Firmware/Embedded Engineer – Contract / Consulting Role

About Us

Butlr is on a mission to make the built environment people-aware. We live and work in houses and buildings that aren't aware of their inhabitants. We heat and cool spaces when no one is in them, clean areas that haven't been used, and lease office space that no one is using. Our vision is to enable smarter buildings and increase the quality of life while respecting privacy. 

Spun out of the MIT Media Lab in 2019 with offices in Silicon Valley and Boston, Butlr was founded by Forbes 30 Under 30 entrepreneurs Honghao Deng and Jiani Zeng. Butlr pioneers in space occupancy and people sensing technologies and delivers rich spatial intelligence for workplace, retail, and healthcare use cases. We help customers revolutionize the way they operate in human-centric environments, ensuring efficiency and productivity at every step.

We are backed by top venture capital institutions and strategic investors such as Foundry Group, Tiger Global, Qualcomm Ventures, E14 Fund, and Carrier, among others. We are recognized as one of Fast Company's "2024 Most Innovative Companies", Inc. Magazine's "2023 Best in Business'' (AI & Data Category), World Economic Forum's Top Innovator in YES San Francisco Challenge, among other awards/recognitions. We operate with top occupiers, landlords, care facilities, and service providers in North America, Europe, and Asia. We pride ourselves in providing exceptional solutions and service to numerous prestigious customers, tech giants, and world's largest conglomerates and brands.

About the Role:

We’re seeking an experienced Firmware/Embedded Engineer to develop, optimize, and maintain embedded Linux–based gateway systems for IoT and edge applications. The role involves end-to-end firmware design, connectivity, security, and integration with cloud services.

Preferred Experience:

• Strong C/C++/Python skills in embedded Linux environments.
• Hands-on experience with Yocto, BSPs, and networking stacks.
• Familiarity with OTA updates, secure boot, and cloud-IoT integration.
• 5-10+ years related experience

Responsibilities:

Embedded Linux Platform

• Build and customize Linux OS images (Yocto or Debian-based).
• Integrate kernel modules, device drivers, and BSPs.
• Optimize boot time, memory, and power usage for embedded devices.

Connectivity & Networking

• Implement and manage Ethernet, Wi-Fi, LTE/4G, and PoE networking.
• Configure DHCP, DNS, MQTT, HTTP/HTTPS, NAT, and firewall rules.
• Ensure stable and secure connectivity with automatic recovery (99% uptime target).

System Software & Middleware

• Develop C/C++/Python services for data acquisition, buffering, and routing.
• Integrate edge ML models and cloud middleware (AWS, MQTT, REST APIs).
• Manage local storage, caching, and retry logic for intermittent networks.

Security & Reliability

• Implement secure boot, signed firmware, and integrity checks.
• Manage certificates, keys, and access control.
• Support OTA firmware updates with rollback protection.

Monitoring & Diagnostics

• Design system health telemetry (CPU, memory, connectivity, temperature).
• Create watchdogs, auto-recovery scripts, and remote logging/debugging (jFrog, syslog).
• Support remote firmware updates and diagnostics.

Testing & CI/CD

• Develop and automate unit/integration tests.
• Collaborate with QA on test execution and system validation.

Hardware Integration

• Bring up and test peripherals (Wi-Fi, LTE, USB, GPIO).
• Integrate and test Linux drivers (Qualcomm and custom).
• Validate sensor and RF interfaces.

Performance Optimization

• Profile CPU, memory, and I/O performance.
• Tune kernel and network parameters for reliability and throughput.
• Optimize flash storage and file system usage.

Cloud & Edge Integration

• Develop clients for MQTT, HTTPS, and WebSockets.
• Handle device provisioning and cloud connectivity (AWS IoT Core, Azure).
• Support remote configuration and edge analytics modules.

Collaboration & Documentation

• Work cross-functionally with hardware, QA, and cloud teams.
• Participate in code/architecture reviews.
• Document system architecture and deployment guides

 

Rate:  $100 - $120 / per hour.  40 hours per week.

Location:  Remote / US

 

Why working at Butlr is great!

We are building a culture that puts people first! We’re a team of engaging, motivated, and intelligent problem-solvers who are committed to making an impact. We believe in fostering a culture of healthy work-life balance, and we encourage an inviting, collaborative, fun work environment.

Butlr is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We encourage applicants of all backgrounds to apply!

Disclaimers

Butlr provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.