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Principal Firmware Engineer (Connected Appliances)

San Francisco, CA

Position Overview:

As a Principal Firmware Engineer at Fellow, you will play a lead role in the design and development of on-device firmware for our connected home appliances.  Our firmware team creates new product experiences that span from the hardware UI, pumps and control systems, to connected mobile applications. 

You will work closely with cross-functional teams including industrial design, electrical engineers, product management, and manufacturing operations to deliver world-class products. As a firmware lead, you will also direct the efforts of external agencies, mentor other engineers, and lead design reviews. 

This role is based in our office in San Francisco, CA and is required to be in-office 3 days per week.

Responsibilities:

Collaborate on Product Innovation:

    • Work closely with product designers, hardware engineers, and app developers to envision new product experiences and ensure a seamless user interface on devices with real-time functionality.
    • Lead the firmware development that brings these ideas to life, creating systems that deliver high performance and reliability.

Firmware Development & Architecture:

    • Design and develop embedded firmware using FreeRTOS, ensuring smooth operation of features like on-device GUIs, control systems, and connectivity to mobile applications.
    • Architect and optimize firmware for resource-constrained environments, focusing on efficiency, low power usage, and stability.

IoT Integration:

    • Build firmware that integrates securely and efficiently with AWS IoT for remote device control, data streaming, and over-the-air (OTA) updates.
    • Ensure seamless communication between connected appliances and cloud infrastructure, working alongside cloud engineers to optimize IoT functionality.

Cross-Functional Leadership:

    • Collaborate with hardware engineers to ensure seamless integration between firmware and the physical systems of the device.
    • Partner with mobile app teams to ensure consistent, real-time interaction between the device and mobile apps.
    • Lead design and code reviews, mentor junior engineers, and drive best practices in firmware development.

System Optimization & Testing:

    • Lead efforts to optimize firmware performance, focusing on real-time responsiveness, efficient memory use, and low power consumption.
    • Conduct thorough testing and debugging of firmware using industry-standard tools, ensuring system reliability and performance benchmarks are met.

Continuous Improvement:

    • Take ownership of firmware development for new and existing products, continuously improving code quality and system performance through iterative testing and validation.
    • Lead efforts to improve OTA firmware updates and streamline the deployment process.
    • Understand the latest architecture approaches in secure IoT device provisioning and management for consumer hardware.  Make continued recommendations to evolve our designs.
    • Identify potential risks in software development and create strategies to mitigate them, ensuring the safety and efficacy of our appliances.

Qualifications:

  • 10+ years of experience in embedded firmware development, with a focus on real-time operating systems (RTOS) and connected consumer products.
  • Deep expertise in FreeRTOS or other RTOS environments, with a strong understanding of multitasking, scheduling, and system performance optimization.
  • Experience with AWS IoT services and secure, scalable IoT communication protocols (MQTT, HTTP, TLS).
  • Strong knowledge of microcontroller platforms (ARM Cortex, STM32, etc.) and peripheral interfaces (I2C, SPI, UART).
  • Proficiency in C/C++ for embedded systems development.
  • Experience working with on-device GUIs and integrating firmware with mobile applications.
  • Strong debugging skills and experience with tools like JTAG, oscilloscopes, and logic analyzers.
  • Familiarity with embedded development tools (version control, CI/CD) and OTA firmware update processes.
  • Ability to travel - up to 10%

Preferred Skills:

  • Experience with MQTT or other IoT communication protocols.
  • Experience with control systems and sensor integration is a plus, but not required.
  • Familiarity with wireless communication protocols (BLE, Wi-Fi) for IoT devices.
  • Experience with GUI development frameworks for embedded devices.
  • Knowledge of cybersecurity best practices for IoT devices.
  • Familiarity with testing and validation for IoT hardware devices.
  • Experience with mobile app deployment, managing updates and mapping compatibility between on-device firmware and new mobile app capabilities.
  • Familiarity with security practices for IoT devices and systems, including encryption, secure boot, and TLS/SSL protocols.

Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience.

Benefits:

  • Competitive compensation including employee equity plan
  • Generous paid time off plan
  • 401k with company contribution after 6 months of employment
  • Medical/dental/vision insurance
  • Monthly Fitness Stipend
  • Paid Parental Leave
  • Better Yourself Wellness credit & Better Your Community donation matching
  • Generous discount on Fellow products
  • Best coffee anywhere

Salary Range: $185,000-195,000

Our highest goal at Fellow is creating a safe, inclusive, and rewarding environment where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and thrive. We are committed to building diverse teams and strongly encourage people from underrepresented groups, including but not limited to women, people of color, LGBTQIA+ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, and veterans to apply. 

Fellow is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will not be discriminated against because of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, religion, national origin, citizenship status, disability, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, medical condition or any protected category prohibited by local, state or federal laws.

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