accident. Marcus Aurelius wrote about doing the work in front of you, every day, without excuses. Henry Ford didn't wait for permission to reinvent manufacturing. That's how we operate — small team, unreasonable output, no hiding behind the unachievable.In addition to our San Francisco lab, we’ve opened a Detroit manufacturing hub and we field test weekly on our own 400-acre private range.The Role And Your ImpactWe need an Embedded Systems Engineer to own the layer between hardware and the application stack — board bring-up, BSP, drivers, and real-time control across Archimedes' subsystems. You'll work directly with EE, mechanical, and our robotics software team to make sure the system actually talks to itself under field conditions.What You'll OwnBoard bring-up and BSP development on custom hardwareLinux kernel and driver work including device drivers, DMA, interrupts, and userspace interfacesReal-time control loops for motion, power, and sensor subsystemsHardware and software co-design alongside EEs and mechanical engineersDebug at the metal using oscilloscope, logic analyzer, JTAG, and bus tracesBoot, flash, and update infrastructure for embedded targets including A/B partitions and OTAWhat We're Looking For3 to 8+ years building embedded systems on real hardwareStrong C and C++ on Linux, plus comfort with Python for toolingHands on Linux kernel, driver, and BSP experience on at least one custom boardReal-time systems experience including PREEMPT_RT, Xenomai, or RTOSComfortable debugging at the hardware level with scope and logic analyzerWhere you probably come from: Defense companies, robotics, drones, automotive embedded, aerospace, or hardware startups doing real-time embedded work.We want to talk if: You've shipped embedded code on hardware that has to work outside a lab. You've debugged a problem with a scope at 2am and won.Not a fit if: You're a pure firmware or FPGA engineer (we have a separate role for that), you're a pure application developer with no hardware debug, or you treat the board as a black box.Nice To HavesYocto or BuildrootROS2 integrationSafety-critical or hard real-time experienceCAN, EtherCAT, or industrial bus experienceEducationBS or MS in EE, CE, CS, or equivalent hands-on experience.How You OperateExtreme bias for action. You ship working code on real hardware, not slidewareYou debug from first principles, not intuition aloneComfortable with ambiguity and fast iteration in a startup environmentClear communicator across electrical, mechanical, optical, and software teamsSelf directed. You identify what needs to happen next and do it without being toldWhy Join Aurelius Systems?Build more in 1 month than most engineers build in 1 year. We field test weekly. Your work goes downrange, not into a filing cabinet.Career velocity is real. At ~10 engineers, there are no layers between you and impact.Work on a problem that actually matters. Small cheap drones are changing warfare. Our laser systems are the asymmetric answer — infinite magazine, near zero cost per shot, scalable to every base, border, facility, and truck.Join the densest defense startup ecosystem in the country. California is where the next generation of defense companies are being built.How We WorkCore hours are Monday through Friday, 9 to 6. When we're sprinting toward a demo or field test, the team ramps up — nights, weekends, whatever it takes to ship. When the sprint lands, we ramp down. We don't manufacture intensity for show.BenefitsCompetitive salary + equityUnited Health Care medical, dental, and vision coverageFlexible 18 days PTO + 5 sick daysTravel to field test events and range daysCovered daily lunches and office snacks + drinksE-bike / scooter stipend ( Up to $500)Direct access to leadership and real ownership over your workExport Control NoticeThis role requires access to export-controlled information or items that require "U.S. Person" status. As defined by U.S. law, individuals who are any one of the following are considered to be a "U.S. Person": (1) U.S. citizens, (2) legal permanent residents (a.k.a. green card holders), and (3) certain protected classes of asylees and refugees, as defined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).Compensation Range: $155K - $225KApply nowSee more open positions at Aurelius Systems