Embedded Software Engineer - AV Hardware

About Forterra

Forterra is a leading provider of autonomous systems for ground-based movement in the working world. Amongst some of the earliest innovators in the field of driverless technology, Forterra is focused on building systems that protect front-line soldiers and enable civilian workers in our industrial base. Forterra is the go-to provider of ground autonomy solutions for the U.S. Department of Defense, which harnesses the technology for asymmetric warfare in critical conditions.

About the role
We are looking for an Embedded Software Engineer to develop and test low-level software for autonomous vehicle hardware. You will work at the intersection of embedded systems and autonomous technology, bringing up new hardware platforms, writing firmware for microcontrollers and microprocessors, and ensuring system functionality through rigorous testing.

What you'll do

• Board Bring-Up & Hardware Evaluation:
• • Collaborate with hardware engineers to define system architecture, provide design review, and debug issues.
  • Develop and debug low-level software for new hardware platforms.
• Firmware & Software Development:
• • Develop embedded software for microcontrollers and microprocessors on bare metal or RTOS.
  • Implement and optimize drivers, bootloaders, and system-level software.
  • Ensure real-time performance and reliability of embedded systems.
• Testing & Validation:
• • Develop test plans to validate processor, memory, and communication interfaces (Ethernet, CAN, I2C, SPI, UART, etc.).
  • Perform bring-up and debugging of embedded systems using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and debugging tools.
  • Set up and execute final acceptance testing for hardware validation before deployment.
• Collaboration & Documentation:
• • Work closely with hardware, software, and systems engineers to ensure seamless integration.
  • Document software architecture, test plans, and debugging procedures.
  • Provide technical support for hardware and firmware during development and production.
  • Familiarity with software development tools and version control systems (e.g., Git, SVN).

Qualifications

• Experience with ARM Cortex-M/R/A processors or similar embedded platforms.
• Strong proficiency in C/C++ for embedded systems.
• Experience with bare metal programming and RTOS (e.g., FreeRTOS, Zephyr).
• Hands-on experience with board bring-up and low-level debugging.
• Knowledge of hardware communication protocols (Ethernet, CAN, I2C, SPI, UART).
• Familiarity with embedded development tools (JTAG debuggers, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers).
• Experience reading schematics and integrated circuit data sheets

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with automotive or robotics hardware.
• Knowledge of safety-critical software development (ISO 26262, MISRA).
• Familiarity with scripting languages (Python, Bash) for testing and automation.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field
• 3+ years of experience in embedded software development.

US Salary Range
 $120,000—$180,000 / annually
 

The salary range for this role is an estimate and is based on a wide variety of compensation factors. The salary offered to candidates will vary based on a variety of factors including (but not limited to) relevant work experience, education, specialized training, critical expertise, training, and more. Equity in Forterra is included in most of our full-time, high-demand roles and is therefore considered part of Forterra’s overall compensation package. In addition to base salary and equity, Forterra offers competitive benefits for full-time employees including:

• Premium Healthcare Benefits: Three plan options, including an HSA-eligible plan, with Forterra covering 80% of the plan premium for you and your dependents.  
• Basic Life/AD&D, short and long-term disability insurance plans 100% covered by Forterra,