# Staff Engineer, Embedded Firmware

**Company:** [Shield AI](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/shield-ai)
**Location:** Dallas, TX
**Role:** Embedded Engineering
**Salary:** $160k – $250k/yr
**Experience:** 7+ years
**Skills:** C++, C, Embedded Systems, Bare-Metal Firmware, Linux Kernel, Rtos, Device Trees, Multithreading, CI/CD, Automated Testing, Hardware-In-The-Loop, Avionics Sensors, Motor Control, Uavs
**Posted:** 2026-09-04

> Develop embedded firmware and software architectures for UAV avionics, integrating RTOS platforms, sensors, autonomy systems, and hardware-in-the-loop testing. The role requires staff-level embedded development expertise in C/C++, bare-metal systems, Linux or RTOS bring-up, and a STEM degree.

## Job Description

## Responsibilities
- Develop high-quality C/C++ code for UAV aircraft, emphasizing performance, reliability, and safety.
- Maintain and refine firmware to support new hardware, features, and capabilities.
- Integrate real-time operating systems with custom systems-on-module hardware.
- Develop flight-control firmware for robotic vehicles and convert legacy bare-metal software to RTOS-based systems.
- Create CI/CD pipelines with automated testing for embedded systems.
- Participate in architecture, design, and code reviews.
- Integrate firmware, software verification, autonomy AI, and ground control station software.
- Develop interfaces for avionics sensors, subsystems, and payloads.
- Define and extend software architectures and systems engineering processes.
- Design testing systems for virtualized hardware and hardware-in-the-loop simulations.
- Build tools that improve software deployment, test execution, and data analysis in continuous integration and release workflows.
- Create prototypes to validate design concepts and technical feasibility.
- Coordinate software development through testing, verification, release, and deployment.
- Report project status, risks, accomplishments, and expectations to senior leadership.
- Collaborate with production teams manufacturing UAVs in-house.

## Requirements
- Extensive software development experience in C/C++.
- Experience developing bare-metal firmware for embedded systems.
- Linux kernel or RTOS development experience, including device trees and bring-up on new hardware.
- Familiarity with thread-safe, multithreaded programming.
- Demonstrated ownership of development processes and software features.
- Proven ability to ship products and deliver high-quality solutions in fast-paced environments.
- Bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree in systems engineering, software engineering, computer science, or another STEM discipline such as aerospace, mechanical, or electrical engineering.

## Nice-to-haves
- Experience with autonomous robotic systems, including motor control.
- Experience in startup or research and development environments.
- Adaptability and ability to innovate under changing project demands.

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