Lead Firmware Quality Engineer

Who we are

Samsara (NYSE: IOT) is the pioneer of the Connected Operations™ Cloud, which is a platform that enables organizations that depend on physical operations to harness Internet of Things (IoT) data to develop actionable insights and improve their operations. At Samsara, we are helping improve the safety, efficiency and sustainability of the physical operations that power our global economy. Representing more than 40% of global GDP, these industries are the infrastructure of our planet, including agriculture, construction, field services, transportation, and manufacturing — and we are excited to help digitally transform their operations at scale.

Working at Samsara means you’ll help define the future of physical operations and be on a team that’s shaping an exciting array of product solutions, including Video-Based Safety, Vehicle Telematics, Apps and Driver Workflows, Equipment Monitoring, and Site Visibility. As part of a recently public company, you’ll have the autonomy and support to make an impact as we build for the long term.

About the role:

We are looking for a Firmware Test Lead to own the quality strategy and execution for our MCU-based devices. This is a player/coach role—ideal for someone who thrives being hands-on while also leading a small team of engineers. You will guide a team of firmware QA engineers and work in close collaboration with firmware development, hardware, and product teams to ensure the delivery of robust, high-quality embedded software.

Our devices operate in challenging environments and rely on RTOS-based firmware with complex connectivity stacks including cellular, GPS, BLE, WiFi, and CAN. Your leadership will be critical to scaling our QA infrastructure, test automation, and validation processes.

This is a hybrid position requiring 3 days per week in our San Francisco, CA office and 2 days working remotely.

You should apply if:

• You want to impact the industries that run our world: The software, firmware, and hardware you build will result in real-world impact—helping to keep the lights on, get food into grocery stores, and most importantly, ensure workers return home safely.
• You want to build for scale: With over 2.3 million IoT devices deployed to our global customers, you will work on a range of new and mature technologies driving scalable innovation for customers across industries driving the world's physical operations.
• You are a life-long learner: We have ambitious goals. Every Samsarian has a growth mindset as we work with a wide range of technologies, challenges, and customers that push us to learn on the go.
• You believe customers are more than a number: Samsara engineers enjoy a rare closeness to the end user and you will have the opportunity to participate in customer interviews, collaborate with customer success and product managers, and use metrics to ensure our work is translating into better customer outcomes.
• You are a team player: Working on our Samsara Engineering teams requires a mix of independent effort and collaboration. Motivated by our mission, we’re all racing toward our connected operations vision, and we intend to win—together.

In this role, you will: 

• Lead a small team of quality engineers and provide technical leadership, set priorities, and foster a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
• Contribute directly to developing and executing test plans, test automation, and system validation for embedded firmware across multiple product lines.
• Partner closely with firmware developers, product managers, and hardware engineers to ensure test coverage and drive timely resolution of issues.
• Improve test infrastructure, CI/CD pipelines, and coverage reporting to accelerate release cycles. 
• Serve as a quality champion throughout the development lifecycle, helping to identify risks early and ensure issues are resolved pre-release.
• Build and enhance automated test frameworks, HIL setups, and simulation environments to increase test coverage and reduce manual effort.
• Support field validation testing, log analysis, and issue triage to ensure firmware reliability in real-world industrial deployments.
• Champion, role model, and embed Samsara’s cultural principles (Focus on Customer Success, Build for the Long Term, Adopt a Growth Mindset, Be Inclusive, Win as a Team) as we scale globally and across new offices.

Minimum requirements for the role:

• 6+ years of experience in embedded systems or firmware testing.
• 2+ years in a technical leadership or team lead role.
• Sol