Software Engineer - Embedded

Skydio · Defense · San Mateo, CA +1 · R&D

Software Engineer role focused on embedded firmware for autonomous drones, involving bare metal, RTOS, and embedded Linux development on microcontrollers and SOCs. Responsibilities include architecting, designing, implementing, and validating complex embedded systems, drivers, and interfaces, with a focus on real-time performance and hardware integration.

What you'd actually do

  1. Provide technical direction and architecture of complex systems
  2. Design and implement the embedded software that runs on the vehicle
  3. Characterize, integrate, and validate key subsystems (e.g. next-gen camera, radio)
  4. Bring up and debug new hardware
  5. Write interfaces and drivers for sensors and other devices

Skills

Required

  • modern C++
  • Python
  • clean code
  • abstraction boundaries
  • SOC development
  • embedded microcontrollers
  • camera drivers
  • firmware development
  • embedded Linux userspace
  • embedded Linux kernel development
  • low-level firmware
  • hardware bring-up
  • system debugging
  • code optimization
  • ARM assembly
  • embedded security
  • cryptographic firmware development

Nice to have

  • Qualcomm devices

What the JD emphasized

  • modern C++
  • real-time embedded environment
  • Python development experience
  • clean code with appropriate abstraction boundaries
  • SOC development
  • embedded microcontrollers
  • camera drivers
  • firmware/embedded code for a physical device
  • Embedded linux userspace and kernel development
  • low-level firmware
  • Hands-on hardware bring-up
  • system debugging
  • code optimization
  • ARM assembly code level
  • Embedded security and cryptographic firmware development