Senior/Staff Embedded Systems Firmware Engineer

Company OverviewOmni Instrument is building autonomous manufacturing systems using custom hardware, embedded Linux platforms, real-time control systems, and distributed embedded devices. Our systems combine edge computing, motor control, advanced and industrial communication networks, along with production-grade embedded software designed for manufacturing environments. We are focused on building reliable, production-ready systems that operate continuously and safely in demanding industrial conditions.Role OverviewWe are hiring a Senior Embedded Systems Firmware Engineer to design and implement production firmware for distributed real-time control systems.This role involves ownership of embedded firmware architecture across Linux-based systems and microcontrollers, including communication infrastructure, fault handling, state machines, monitoring systems, and real-time device coordination.You will work on systems involving CAN, EtherCAT, embedded Linux, motor control integration, and safety-critical monitoring logic. The role requires strong programming ability, strong systems-level thinking, and the ability to design firmware that is robust, testable, and production-ready.This is an on-site role in San Francisco, CA reporting directly to the CEO.What You’ll Do• Design and implement embedded firmware for distributed control systems• Develop firmware architecture for Linux and microcontroller-based systems• Implement real-time state machines and fault handling systems• Build communication infrastructure using CAN, EtherCAT, Ethernet, and inter-process communication• Develop monitoring and safety systems for motors, sensors, and industrial devices• Design firmware interfaces between high-level software and low-level hardware• Debug timing-sensitive embedded systems and communication issues• Develop production-quality embedded C++ software• Build automated validation and regression test infrastructure• Develop Hardware In the Loop and Software In the Loop testing systems• Investigate firmware failures and perform root cause analysis• Work closely with hardware, controls, and manufacturing teams to ensure production readinessKey Responsibilities• Own firmware architecture from concept through production deployment• Design reliable communication interfaces between embedded devices• Implement deterministic firmware behavior under real-time constraints• Develop fault monitoring, watchdog, and recovery systems• Validate firmware timing behavior, synchronization, and system stability• Create test infrastructure for firmware validation and release qualification• Define firmware release criteria and reliability requirements• Ensure firmware is maintainable, testable, and scalableYou Have• Degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field• Strong experience developing embedded firmware in C++• Strong understanding of real-time embedded systems• Experience with embedded Linux systems• Experience with microcontrollers and low-level hardware interfaces• Experience implementing communication protocols such as CAN, EtherCAT, Ethernet, SPI, UART, or USB• Experience designing embedded software architecture and state machines• Experience debugging embedded systems using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, JTAG, or similar tools• Strong understanding of multithreading, synchronization, and timing-sensitive software• Experience building firmware test infrastructure and automated validation systems• Ability to independently design and implement production firmware systemsWe Prefer• Experience with Sitara, STM32, NVIDIA Jetson, or similar embedded platforms• Experience with industrial automation or robotics systems• Familiarity with PREEMPT_RT Linux or real-time Linux concepts• Experience with motor control systems and distributed embedded architectures• Experience with Hardware In the Loop and Software In the Loop validation systems• Experience with fault-tolerant or safety-critical firmware design• Experience supporting manufacturing or production environmentsWhat Success Looks Like• Firmware systems are reliable, deterministic, and production-ready• Embedded communication systems operate robustly under real-world conditions• Firmware failures are quickly diagnosable and reproducible• Validation infrastructure scales with product complexity and manufacturing volume• Firmware releases are predictable, repeatable, and stable• Embedded systems are maintainable, testable, and robust across hardware variations